Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information
UNC Greensboro 2-6, Chattanooga 0-7
CHATTANOOGA, TN - Chattanooga pitchers Ashley Frizzell and JayCee Wood combined for 23 strikeouts Saturday afternoon and split a Southern Conference doubleheader with UNC Greensboro, 2-0 and 7-6 at Jim Frost Stadium.
Scoreless through regulation, the Spartans (16-22, 3-5) collected their third hit of the game on a one-out single from Krista Judge. Jennifer Bonilla followed with a left field homerun and the Spartans led 2-0. Pitcher Vanessa Oakes retired the Lady Mocs in the bottom of the inning to earn the win and move to 9-7 on the year.
Chattanooga junior Ashley Frizzell struck out two through the first three innings then mowed down nine more through the next five, but fell short in her bid to win a 12th game. Chattanooga’s best chance to score came in the third inning when the Lady Mocs had runners at second and third. Toni Hutchison led off the third with a single. Brittney Whittier sacrificed her over to second on a bunt and Laci Upchurch drew a walk putting runners on first and second. Jeannie Cochran grounded out to the pitcher and the runners moved into scoring position. Ashley Cuticchia flew out to right field to end the scoring threat.
The Spartans advanced a runner to third in the fourth inning, but failed to plate a run. Bonilla was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Koury Duncan came in to pinch run. Kelly Allen drew a walk and Lindsay Mouse walked to load the bases. Frizzell struck out the next two batters to end the inning without any damage.
Chattanooga put a runner on second in the sixth but couldn’t get a run and the Spartans didn’t get another runner on base until the eighth to get the win for Oakes. Bonilla led the Spartans 2-for-3 and Mouse and Krista Judge got the other two hits for UNCG. Toni Hutchison went 2-for-3 and Cuticchia and Tara Tembey each recorded a single hit for UTC. Frizzell struck out 11, her second best strikeout total in her career, and gave up just three walks.
In game two, both teams found their bats. The two combined for 23 hits and 13 runs through 10 innings. Chattanooga trailed 6-2 after the Spartans put two runs on the board in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. UTC put three runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth to get to within one run at 6-5 then Ashlan Clarkson hit a solo homerun over the fence in left center to tie it up and send it into extra innings.
With neither team able to score through the eighth or ninth, UNCG placed Kara Clouser at second in accordance with the international tie break rules. Branche popped up for the first out then Clouser was called out for leaving early. The Spartans got a single, but failed to score leaving the door open for Chattanooga in the bottom of the 10th.
Alyssa Edwards was placed at second for the Lady Mocs to start the home half of the 10th. Toni Hutchison drew a walk and Robyn Johnson sacrificed the pair over with a bunt to first. Cochran dumped a single into the outfield plating Edwards for the game winner.
Greensboro’s Leslie Furness went 4-for-5 with a homerun, double and two RBI to lead the Spartans. Allen went 2-for-5 with a homerun and two RBI. Adriane Audley and Heather Branche each tallied a hit and an RBI. The Spartans fall to 16-22 and 3-5 in league action.
Chattanooga pitcher Wood, struck out 12 batters through 10 innings and walked three giving up six earned runs. Hutchison went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and three RBI. Cochran was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI while Clarkson went 1-for-4 with a walk and a game-tying RBI. Chattanooga is 23-26 and 3-5 against the conference.
Story Courtesy College of Charleston sports information
College of Charleston 1-2, Appalachian State 0-1
CHARLESTON, SC - Jennifer Golden’s solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the College of Charleston a game two victory and a double header sweep of Appalachian State 1-0 and 2-1 in Southern Conference Softball action Saturday at Patriots Point Field.
With the two wins the Cougars improve their record to 22-22 overall and 7-1 in the SoCon with pitchers Amber Havnar (11-10) and Shannon Howard (11-12) earning the victories. Appalachian State falls to 19-22 on the season with a 4-7 record in the SoCon.
In game one Havnar pitched a complete game shutout giving up only three hits in 24 batters faced. The lone run of the game came when Golden singled down the right field line to score Izmena Cabrera in the bottom of the third. In the game the Cougars scored one run on five hits committing no errors while the Mountaineer were shutout on three hits with no errors in the game.
Game two saw Charleston give up an early lead to ASU as the Mountaineer’s Kari Davis scored on an error by CofC. App. State took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth when Shondra Schlichenmayer drew a walk with the bases loaded to tie the game at one run apiece. Golden’s belt to left-center would be the deciding factor in the bottom of the eighth in game two as CofC would take the game 2-1.
Charleston would score two runs on three hits committing two errors in the game while App. State would score one run on three hits committing two errors as well.
Story Courtesy Furman sports information
Georgia Southern 5, Furman 2
GREENVILLE, SC - Shanita Black batted 1-for-3, scored two runs, and recorded one RBI as Georgia Southern topped Furman 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. Game Two of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed until Sunday due to rain with the Eagles holding a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Play will continue on Sunday afternoon at noon with the completion of Game Two, followed by the series finale.
Logan Free (8-6) picked up the win for Georgia Southern, throwing a complete game and allowing just two runs on five hits. Jessica Mathis (4-5) suffered the loss for Furman, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in seven innings of work.
Georgia Southern (19-22, 3-4 SoCon) struck in the top of the first inning as Black walked and later scored on Heather Smith's RBI double to right field. Smith scored on Maria Lurato's two-out single to push the lead to 2-0.
The Eagles added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Carrie Mixon reached on an infield single, and moved to second on Michelle Beasley's sacrifice bunt. Aubrey Thweatt singled through the left side and then stole second base. Mixon and Thweatt both scored as Black reached on an error. Black then stole second, moved to third on an infield single, and scored on Gina Sterchi's sacrifice fly to center field.
Furman tallied two runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Mathis homered to center field, her second round-tripper of the season. Amber Kiser laid down a bunt single, and Joni Lockridge, Megan Jaudon, and Amber Nelsen drew walks to force in Kiser.
The Lady Paladins left seven runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the first and fifth innings.
The two teams will continue action on Sunday with the completion of Game Two at noon, followed by the series finale.