WESTMINSTER, Md. - It only took Salisbury
University sophomore Kelly Waskewicz 86 games
to break the school record for home runs as the slugging
All-American shortstop blasted her 34th career shot. Waskewicz's
slammed a two-run shot in the third inning against McDaniel
College in the first game of a Wednesday doubleheader on the road.
Salisbury (32-7) swept in-state non-conference games
against McDaniel (13-23) to wrap-up the regular season for the
Sea Gulls.
Salisbury won the first game 8-0 in six innings behind clutch
hitting by Waskewicz and a strong pitching game by starter
Stacy Davis (18-3). The Sea Gulls turned around
and fought back in the second game. SU trailed 6-1 but rallied to
win 14-7. McDaniel scored six runs in the bottom of the second
inning as the Sea Gulls had to overcome the early deficit to win
their 11th game in a row.
Waskewicz batted 2-for-3 in the first game as she scored one run
and drove in four runs. Her home run in the first game was the 17th
for the season, which also ties the single-season school record she
set last year. Former Sea Gull April Harned
(1998-2001) previously held the school record with 33 career
home runs.
Senior third baseman Kurisha Hoffman was a
perfect 3-for-3, with a double, as she drove in two runs and
scored twice. Freshman right fielder Kristin Lord
was the other Gull to collect two hits as she scored one run and
hit a double. The Sea Gulls scored three runs in the third inning,
one in th fifth and four in the sixth.
Davis went the distance to record her 13th complete game. She
pitched six scoreless innings where she allowed five Green Terror
hits, walked one and struck out two.
In the second game, Salisbury jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the
first inning as sophomore Lauren Brenneman
(3-for-4, three RBI) knocked in Waskewicz with a RBI single.
McDaniel erupted for six runs in the bottom of the second inning
as the Green Terror chased SU starter Kortni
Pedlow. Green Terror freshman Kate Phelan blasted a
two-run home run off Pedlow. Several batters later McDaniel
freshman Katie Ferguson hit a grand slam off freshman pitcher
Kelsey Mills. The day ended earlier for Mills as
freshman Kim Ruppert (1-0) was brought in to calm
things down.
Salisbury battled back in the third as Brenneman got the rally
started with another RBI single that plated Hoffman. A McDaniel
fielding error allowed Alex Winstead (4-for-4,
three runs, two RBI) to come around and score. Sophomore first
baseman Ali Ritter (2-for-5, four RBI) followed
and delivered a huge two-run single to score Lord and Brenneman.
Junior Meaghan O'Gara (2-for-4, two runs) recorded
a RBI single to right field to tie the game as Ritter came around
to score and knot the game at six apiece.
The Gulls went ahead for good in the fourth when they scored
three runs. Salisbury tacked on one run in the fifth and four in
the seventh.
Ruppert earned her first win of the season as she pitched five
and two-thirds innings where she allowed one run on five hits,
walked two and struck out three Green Terror batters.
The Sea Gulls will have to wait and see if they are selected to
the 2008 NCAA Division III tournament which will be officially
announced on Sunday, May 4.
