Story Courtesy UNC Greensboro sports information
UNC Greensboro 2-8, UNC Wilmington 0-7
GREENSBORO, NC ? Junior right-hander Vanessa Oakes pitched a complete game shutout in game one and junior Jennifer Bonilla had a game-winning three-run double in the nightcap to send UNC Greensboro to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of UNC Wilmington Wednesday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Spartans won the first game 2-0 behind the work of Oakes (6-6). The Wilmington, NC native beat the Seahawks for the second time this season by giving up six hits and one walk, while striking out three batters in 7.0 innings of work.
Meanwhile, Bonilla’s bases clearing double in the bottom half of the seventh inning gave UNCG (12-17) an 8-7 victory in the nightcap.
In game one, freshman catcher Leslie Furness gave the Spartans all the runs they needed with a two-run home run to left field in the fourth as UNCG snapped a brief three-game skid.
The Seahawks put together a rally in the seventh after Oakes retired the first two batters. Meghan Murray singled and Whitney Knudsen reached on an error, but Ali Gardiner lined out to center to end the game.
Furness was the hitting hero with her second homer of the season, while Bonilla, Lyndsay Mouse and Kelly Allen each added a single for the Spartans.
Murray and Carly Hughes each went 2-for-3 in game one for UNCW (20-18). Jennifer Bosley (8-9) was saddled with the loss after allowing only four hits and two runs. She walked three and struck out five over the distance
The nightcap was a slugfest as the two clubs combined for 15 runs and 26 hits.
The Spartans headed to the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 7-5 as UNCW took the lead by scoring three runs in the sixth and added another in the top of the seventh. Freshman Stephanie Talarek and junior Kara Clouser roped consecutive singles to center to start the Spartan seventh. Junior Heather Branche then placed a bunt single between the UNCW pitcher and first baseman that loaded the bases with no body out.
Junior Adriane Audley and senior Krista Judge followed with groundouts that forced out Talarek and Clouser respectively at the plate Bonilla promptly followed with a laser over the left fielder’s head that caromed off the wall scoring Branche, Audley and Judge, who flew around the bases and scored from first for the game’s winning run.
Kelli Adcox had given UNCW a 6-5 lead in the sixth with a two-RBI double to right-centerfield, while Gardner added what looked to be an insurance run at the time with an RBI single in the seventh to put the Seahawks ahead 7-5.
Both teams scored three runs in the first inning, before UNCG grabbed a 5-3 lead in the third on two straight RBI infield singles by Clouser and Branche.
Senior Danielle Byrne (2-4) got the win after working the seventh inning in relief. Oakes started and gave up six runs on eight hits over 6.0 innings.
Jess Luckett (6-7) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on 12 hits over 6.0 innings after being summoned from the bullpen with two outs in the first. Stacey Bradley started and allowed three runs on four hits in 0.2 of an inning.
Talarek was a perfect 4-for-4 in the nightcap to lead a season-high 16-hit attack for UNCG. Clouser was 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Branche, Audley and Bonilla each had two hits and a run scored. Bonilla had four RBIs.
Murray, Gardiner, Hughes, Adcox and Lindsay Styons each had two hits for the Seahawks. Hughes hit a solo homer with one out in the sixth.
Story Courtesy Furman sports information
Furman 10-1, Georgia State 2-4
GREENVILLE, SC - Furman used nine hits and took advantage of six Georgia State errors to register a 10-2 game one victory and doubleheader split with the Panthers at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday afternoon. Georgia State downed the Lady Paladins 4-1 in the second game.
The Lady Paladins opened the scoring in the bottom of the first in game one. Megan Jaudon drove an Elizabeth Hyman pitch to the right-centerfield wall for a two-run double. With two runners on and two outs, Abby Roberstson reached base on an error allowing Jaudon to score giving Furman a 3-0 lead.
Jessica Mathis opened the second with a single to center field and advanced to third on an error. Amber Kser followed with a single down the left field line to plate Mathis. After Kiser swiped second, Joni Lockridge's sacrifice bunt was thrown over the first baseman's head allowing Kiser to score. Chelsey Morgan entered the game in relief of Hyman and got two groundouts while Jaudon reached on a throwing error. Danielle Franklin delivered a two-run single to center to up the lead to 7-0.
Georgia State plated two runs in the top half of the fourth. Candace Jones, Meghan McCoy and Nichole Griffin opened the frame with singles and pinch runner Holly Willis scored the Panthers' first run on a wild pitch. Jessica Gowin drove home McCoy on a groundout, but Furman starter Vanessa Williams retired the next two batters to end the frame.
The Lady Paladins ended game one after scoring three runs to reach the eight-run mercy rule in the fifth. With one out, Franklin doubled and Robertson gave Furman runners at second and third after reaching on Griffin second error of the game. Blake Murray and Mathis laced back-to-back RBI singles to up the lead to 9-2 and Lockridge reached on a Alison Bradford error allowing Mathis to score the final run.
Williams improved to 10-8 in the circle scattering just four hits and allowing only two runs while tossing a complete game. The freshman recorded two walks and two strikeouts. Franklin went 2-for-2 with two RBI while Jaudon scored and drove in two runs.
Hyman (6-8) allowed six runs, three earned, in one inning of work to absorb the loss for Georgia State.
Meghan McCoy and Alison Bradford blasted solo homers to lead the Panthers to a 4-1 game two victory over the Lady Paladins.
McCoy led off the second inning with a solo home run to right field and limited Furman to only one run on eight hits over seven innings to improve to 3-6 in the circle.
After the Panthers added an unearned run in the second to extend their lead to 2-0, Furman got on the board in the third inning. Murray led off the frame with a double off of the left field wall and advanced to third on a groundout. Kiser lined an RBI single to left to trim the lead to 2-1.
Bradford started the top of the seventh with a solo shot to left-center off of reliever Jessica Mathis and Mary Kathryn Branan plated Beth Miller for the final 4-1 margin.
Starter Blake Murray (2-8) suffered the loss allowing one earned run on three hits in one inning of work. Kiser paced Furman going 2-for-4 at the plate. Branan and Bradford each collected two hits for the Panthers.
Georgia State, 10-18, returns to action on Saturday when it kicks off a Colonial Athletic Association series at Deleware at 12:00 p.m.
Story Courtesy College of Charleston sports information
North Carolina 2-4, College of Charleston 1-3
CHARLESTON, SC - The College of Charleston dropped a pair of eight-inning games to North Carolina as the Tar Heels defeated the Cougars 2-1 and 4-3 Wednesday night at Patriots Point.
CofC falls to 18-19 on the season with pitchers Amber Havnar (9-9) and Shannon Howard (9-10) were each credited with a loss. North Carolina improves to 30-10 on the season with Lisa Norris earning a win and Crystal Cox earning a win and a save.
Game one saw the Cougars battle the Tar Heels to a scoreless tie heading into the eighth inning when UNC second baseman Cassie Palmer homered to left-center with a runner on to give Carolina the 2-0 advantage. Charleston scored in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead in half but was unable to complete the rally as Cougars were stranded at second and third with only one out in the inning.
North Carolina scored two runs on seven hits committing two errors in the game while CofC scored one run on five hits committing no errors in game one. Havnar and Cox were the pitchers of record in the game with both pitchers taking no-hitters into the fourth inning.
The Tar Heels scored a run in the top of the first inning in game two and did not score again until the seventh and eight innings to earn the 4-3 win. UNC led 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when leftfielder Jennifer Golden launched a two-run homer to left to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead. UNC scored a run in the top of the seventh forcing the game into extra innings.
Once again the Tar Heels scored two runs in the top of the eighth with the Cougars only adding one. Norris earned the win in relief with Cox earning the save as she pitched the final frame for North Carolina.
Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information
Lee 5, Chattanooga 1
Chattanooga 9, Lee 7
CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Lady Mocs softball team earned a split with Lee University Wednesday night at Frost Stadium. Lee won the first game 5-1, but Chattanooga bounced back to win the second 9-7 on StrikeOut Breast Cancer night.
In game two, Chattanooga jumped on the board first scoring three runs in the bottom of the second. With one out and a runner on, Alyssa Edwards doubled to left field putting runners at second and third. Toni Hutchison got one of UTC’s two hits in the inning plating Ashlan Clarkson for the first run. A fielding error by the second baseman put the Lady Mocs up 2-0 and a sac fly off the bat of Brittney Whittier gave Chattanooga a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the third Lee strung together five consecutive hits to get three runs and tie the game 3-3 through two-and-a-half innings. With one out and two runners on, Jay Hinton doubled to right center plating a run for the Lady Flames. Jennifer Pendergraft gave Lee its second run with a single to left field and an RBI single from Bobbi Easler tied the game 3-3.
In the fourth, the Lady Mocs found their groove with five runs on three hits and two errors. Hutchison led off the inning and grounded out. Robyn Johnson walked but was thrown out at second on the next at bat. Chattanooga got two runners aboard then scored both on a fielding error by the left fielder to put UTC up 5-3. Ashleigh Bull followed that with a two-run double to give the Lady Mocs a comfortable 7-3 lead.
Lee pulled starting pitcher Alyssa Ashley in favor of Lindsay Ashley who hit the first batter she faced then walked the next to load the bases. A second walked scored Bull to give the Lady Mocs an 8-3 lead through four. Chattanooga’s ninth run came in the bottom of the fifth. Whittier walked then advanced to second on a sac bunt from Jeannie Cochran. Carrie Broome came in to pinch run for Whittier and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A single from Ashley Cuticchia plated Broome to give UTC a 9-3 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Lee’s rally fell short. The Flames scored four runs to get within two, but UTC held on for its 20th win of the season.
JayCee Wood earned her 10th win and struck out six batters, giving up four walks and a homerun. She had seven earned runs on nine hits.
In game one, Lee scored four unearned runs in the top of the first. With two outs, UTC starter Ashley Frizzell walked Kelly Golden then gave up a hit down the left field line to Jay Hinton. The right fielder dropped a foul ball from Pendergraft that would have ended the inning. That mistake proved costly as Pendergraft took the next pitch out over the center field fence to put Lee up 3-0. An error and two hits gave Lee a 4-0 lead after a half inning.
Chattanooga scored just once in the game getting a run in the bottom of the fourth on two hits. Ashlan Clarkson led off the inning with a double then advanced to third on a single from Amanda Hoiness. A passed ball scored Clarkson to make it 4-1. The Lady Flames scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh and won the contest 5-1.
Bull went 3-for-7 with a double and two RBI while Tara Tembey went 3-for-7 and also knocked in a pair of runs. Hutchison played in the second game only and went 1-for-2 with two walks and two RBI.
Frizzell struck out six batters and walked three. She did not give up an earned run and gave up five hits through seven innings.
Chattanooga improves to 20-23 on the year and will travel to Statesboro, Ga., this weekend for a three-game series with Georgia Southern. Lee moves to 27-6 overall.
Four hundred and fifty people were on hand to support the fight against breast cancer. All players and coaches wore pink wrist bands and fans wore pink shirts, pants and hats. Memorial Hospital was on hand with the Mobile Coach and Gene Herron, a nine-year breast cancer survivor, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.