GEORGETOWN – First-year pitcher Nicole Gibbs closed out a stellar afternoon in the circle tossing the first no-hitter in the Southwestern University softball team's program history with an 8-1 win over Centenary after picking up a 9-0 win in game one.
The no-hitter came in game two of a double-header as Gibbs saw just three batters over the minimum as she walked one. Gibbs also improved to 5-11 on the season picking up both wins on Sunday.
The Pirate softball team put all phases of the game together Sunday as the offense produced 11 hits in the second game en route to the 8-1 win.
Karen Ramirez belted a double to finish 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored while Caroline Young muscled a home run over the left field fence for the only extra base hits. Young's home run was the first of the season and came in the face of a stiff wind blowing in from left field all afternoon.
Southwestern jumped out to a 4-0 lead with Young's homer and Ramirez's double in the second inning. Christina Crandall singled scoring Linsay Biggers who reached with two outs on an infield single.
Ashleigh Scott joined in on the scoring with an RBI single to right field to score Ramirez. Scott and Biggers also finished with multiple hits going 2-for-3, respectively.
The Pirates added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth and a final insurance run in the sixth on a Tessa Galloway sacrifice fly.
The first game saw the Pirate bats come out hot also adding 11 hits in the 9-0 win ending via run rule.
Ramirez, Galloway, Kayla Irvin and Michele Ramos finished with extra base hits as Irvin helped put the game out of reach with a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth. Irvin was 2-for-3 with a double and a home run.
Southwestern first got on the board in the second inning when Ramos doubled to center field scoring Stacy Rosengren. Two batters later, Ramos would score on a sacrifice fly by Crandall giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
Gibbs did the rest allowing just two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. It was her second shutout of the season. On the weekend Gibbs totaled 23 innings as she appeared in all four games allowing just 10 hits – she pitched two hitless innings of relief on Saturday.
The first-year pitcher also allowed just three runs and two earned runs with seven strikeouts. The no-hitter for Gibbs was also the first in program history coming in the 238th game for Southwestern softball.
The Pirates improved to 8-13-1 on the year and 5-5 in SCAC action with the double-header sweep. Southwestern returns to action against Concordia on Tuesday in a double-header scheduled for a 5 p.m. first pitch.