AKRON, Ohio – For the second year in a row, a Pomeroy pitcher threw a no-hitter at the USCAA National Championship Tournament. Last year, then junior Brooke Jordan threw a no-hitter against Penn State Mont Alto. This year, it was junior Sarah Burnham's turn as she threw her first career no-hitter against Briarcliffe in an 11-0 victory on Tuesday.

Burnham, who was named the USCAA Softball Player of the Year on Sunday, went five innings as SMWC eight-run ruled the Bulldogs at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. She struck out six batters and walked three on her way to not allowing a single hit on Tuesday afternoon.

"Throwing a no-hitter is great, but it would have never happened if it wasn't for our defense," stated, Burnham. "We came out ready to play today. We hit well and played great defense. The team is having fun in the field and at the plate which is making great things happen for us."

Burnham's pitching wasn't the only thing working for SMWC in their second game at the USCAA National Championship Tournament. SMWC's bats were just as big of a story as the Pomeroys had eight different batters record a hit. The Pomeroys recorded 10 hits for 11 runs with sophomore Breanna Lange and Freshman Kerri Schrock leading the way as they went 2-for-3 and 2-for-2, respectively. Freshman Marlee Yeager and junior Kimberly Strattman each recorded a game-high two RBI's. Scoring for SMWC was sophomore Emma Riffe with two runs, senior Brooke Jordan with one run, senior Shelby Turner with one run, Lange with two runs, freshman Kelly Combs with two runs, Strattman with two runs and Schrock with one run.

The Pomeroys offense started off with one run in the bottom of the first off of a sacrifice fly to center field by Yeager that scored Burnham. It was the second inning though that proved to be the most fruitful and ultimately won SWMC the game as they scored 10 runs.

In the bottom of the second, Lange crossed home plate first off of an RBI double by Strattman. Riffe then hit an RBI single that scored Combs. The scoring then continued as Burnham pushed SMWC's lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Strattman. Yeager then knocked in Schrock off of a hit to the short stop. Jordan then followed that up with an RBI single that scored Riffe. With a 6-0 lead, the Pomeroys added five more runs for a grand total of 10 runs in the second inning with Lange Strattman and Schrock picking up RBI's, while Jordan, Turner, Lange, Combs and Strattman all scored.

SMWC's bats cooled off in their final two innings at the plate, but they had done all they needed to as they secured the 11-0 victory.

The No. 1 Pomeroys have now won nine of their last 10 games and will face No. 2 Carlow tomorrow at 4 p.m. If the Pomeroys win tomorrow, they will advance to the USCAA National Championship Game on Thursday. Tomorrow's game will feature LIVE stats and video.