The No. 2-seeded UNCW women’s tennis team advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) semifinals for the third year in a row Friday with an easy 5-0 dismantling of No. 7 Hofstra.
The streaking Seahawks won their third straight match and seventh in eight outings to improve to 13-6 this spring. Hofstra ended its season with a 7-9 mark.
UNCW swept the doubles point and then added the first four singles matches off the court to give first-year coach Evan Clark his first CAA Tournament victory.
The Seahawks and No. 3 Dukes will battle in the top half of the bracket at 10 a.m., while top-seeded William & Mary takes on No. 4 Delaware at the same time. The winners meet in Sunday’s championship match at 10 a.m.
Women’s golf in sixth after opening round
The two-time defending CAA champion Seahawks posted a team total 332 on Friday and are in sixth place after the opening 18 holes of the 2013 CAA women’s golf.
The Seahawks are two shots back of fifth place William & Mary (330) and 11 strokes behind fourth place James Madison (321).
Xavier holds a three-shot lead over the field as it carded a team result of 313 over the opening 18 holes.
Sophomore Mallory Warrick paced the Seahawks lineup with a nine-over-par 81 on Friday that puts her in a tie for 13th. Junior Lori Beth Adams and sophomore Mattie Tobey are both two shots back of Warrick and make up half of a four-way tie for 23rd.
Diamond Hawks take opener over GMU
Kelly Secrest pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and Ryan LaGrange went 4-for-4 as UNCW topped host George Mason 4-2 in CAA baseball action Friday at Spuhler Field.
The Seahawks, who improved to 7-4 on the road, raised their record to 28-10 overall and 10-2 in the league. GMU, meanwhile, dropped to 13-26 and 5-14.
The Patriots loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth against Secrest before the lefthander closed out the threat with a lineout to first and a strikeout to end it for his fifth save of the season.
UNCW starter Mat Batts (6-2) earned the win, going six and 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and a pair of walks.
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. start. Jordan Ramsey (6-2, 1.66 ERA) makes his 10th start for the Seahawks, while GMU counters with Anthony Montefusco (2-4, 5.44 ERA).
Track & field in Charlotte
UNCW wrapped up its appearance at the Charlotte Invitational Friday by winning six events at the Irwin Belt Track and Field Center.
Katy Haran (3000 SC), David Lindsay (110 hurdles), Meena Reid (200m), Kevin Webb (pole vault), Johnique Fonville (triple jump) and Ryan Kelly (shot put) each won, while freshman Matthew Foster collected a pair of second-place finishes in the 110 and 400 hurdles.
The Seahawks next compete at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia on April 25.
