Feb. 20, 2011

Box Score

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ATLANTA, Ga. - Senior southpaw Janelle Valle tossed a complete-game shutout to help the University of Memphis top Appalachian State 1-0 on Sunday in the Panther Invitational championship game.

With the win, Memphis improves to 7-2 on the season and finished the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record. The Tigers' 7-2 start is the best in program history. Memphis has now won five-straight and have been involved in six-straight games decided by a run. Three of the four Tiger victories in the tournament were 1-0 decisions.

Valle finished the game scattering six hits and striking out two, while walking two. The senior collects her fifth career shutout and first since the 2009 season against UCF on April 24, 2009. Valle improves to 2-1 on the season and 2-0 in the tournament.

The Tigers posted the only run of the game in the first inning. After Lelani Bernardino reached on an error by Mountaineers pitcher Caitlin Wainright who bobbled a comebacker, Bernardino advanced to third on a single by Heather Mott. ASU came home on a grounder to short hit by Maddie McKinley, but Bernardino slid around the tag to score the early run.

After back-to-back singles to start the sixth for Appalachian State, Valle pitched out of the jam by retiring Mountaineers catcher Michelle Lighton on strikes. With one out and runners on first and second, Valle forced Hannah Dow into a line-out to first base. Mountaineers shortstop Meghan Phillips then grounded out to first and Valle worked out of the jam and kept the score at 1-0.

Wainright took the loss in the circle for Appalachian State after allowing one run, unearned, in six innings. She allowed three hits and walked three.

Memphis returns to the friendly confines of the Tiger Softball Complex on Wednesday as they take on Alabama A&M in a doubleheader slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch.

Game Notes: Freshman Amber Lindahl made her first career start, receiving the nod at catcher ... With a walk in the bottom of the third, Kailey Kassner reached base successfully and has reached base in eight of nine games this season ... Janelle Valle posted her first shutout since April 24, 2009 and her fifth career shutout . The five-game winning streak that Memphis is on is the longest since the 2008 season when Memphis won five-straight from April 5-9 ... Heather Mott increased her hitting streak to four games with a single in the first inning ... Seven of the Tigers' first nine games have been decided by a run, including the last six contests. Memphis is 5-2 in one-run games this year.