Fifth-year senior Amanda Bolton (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon [Arizona]) threw Valparaiso's first no-hitter since March of 2011 on Friday as the Crusaders earned a 9-0 run-rule victory over Temple in their opener at the USF Spring Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.
Bolton shut down a Temple squad which entered the day hitting .295 as a team, using 91 pitches over her five innings of work to earn her first career no-hitter. Bolton did walk three Owl batters, but also struck out three as well. It was Valpo's first no-hitter since 2012 graduate Alex Lagesse tossed a perfect game against Detroit on March 26, 2011.
"We came out aggressively today, and Amanda was very efficient," said Crusader head coach Jordan Stevens. "I am very happy for her and for her accomplishment. It was a good overall team win against a good opponent."
Bolton took to the circle in the bottom of the first with a significant cushion, as Valpo pushed six runs across the plate in the top of the first inning. Each of the Crusaders' first three batters reached, with freshman Kaitlyn Ranieri (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) then scoring on an RBI groundout by sophomore Brittany Duncan (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn) for the game's first run. Three batters later, freshman Janelle Bouchard (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) stepped in with the bases loaded and promptly delivered a bases-clearing double, pushing the Crusader lead to 4-0.
Bouchard would complete the circuit around the bases almost immediately, as redshirt junior Jessie Marinec (Alsip, Ill./Marist) brought her home with a single up the middle to make it a five-run edge. Two batters later, Ranieri stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning, and for the second time the rookie connected for a first-pitch single, this one scoring Marinec as Valpo ended the frame with a 6-0 lead.
Bouchard would draw a bases-loaded walk in the fourth, followed by an RBI infield single from Marinec, as Valpo pushed the game into run-rule territory. A bases-loaded free pass drawn by junior Amanda Wisniewski (Skokie, Ill./Huntley) in the top of the fifth would close the scoring. The biggest threat to Bolton's shutout came in the second inning, as a pair of walks and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two away, but the fifth-year senior induced a flyout to keep Temple off the scoreboard.
Bolton improved to 2-0 on the season with her no-hitter, while Brooklin White, the first of three Temple (7-10) pitchers, fell to 1-5 after surrendering six runs in two-thirds of an inning of work. Ranieri had a three-hit day for Valpo, while junior Angie Doerffler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) scored three runs and Bouchard drove in four. Wisniewski ended the day with an odd line, going 0-for-0 with three walks and a hit by pitch.
Valparaiso (11-9) plays two more games in Clearwater on Saturday. The Crusaders will face Iowa State at 10 a.m. CT before taking on Maryland at 3 p.m.
