SOFTBALL SILENCES LIONS Printer-Friendly Format Email This ArticleMelissa Hara's first inning single broke Jana Sagara's career hits record. ATHERTON, CA –2/28/04- Melissa Hara had five hits and Amanda Colon added five runs batted in today as Menlo College took a pair of games from the visiting Lions of Patten College 5-0 and 14-0. The two victories for the Oaks snapped a two game skid and is the second weekend sweep the team has had in the 2004 campaign. Oaks southpaw Lauren Baker improved her record to 2-1 on the season in throwing the complete game shoutout in game one, scattering seven hits and fanning a career high six batters. Patten starter Brenna Sabbatini was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs on ten hits. The Oaks put up a single run in the first inning before opening the game up at 3-0 with a pair of runs in the third inning. Shortstop Michelle Hirabayashi and catcher Jessica Courson opened the frame with ringing singles through the infield. The two would come around to score on the next two batters, as Colleen Riley’s ground out platted Hirabayashi while Baker singled home Courson for the third run of the afternoon. Additional runs came across in each of the next two innings that gave Menlo the 5-0 shutout. In the nightcap, the Oaks battered around Patten starter Elizabeth Trokey to the tune of 14 hits in a 14-0 shellacking. The game started off with a bit of history, as Melissa Hara singled to left field, marking her 121st career hit. That mark eclipsed Jana Sagara’s career hit total set from 1999-2002. Holding a firm 3-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, Menlo sent sixteen batters to the plate on their way to putting up eleven runs that put the game out of distance. The inning featured the first twelve batters reaching base, with Amanda Colon’s two run triple being the big blow. The junior third baseman would finish the game with a career high five runs batted in to go along with a pair of singles. The mighty Oaks offense, which included a season high 14 hits, was much to the delight of junior right hander Jennifer Roper. In picking up the abbreviated complete game victory, Roper yielding just three hits, all of which were singles, while striking out a pair of Patten batters. Not only did the victory even Roper’s record to 1-1 on the season, but it was her first win since March 12th of 2002, when she defeated, oddly enough, Patten 6-5. Menlo College (4-4) returns to the field this week in Southern California as they take part in the Sun West Tournament. |