Burkhart's Walk-Off Single Secures Sweep

Wheeling, WV, April 25, 2009 – Jordan Burkhart singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth and Wheeling Jesuit’s pitchers combined to throw sixteen scoreless innings in a doubleheader sweep of Shepherd Saturday afternoon at LaRosa Field, by scores of 6-0 and 1-0.

Brandy Jester pitched a five-hit shutout and drove in four runs to lead Wheeling Jesuit in the first game victory.  Jester’s first hit of the day, a two-out single in the third inning, scored Burkhart for the game’s initial run.

Jester then broke the game open in the fifth inning with a bases-clearing double, bringing home Ashley Morris, Rachelle Carello, and Renee Bailey.

Carello added a two-run home run, her third hit of the game, in the sixth to close out the scoring.

Morris also finished game one with three hits, while scoring a pair of runs.

Game two was all about the pitching, as Wheeling Jesuit’s Olivia Wamsley and Shepherd’s Erica Snoddy matched zeroes.

Shepherd mounted the game’s first scoring threat in the third inning, loading the bases with one out.  But third baseman Courtney Kurowski quickly ended the threat, grabbing a line drive off the bat of Amber Dudek and doubling the runner off third.

The Rams again loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Wamsley was up to the challenge, striking out Nichole Pitcock and getting Kris Durham to fly out to right field.

After concluding seven innings scoreless, the game moved into the eighth, and Shepherd started the frame quickly, with Tricia Bettura drawing a leadoff walk and Caitlin Davis singling her to second.  Jester came on to relieve Wamsley and retired three straight Ram hitters to end the inning.

Bailey reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the eighth and advanced to second on a passed ball with no outs, but the Cardinal offense could not move her any farther.

After a quiet top of the ninth, the stage was set for the exciting ending.  Wamsley walked to lead off the inning, and was sacrificed to second by Jaime Donato.  Burkhart followed by grounding a 3-1 pitch up the middle to score Wamsley and give the Cardinals the walk-off win.

Jester notched her second win of the day with two scoreless innings in the nightcap.

The two important conference wins improved Wheeling Jesuit’s overall record to 17-20, and its conference record to 8-8.  Shepherd fell to 22-19 overall, 15-11 in the WVIAC.