Story Courtesy Western Carolina sports information
Western Carolina 8-2, College of Charleston 6-1
CULLOWHEE, NC - Using an all-around team effort, Western Carolina swept the Southern Conference doubleheader from the second-place College of Charleston Cougars on Saturday afternoon, 8-6 and 2-1, at the Catamount Softball Complex. The Catamounts slugged out a dozen hits in game one and received five RBI from junior Ashley Adams to win, 8-6. In the second game of the twin bill, freshman Jenny Jackson held the Cougars hitless for three and a third innings and freshman Allyson McCubbins blasted a two-run homer in the 2-1 victory.
The two wins on Saturday guarantee Western a win in the SoCon series which hands the College of Charleston its first series loss since April 25, 2004 when the Cougars dropped two of three to then-conference member, East Tennessee State. WCU has not lost a conference series this season, winning at least two games over every conference foe faced to date.
The victories also move Western to within one game of capturing the 2006 Southern Conference regular season championship. With four games remaining (1 vs CofC, 3 at Georgia Southern), the Catamounts need just one more win to assure themselves the top spot in their inaugural season. No first-year team has ever won the SoCon regular season.
Western (39-16, 14-2 SoCon) had three players hit .500 on the day, led by Adams who blasted her SoCon-record 21st home run of the year, a three-run shot that cleared the scoreboard in left field in game one. McCubbins and classmate Samm Keppel also hit in half of their at bats on the day, with McCubbins recording her 12th round-tripper of the season and Keppel ripping her eighth two-bagger.
Behind freshman ace Mendy McKenzie, things started shaky for the league-leading Catamounts as CofC leadoff hitter, freshman Izmena Cabrera, took the fourth pitch of the game over the left field fence for the early, 1-0, lead for the visitors. McKenzie settled to retire two of the three outs in the frame on strikes.
The quick-strike offense of the Catamounts erased the deficit in the home half of the first. McCubbins led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second by legging out a fielder's choice by freshman Heather Pritchard. After sophomore Savannah Filley drew a full count walk to load the bases, Adams delivered the first two of her five RBI in the game with a single to left center, scoring McCubbins and Pritchard. However, the Catamounts could not scratch the scoreboard for more, stranding three in the frame.
An inning later, Western added three runs as Adams struck again with her three-run bomb to left, again plating Pritchard and McCubbins. Leading 5-0, the Catamounts added a single run in the third as Pritchard drove in freshman Stephanie Beatty, who had singled, on a sacrifice fly to right center.
The Cougars responded in the fifth as Cabrera led off with a double to left center and scored on an RBI single by left fielder Jennifer Golden to pull to within four, 6-2. However, Western played long ball again in the fifth as McCubbins scored her third run of the day with a one-out single and scored when Filley lifted her 13th homer of the season over the fence in right center for the 8-2 lead.
In the sixth, Charleston scored four runs, including a three-run homer by senior Jayme Durand, to close to within two, but McKenzie buckled down to hold the Cougs at bay and moved her record to a SoCon-leading 21-5. The Clemmons, N.C., native struck out five in the win while walking three, scattering six earned runs and nine hits.
Game two of the doubleheader did not have the same fireworks as the opener, aside from what proved to be the game-winner. With both teams seemingly falling into the pitcher's duel, Keppel laced a two-out double to right center field to start a rally. The next batter, McCubbins, took a 2-2 pitch down the left field line for her 12th home run of the season to give Western the 2-0 lead.
Western would hold the Cougars off the scoreboard until the top of the sixth inning when sophomore Jessica Lyness hit a solo homer over left field to cut the Catamount lead in half, 2-1. Yet, WCU starting pitcher Jenny Jackson was able to pitch out of the jam and earn her 14th victory of the season. The freshman from Fremont, N.C., tossed seven complete innings, scattering the one earned run on just three hits while striking out a pair and walking one.
Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information
Chattanooga 6-2, Elon 1-3
CHATTANOOGA, TN - Chattanooga defeated Elon 6-1 Saturday afternoon in game one at Frost Stadium, but fell 3-2 in the second game to split the Saturday afternoon doubleheader.
The Lady Mocs started the scoring off in the first inning. Alyssa Edwards (1-for-3) doubled in two runs with two outs to give Chattanooga a 2-0 lead. In the home half of the third inning, the Lady Mocs put two more runs on the board, scoring again with two outs. Toni Hutchison (2-for-3) drilled a double to right center plating two more runs and Chattanooga led 4-1.
In the sixth, UTC scored on back-to-back doubles by Hutchison and Brittney Whittier (1-for-3) then plated a sixth run on an RBI single from Ashley Cuticchia (2-for-4). Ashley Frizzell (17-18) gave up just one hit in the opener and struck out six through seven innings.
Elon scored its lone run in the top of the third without a hit. Brandi Jones was hit by a pitch then advanced to second on a passed ball. She was sacrificed to third then scored on another passed ball. Nicole Ellis got the only Phoenix hit with a lead off single in the sixth inning.
In game two, the Lady Mocs let a 2-1 lead get away in the seventh inning. With one out and a runner on, Laurin Smith just barely cleared the fence in right field to for the game-winner.
Jeannie Cochran knocked the third baseman to the ground with a sharp lead off hit in the bottom of the seventh to reach base. Cuticchia grounded out to third to advance Cochran into scoring position. Tara Tembey sent a single to center field and Cochran was called out by the home plate umpire as she tried to score from second to tie the game.
JayCee Wood (15-13) struck out six and gave up three earned runs through seven innings. Seven different Chattanooga players got a hit in the game. Cuticchia went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Clarkson was 1-of-2 with one RBI. Elon’s Nicole Ellis went 2-for-3. Smith went 1-for-3 with a homerun and two runs batted in. Debbie Ziegler had the Phoenix’ other RBI going 1-for-3.
Chattanooga moves to 32-31 overall and 8-9 in league play. Elon is 21-25 overall and 7-9 in SoCon action. The two teams will meet up again Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Prior to the game, Chattanooga will honor its four seniors, Ashleigh Bull, Amanda Hoiness, Robyn Johnson and JayCee Wood. The Lady Mocs will also honor Frank Reed for his 200th win as the head coach of the Lady Mocs.
Story Courtesy UNC Greensboro sports information
Georgia Southern 2-4, UNC Greensboro 0-0
GREENSBORO, NC ? Melissa Laliberte and Logan Free tossed back-to-back complete game shutouts to lead Georgia Southern to a doubleheader sweep of the UNC Greensboro softball team in Southern Conference action on Saturday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Eagles picked up a 2-0 win in game one and a 4-0 victory in the nightcap.
Laliberte notched her team-leading fourth shutout of the season in game one by allowing three hits and striking out six Spartan hitters to even her record to 10-10 on the season.
Georgia Southern (26-30, 10-7 SoCon) scored an unearned run in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Aubrey Thweatt led off the inning with a bunt single. Shanita Black followed with a bunt attempt of her own towards third. UNCG third baseman Kara Clouser picked up the ball and attempted to force out Thweatt at second, but her errant throw went into right centerfield allowing Thweatt to score and Black to move all the way to third base.
The score remained unchanged until Black lined a double to left centerfield in the seventh that brought home Carrie Mixon with an insurance run for the Eagles.
The Spartans best scoring chance came in the second as UNCG (18-37, 3-14 SoCon) loaded the bases with one out, but Laliberte got Vanessa Oakes to fly out to Black in centerfield. Black then rifled a throw home that nabbed Leslie Furness attempting to score from third base to end the frame.
Oakes (9-15) suffered the loss after allowing a mere one earned run on five hits and struck out three. Furness, Clouser and Jennifer Bonilla each picked up a single for the Spartans.
In game two, the Eagles scored twice in the first inning to grab an early lead. Gina Sterchi’s sacrifice fly and a Maria Laurato RBI double to right accounted for the 2-0 lead by the visitors.
Steiner made it 3-0 with an RBI groundout in the third, while Aurora Johnson capped the scoring in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.
Free improved her record to 12-10 by allowing only four hits and stuck out nine UNCG hitters. Black led the GSU offensive attack with two of the clubs seven hits in the nightcap. Laurato also chipped in with a pair of hits.
Hannah Angel (5-16) went the distance for UNCG, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and struck out four. Furness, Oakes, Krista Judge and Lyndsay Mouse had singles for the Spartans.