Story Courtesy Georgia Southern sports information
ATLANTA, GA - Early deficits proved to be too much to overcome for the Georgia Southern softball team as they lost twice to wrap up their participation in the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic in Atlanta.
The Eagles (8-15) dropped a 5-1 decision to North Carolina State and despite coming back from seven runs down, lost to Columbia 8-7.
North Carolina State 5, Georgia Southern 1
Meeting for the second time in a week, the Wolfpack jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and never looked back to improve to 13-6 and garner the third seed in the tournament.
N.C. State got on the board quickly when Heather Gelbard led off the game with a homer, and then put four more runners across in the second. Tess Corona drove in two with a single and Gelbard came through again, capping off the inning with a two-run shot, her second of the contest.
The Eagles answered with a run in the second when senior Sam Steiner (Loxley, Ala.) started the inning with her third home run of the season, but could only manage three more hits off starter Megan Dalthorp.
Junior A.J. Street (Lilburn, Ga.) took the loss, dropping her to 2-6. She allowed five hits and five earned runs in 1.2 innings. Sophomore Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada), went 5.1 innings in relief and gave up just one hit and one walk.
Columbia 8, Georgia Southern 7
The Lions scored seven runs in the first two innings, including five in the second, only to have GSU rally to force a tie in the sixth before Columbia tallied the winning run on an error.
Columbia’s (1-2) five-run second came on just four hits as Kacy Krisman and Lacie Nelson each had two-RBI singles.
The Eagles’ rally began with an unearned run in the fourth before bombing away for five runs in the fifth. GSU slammed back-to-back-to-back home runs by juniors Aurora Johnson (Macon, Ga.) and Heather Smith (Williamson, Ga.), and senior Gina Sterchi (Chattanooga, Tenn.), and got another round-tripper from Street, a two-run shot to pull within one, 7-6.
Senior Shanita Black (Fayetteville, N.C.) keyed the tying run, leading off the sixth with a single and then stealing second with one out. She was plated by Sterchi, whose two-out single knotted the score at 7-7.
Columbia took advantage of two GSU errors in the sixth for the winning score. Krisman reached on an error with one out and stole second. Valerie Smith then grounded out, but the Eagles were unable to escape thanks to another error to score Krisman.
Jackie Adelfio picks up the win for Columbia while sophomore Mandi Stophlet (Templeton, Calif.) took the loss in relief (0-1).
Story Courtesy Furman sports information
Furman 6, Rutgers 1
SUMMERVILLE, SC - Amber Nelsen batted 4-for-4, including her second homerun of the day, as Furman advanced to the quarterfinals of the Charleston Southern Invitational with a 6-1 win over Rutgers on Saturday night at Gahagan Park. In five tournament games this weekend, Nelsen is 9-for-16 (.563) with two doubles, two homeruns, and eight RBIs.
Freshman Vanessa Williams earned the win for the Lady Paladins, pitching four scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. Blake Murray pitched three solid innings in relief to earn her first career save.
Christina Yard suffered the loss for the Scarlet Knights, allowing six runs on 14 hits in six innings of action.
The Lady Paladin bats continued to stay hot as Furman struck for four runs in the third inning. Amber Kiser singled to right field to lead off the inning, and immediately stole second base. Joni Lockridge was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Nelsen then singled right field, scoring Kiser on the play. Nelsen looked to be hung up between first and second, and then Lockridge was caught in a rundown between third base and home plate. As Lockridge bolted for home, an errant throw allowed her to score, and moved Nelsen to third base. Danielle Franklin singled through the right side to plate Nelsen for the third run of the inning. Megan Jaudon and Abby Robertson hit back-to-back singles, and then Jaudon scored as Blake Murray reached on a fielding error by the shortstop.
Furman added two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Kiser walked to lead off the inning, and Lockridge's double to center field scored the first run. After a double play erased Lockridge, Nelsen hit her second home run of the day, a towering shot to deep left field.
An RBI groundout by Rutgers in the sixth inning put the Scarlet Knights on the board, and ended a streak of 14 straight scoreless innings by Furman pitchers.
Jaudon is batting .556 (5-for-9) in four games this weekend, including two doubles, a homerun, and three RBIs. The Lady Paladin pitching staff has allowed just seven earned runs in five games, and has dropped its season ERA to 3.56 as a team.
The Lady Paladins even their record at 9-9 overall. Furman advances to the quarterfinals of the Charleston Southern Invitational, and will face the winner of the Vermont/Brown game on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. at Gahagan Park.
Furman 7, Western Carolina 0
Erica Nesselroad pitched a complete game shutout to record her first career win as Furman blanked Western Carolina 7-0 in the final game of pool play at the Charleston Southern Invitational at Summerville, S.C. on Saturday. With the win, Furman is the top team in Group A, and earns the #3 overall seed in tournament play that begins on Saturday evening.
Nesselroad pitched seven innings, allowing just three hits in her complete-game shutout. The senior struck out six, while walking just two batters.
Jenny Jackson suffered the loss for the Catamounts, as Furman touched up the pitcher for seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in six innings.
The game looked to be a pitcher's duel through the first three innings as neither team was able to manage a run. Western Carolina threatened in the third inning as they loaded the bases with two outs. Amber Nelsen speared a ground ball on the third base line and stepped on the bag to end the scoring opportunity.
Furman's offense broke through in the fourth inning as the Lady Paladins scored six runs in the inning. Nelsen singled to left field and advanced to third on a fielding error by the leftfielder. Danielle Franklin reached on an error, allowing Nelsen to score from third base to open the scoring for Furman. An Abby Robertson bunt single was followed by Megan Jaudon's second homerun of the season, a line drive poke over the center field fence. Blake Murray walked, and Jessica Mathis singled and stole second, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Joni Lockridge singled up the middle to score both runners, pushing the Furman lead to 6-0.
The Lady Paladins added an insurance run in the fifth inning as Jaudon ripped her second double of the season to left center field. Blake Murray's single up the middle plated Jaudon.
Furman 13, Brown 4
Amber Nelsen went 2-for-3 with a homerun and a double as Furman's offense exploded for 13 runs in five innings as the Lady Paladins defeated Brown 13-4 at the Charleston Southern Invitational at Gahagan Park.
Furman's Vanessa Williams earned her fifth win of the season as she pitched five innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out three.
Kristen Schindler took the loss for the Bears as she allowed five earned runs in two innings.
Brown opened the scoring in the second inning as the Bears scored three unearned runs. After two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out, Nelsen's attempt to force out a runner at home sailed wide, allowing two runs to score. A groundout by the next batter allowed Brown to score its third run of the frame.
Furman answered in the top of the third with five runs of its own. Megan Jaudon singled down the right field line, and Jessica Mathis walked. Amber Kiser's bunt single loaded the bases, and a Joni Lockridge walk forced in Furman's first run. Stephanie Cushing singled to center field, plating Mathis from third base. Nelsen's double to the center field fence scored Kiser and Lockridge. Lynn Parmer's RBI groundout finished the scoring for Furman.
After Brown scored in the bottom half of the inning to trim the lead to 5-4, Furman plated three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Following walks to Mathis and Lockridge, Cushing singled to center field, scoring Mathis. Nelsen drew a walk to load the bases, and Danielle Franklin drove in two runs with a single up the middle.
The Lady Paladins ended the game with a five-run fifth inning. Jaudon walked and Mathis singled to center field to start the inning. Kiser sacrificed the runners, and reached first after Jaudon beat the throw to third base. Cushing singled down the left field line to score two more, and Nelsen's third homerun of the season pushed Furman's lead to nine, ending the game in the fifth inning.
Story Courtesy UNC Greensboro sports information
UNC Greensboro 6, Charleston Southern 1
Kennesaw State 8, UNC Greensboro 0
St. Bonaventure 6, UNC Greensboro 1
SUMMERVILLE, SC ? The UNC Greensboro softball team dropped its first two games of the day, before coming up with a 6-1 victory over Charleston Southern on Saturday in second day action at the Charleston Southern Tournament at Gahagan Park. The Spartans lost 8-0 to Kennesaw State and 6-1 to St. Bonaventure.
Senior Kelly Allen connected for a grand slam home run in the first inning against the host Bucs. Gwen Johnson later added a solo shot for the Spartans. Freshman Hannah Angel went the distance to improve her record to 2-3 on the season.
Kennesaw State’s Kelley Cowart led off the first game of the day with a towering solo home run to centerfield. Two batters later, Cambria McKay drilled a line drive shot over the fence in left center for a 2-0 Owls lead.
UNCG (5-9) threatened in the second by getting runners on second and third with two outs, but Heather Branche popped up to second base to end the rally for the Spartans.
Cowart stuck again in the fourth with an RBI single to left and then in the fifth, she blasted two-run homer for a 5-0 lead. McKay then followed with another two-run blast to left center to cap a four-run fifth for KSU. That knocked UNCG starter Vanessa Oakes from the ballgame.
Oakes (2-3) suffered the loss after giving up seven runs (four earned) on six hits over 5.0 plus innings of work. Jennifer Bonilla and Kelly Allen each went 1-for-3 with a single for the Spartans.
Brittany Matthews picked up the victory by working 6.0 innings and allowing just two singles, a walk and struck out five. Cowart went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI, while McKay was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.
In the second game of the day, Anna Nagro gave St. Bonavenure a 1-0 lead with a double to left center in the third. Lauren Kreiger followed with a two-run single to put the Bonnies ahead 3-0.
SBU would add four more runs in the sixth inning to go up 7-0. Kreiger’s two RBI double was the key hit in the inning for the Bonnies. Brianna Bricker picked up the victory, allowing one run on six hits.
Danielle Byrne suffered the loss for UNCG, allowing three runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings of work. Krista Judge went 2-for-4 for the Spartans. Lyndsay Mouse drove in Leslie Furness with a single in the seventh to account for the UNCG run.
Story Courtesy Western Carolina sports information
Western Carolina 11, Rutgers 3
Furman 7, Western Carolina 0
UNC Wilmington 7, Western Carolina 2
SUMMERVILLE, SC - The Western Carolina softball team concluded play in the Charleston Southern Spring Softball Tournament on Saturday, going 3-1 in round robin play before falling in bracket competition. The Catamounts pounded out 13 hits, including two homeruns, to defeat Rutgers, 11-3, in the first game of the day, but were unable to continue the hot play, falling to Furman, 7-0 in round robin action and UNC Wilmington, 7-2, in bracket play to conclude the tournament.
Against Rutgers on Saturday morning, the Catamounts would score all the runs it would need in the bottom of the first inning, holding on for the 11-3 victory in five innings. After sitting the Scarlet Knights down in order in the top of the first, freshman Allyson McCubbins led off the home half of the frame with a solo shot to straight away centerfield to give the Catamounts the early advantage. WCU would load the bases with a single by freshman Stephanie Beatty, a walk to sophomore Savannah Filley, and a single through the left side by freshman Lauren Ross, bringing junior Ashley Adams to the plate. With a 0-1 count, Adams blasted a shot over the centerfield fence for the first grand slam in Catamount softball history, giving Western the 5-0 lead.
The Catamounts expanded the lead to eight in the bottom of the second, as Beatty doubled to left center and was advance to third on a single by freshman Jenny Jackson. The two were plated by Filley, who singled and advanced to second on a fielding error by the right fielder. Filley moved to third on a passed ball and Adams drover her in with a single.
A half inning later, Rutgers answered Western's three-spot by scoring three runs on a double up the middle, cutting the lead to 8-3. But the Catamounts put the game away in the bottom of the fourth as Filley, who reached on a fielder's choice, crossed home on a throwing error by the Scarlet Knight pitcher. Ross, who walked, scored when Bost singled up the middle and freshman Samm Keppel, who reached on the miscue that scored Filley, was plated on a single to right by sophomore Heather Pritchard.
On the day, Adams led four WCU players going 2-for-3, adding a game-high five RBI in the win. Also hitting .667 for the Catamounts were Beatty, freshman Jenny Jackson, and junior Nikki Bost, with Bost, Filley, McCubbins, and sophomore Heather Pritchard all driving in a run.
Freshman pitcher Mendy McKenzie threw two and two thirds innings in the starting role, scattering three runs on three hits while striking out four. Filley came on in relief in the top of the third, holding Rutgers scoreless in two and a third only allowing one hit while striking out two.
Western could not get the offense going in its final game of round robin pool play, falling to Southern Conference foe, Furman, 7-0 in non-conference action. Entering the single-elimination bracket play at 3-1 in the tournament, Western surrendered five solo round trippers to the UNC Wilmington Seahawks, falling 7-2 and was eliminated from the tournament.
Jackson suffered her first defeat of the season against Furman, throwing all six innings and giving up seven runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking two. Offensively, the Catamounts only managed three hits against the Paladins, with Pritchard, Adams, and Filley all tallying a single hit in the loss.
Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information
Chattanooga 5, Tennessee-Martin 2
Chattanooga 1, Indiana 0
CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Lady Mocs scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings Saturday, including a home run from Ashleigh Bull, to defeat Tennessee-Martin 5-2, and used an eighth-inning RBI triple from Tara Tembey to nip Indiana 1-0 and remain undefeated in four games at the Frost Classic.
Brittany Whittier's two-run single in the fifth inning gave UTC a 2-0 lead over the Skyhawks in UTC's first game of the day. Bull's homer drove in two runs, and Toni Hutchinson plated the fifth run with a single for a 5-0 lead.
UT-Martin made it more interesting with a two-run seventh. Savannah Roberts' two-run double got the Skyhawks to within three, and they left two on base when Jennifer Young's line out to third base ended the game and the threat.
JayCee Wood got the win for UTC. She scattered four hits, allowed two runs, one earned and struck out eight in the complete-game victory. Ashton Strode took the loss, giving up three runs, one earned, on three hits while fanning nine batters.
In the 1-0 win over Indiana, Bull broke up Mariangee Bogado's perfect game with a seventh-inning single, but the game was scoreless after regulation.
The Hoosiers got a hit in the eighth but failed to score.
Laci Upchurch scored the winning run from second base on Tembey's triple.
Ashley Frizzell went the distance and recorded the shutout. She allowed four hits and six walks while striking out six. Bogado took the loss, fanning 11 in her outing.
Story Courtesy Appalachian State sports information
Appalachian State 9, Maryland-Eastern Shore 0
Appalachian State 2, James Madison 1
ELON, NC - Appalachian State University softball picked up its fifth and sixth wins of the season with a pair of wins over Maryland-Eastern Shore and James Madison in the second day of the Elon Phoenix Classic.
Appalachian battered UMES 9-0 in the first game of the day. Lindsay Glover kept up her torrid streak at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI. Ashley and Brittany Gaston each hit a home run in the win as well. Ashley was perfect on the afternoon, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs in addition to her home run.
Brittany Gaston and Natalie Willis also had multi-hit games. Freshman Yancy Moose picked up the win, throwing all five innings, striking out 10 and surrendering just two hits.
In their second game, the Mountaineers got another boost from Ashley Gaston as she drove in both runs in a 2-1 victory over James Madison. ASU got both runs in the bottom of the second on Gaston's double. Glover went 2-for-2 in the game with a double. Freshman Kayla Richardson pitched all seven innings to collect the win. Richardson gave up six hits and struck out four batters.
Saturday ended pool play in the tournament, Appalachian, 3-0 in the tournament, will face James Madison at 11 a.m. Sunday morning. The Mountaineers next opponent will be determined after the first round of play on Sunday.
Story Courtesy Elon sports information
Elon 15, Maryland-Eastern Shore 0
Elon 8, James Madison 0
Elon 9, North Carolina A&T 5
BURLINGTON, NC ? Elon emerged victorious from all three of its round-robin contests Friday and Saturday on its way to earning the No. 1 seed for the bracket-play portion of the Elon Phoenix Classic softball tournament Sunday at Springwood Park.
Top-seeded Elon will receive a first-round bye while second-seeded Appalachian State will face third-seeded James Madison and fourth-seeded North Carolina A&T will play fifth-seeded UMES in first-round action at 11 a.m.
At 1 p.m., Elon will meet the winner of the North Carolina A&T/UMES game while the losers of the two first-round contests will face off. The tournament's championship game will take be held at 3:30 p.m.
2006 Elon Phoenix Classic
At Springwood Park (Burlington, N.C.)
Friday - Field #3
1 p.m. - Elon 15, UMES 0 (5 inn.)
3 p.m. - James Madison 11, UMES 0 (5 inn.)
Friday - Field #2
3 p.m. - Appalachian State 4, North Carolina A&T 1
Saturday - Field #2
11 a.m. - Elon 8, James Madison 0
1:15 p.m. - Appalachian State 2, James Madison 1
Saturday - Field #3
11 a.m. - Appalachian State 9, UMES 0 (5 inn.)
1:15 p.m. - Elon 9, North Carolina A&T 5
3:30 p.m. - UMES 6, North Carolina A&T 1
Story Courtesy College of Charleston sports information
College of Charleston 2, #14 Texas A&M 0
BYU 5, College of Charleston 4
COLLEGE STATION, TX - The College of Charleston shutout the #14 ranked Texas A&M 2-0 Saturday at the 2006 Texas A&M Invitational.
The Cougars scored two runs on three hits committing one error with Amber Havnar (6-2) earning the victory. CofC held the Aggies scoreless with A&M earning three hits and committing one error as well.
Jennifer Golden launched her sixth home run of the season in helping lead the Cougars to victory. Havnar went seven innings facing 25 batters and striking out two.
The College of Charleston Cougars also fell to the Cougars of Brigham Young 5-4 Saturday.
It was the third straight loss for CofC who fall to 10-8 on the season with pitcher Shannon Howard (5-6) being credited with the loss. BYU improves to 14-5 on the year.
Howard tried to help her cause by earning three hits on four at bats with catcher Jayme Durand going two-for-four with one run batted in. In the game Charleston scored four runs on ten hits while committing no errors. BYU scored five runs on ten hits committing five errors in the game.