She no-hits Wes for second time in two years; Warriors win 33rd in row
MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Senior All-America Molly Rathbun (Hebron) tied the Eastern Connecticut State University softball record with her eighth career no-hitter and junior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic) extended her program-record hitting streak to 26 by driving in the only runs of the game with a two-run home run in the third in the Warriors' 2-0 victory over Wesleyan University Thursday night at the Eastern Softball Field.
Above Jen Tamindzija strokes a single in the fourth inning of Thursday's 2-0 win over Wesleyan. (Tim Seidl photo)
Ranked No. 2 nationally, Eastern (34-1) won its 33rd straight game as Rathbun tossed her second no-hitter in as many years against Wesleyan (8-24). The no-hitter was the third this year and eighth of the career of Rathbun, who tied the record of former All-America Christia Mohan, the 1990 national Player-of-the-Year for the national champions.
A winner of 22 straight, Rathbun (23-1) fanned 11 and walked only one in lowering her nation-leading ERA to 0.34. She allowed two baserunners and faced only two batters over the limit. Rathbun commited a fielding error on a leadoff ground ball by junior centerfielder Allee Beatty and walked senior cleanup hitter Sam Epstein on a 3-2 pitch with two out in the seventh.
At right: Priscilla Alicea steals the first of two bases Thursday night. (Tim Seidl photo)
Cooper slammed her team-leading seventh home run of the season - the 20th of her career - with one out in the third for the only runs of the game. Sophomore No. 9 hitter Mattie Brett (Waterford) doubled to center with one out before Cooper homered off losing sophomore pitcher Laura Getchell. With the exception of the third inning, Getchell (3-9) gave up only one other hit - a one-out single to center by sophomore second baseman Jen Tamindzija (Malden, MA) in the fourth. Getchell fanned eight and walked three.
Rathbun had a 20-game hitting streak snapped, fanning twice and grounding to third in three plate appearances.
Eastern closes out the regular season Saturday with a doubleheader at the University of Southern Maine at 1 p.m. The Warriors look to close out the regular season with a perfect 14-0 Little East Conference mark.
