April 21, 2004

Final Stats

VILLANOVA, PA. - Pitching ruled the day at the Villanova Softball Field on Wednesday, as Shannon Williams and Kristen Haynes shut out Delaware, 1-0 and 3-0, respectively. Haynes hurled a no-hitter in game two, her second of the season. She did it earlier in the year at Virginia Tech.

The junior right-hander from Fairfax, Calif. was a sixth inning walk away from a perfect game. Haynes recorded the final out herself, fielding a come backer from Randy Isaacs and throwing to first baseman Kari Koller for the out. She dominated the Fightin' Blue Hens, striking out nine for her ninth win of the season. Haynes has won nine of her last 11 decisions, and her earned run average is down to a season-low 1.82.

Centerfielder Robin Flier and designated player Cassie Koenig provided the offense for Haynes. Flier was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Koenig, a freshman, went 2-for-3 with a run batted in. She is 7-for-18 (.389) on the current home stand. Both players had hits in the fourth inning, when the Wildcat offense produced three runs and forced two Delaware pitching changes.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Williams showed off some dominant stuff of her own in limiting Delaware to three singles, two of which came in the seventh inning. She walked none and struck out eight in improving to 16-9 on the year. Williams fired her 16th complete game of the season, which puts her three away from the VU single season record, established by Tina Sabunas in 1994.

'Nova's lone run in game one came in the second inning off Blue Hen starter Carolynn Sloat. Koenig's two-out double to the left-center field gap scored classmate Lindsey Martin, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

UD falls to 21-19 overall in 2004. The 'Cats (25-16) have now won five straight, and will prepare for a showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who are coming to the Main Line for a Saturday doubleheader at 12:00 p.m. Villanova and ND are currently the top two teams in the Big East Conference.