Brenneman powers Salisbury in season opener at VWC Beach Blast
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The 2009 Salisbury University softball season finally got underway, after a week of postponements due to bad weather, as the Sea Gulls headed south for the annual Virginia Wesleyan College Beach Blast tournament. Salisbury (2-0) started off on the right foot with two victories on Friday at Princess Anne Park in Virginia Beach, Va. The Sea Gulls defeated Peace College 3-1 in the first game in the afternoon and followed with an 11-2 win over Allegheny College in the evening.
Junior catcher Lauren Brenneman led the way for the maroon and gold as she slammed two home runs, one in each game, to pace the Sea Gulls. Brenneman got things started against Peace as she scored SU's first run of the season in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly hit by first baseman Ali Ritter. In the sixth, Brenneman broke open a 1-1 game with a solo home run. The Sea Gulls pushed across a third and final run in the inning when second baseman Stacey Malarkey scored. Senior pitcher Stacy Davis (1-0) earned the complete game victory as she struck out 12 batters and allowed one run on two hits as she walked three.
In the second game, Brenneman picked up where she left off as she started the game with a three-run home run against Allegheny. Malarkey followed with a solo home run to go back-to-back and give SU four early runs in the game. Five different Sea Gulls recorded two hits in the nine-run victory they include; Brenneman (four RBIs), shortstop Kelly Waskewicz (three runs, RBI), designated player Brittany Lounge (double, three RBIs) and outfielders Jen Cahall and Meaghan O'Gara (double).
Freshman pitcher Erika Brittingham (1-0) won her Sea Gull debut as she pitched two and two-third innings and struck out one batter. Sophomore Kelsey Mills came in to relieve Brittingham and added two strikeouts in the win.
Salisbury will face Rowan University and Roanoke College on Saturday in the Beach Blast tournament.
