Story Courtesy SoCon Public Affairs
Game 1
#8 UNC Greensboro 5, #1 Western Carolina 3
UNCG-WCU Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, TN ? Behind a stellar pitching performance from freshman pitcher Hannah Angel the eighth-seeded UNC Greensboro Spartans upset the top-seeded Western Carolina Catamounts 5-3 during the first round of the 2006 Southern Conference Softball Championship at Frost Stadium.
The Spartans became the first program since the Southern Conference expanded the field to eight in 2001 to defeat a No. 1 seed in the SoCon Softball Championship.
Angel pitched a complete game six-hitter, striking out six batters and giving up just two earned runs.
The Catamounts got on the board first, finding a run in the bottom of the second inning, as Western Carolina’s Samm Keppel doubled in SoCon Freshman of the Year Jenny Jackson to garner the first run of the contest and give the Catamounts an early 1-0 advantage.
It did not take long for the Spartans to take the lead from the Catamounts. Krista Judge commenced things for UNCG in the top of third inning, singling on a bunt to take first base.
Adrienne Audley followed that up by hitting a shot to right field off Western Carolina starting pitcher Mendy McKenzie that caromed off the top of the fence to give Audley her second home run of the season and the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
The Spartans were not done, scoring two more runs in the inning to go up 4-1 and force the SoCon Pitcher of the Year out of the game. McKenzie gave way to Jackson in the top of the fourth, departing the game having surrendered nine hits and four earned runs in three innings pitched.
Western Carolina gained one run back in the bottom of the third inning after Heather Pritchard scored from third on a Jackson ground out to the pitcher.
In the bottom of the fourth with the bases juiced and two outs, Angel was able to get herself out of a jam, getting the Catamounts’ Savannah Filley to pop up to the shortstop and end the inning.
UNC Greensboro added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning when Judge singled in Vanessa Oakes to give the Spartans a 5-2 lead.
Ashley Adams moved the Catamounts within reach in the bottom of the sixth inning when she singled in Allyson McCubbins with two outs to make the game 5-3.
UNC Greensboro’s Angel was once again able to thwart a Catamount challenge one batter when with runners on both corners Angel fanned Jackson to keep the game at the eventual final of 5-3 entering the seventh and final stanza.
UNC Greensboro will face off against Chattanooga at 6 p.m. today at Frost Stadium and Western Carolina will take on rival Appalachian State at 4 p.m. at Frost Stadium.
Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information
Game 2
#4 Chattanooga 5, #5 Appalachian State 1
UTC-ASU Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, TN - Alyssa Edwards launched a three-run home run, and Toni Hutchison followed with a solo shot as the fourth-seeded Lady Mocs snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning and defeated the fifth-seeded Mountaineers 5-1 in the first round of the 2006 SoCon Softball Tournament.
The game was played a day late after rainy weather postponed the entire schedule on Wednesday.
The Lady Mocs spotted Appalachian State a run in the top of the second on a solo shot to left field by the pitcher Keri Blackwelder. Chattanooga would get that run back in the bottom of the inning.
Senior catcher Asheigh Bull (2-for-3) singled to open the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alyssa Edwards (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI) laid down bunt to sacrifice her to third and freshman Toni Hutchison (2-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) doubled to plate Bull tying the game at 1-1.
Chattanooga exploded for four more runs in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back homeruns from Edwards and Hutchison. With two outs, Ashlan Clarkson walked and Bull singled and advanced to second on the throw to third to put two runners in scoring position.
Edwards took the first pitch from Blackwelder deep over the left field fence to give Chattanooga a 4-1 lead. It was her fifth of the year. Hutchison snagged her sixth with a solo shot and the Lady Mocs claimed the first round 5-1 win over Appalachian State.
Junior Ashley Frizzell pitched went the distance for UTC striking out five and allowing just one base on balls. She had three hits against her and just one earned run on the day throwing 99 pitches for her 21st win of the season.
Blackwelder went 2-for-3 with a homerun and one RBI, taking the loss for the Mountaineers falling to 9-11 on the year. Lindsey Glover was 1-of -2.
Chattanooga will take on eighth-seeded UNC Greensboro Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at Frost Stadium. The Spartans upset top-seeded Western Carolina 5-3 Thursday morning at Frost Stadium. Chattanooga is the highest seeded team remaining in the winner’s bracket as #6 Elon defeated #3 Georgia Southern 4-2 and #7 Furman upset defending SoCon Tournament Champion #2 College of Charleston 4-1.
Story Courtesy SoCon Public Affairs
Game 3
#7 Furman 4, #2 College of Charleston 1
FUR-COFC Box Score
Story Courtesy SoCon Public Affairs
Game 3
#7 Furman 4, #2 College of Charleston 1
CHATTANOOGA, TN ? Megan Jaudon’s three RBI performance helped lead seventh-seeded Furman to a 4-1 upset victory over second-seeded College of Charleston on Thursday afternoon during the first round of the 2006 Southern Conference Softball Championship at Frost Stadium.
Furman scored the first two runs of the contest in the top of the fourth inning on Jaudon’s two-run home run to centerfield.
The homer was the 15th of the junior’s career and her sixth of the 2006 season.
Two innings later Jaudon struck again, plating freshman Amber Kiser on a two-out double to right centerfield that gave the Lady Paladins a 3-0 advantage.
The score by Kiser was made possible through Furman’s choice to start the inning by playing smallball. Kiser commenced the inning by bunt singling and then made her way to third after teammate Joni Lockridge sacrificed bunted to advance Kiser.
The Huntersville, NC, native rounded second on the bunt and was called safe at third after College of Charleston’s Izmena Cabrera was unable to corral the softball.
Furman added another run in the top of the seventh inning when third baseman Abby Robertson, who reached second base on a double, scored on a slap single by pitcher Blake Murray to give Furman a 4-0 lead.
College of Charleston was finally able to place themselves on the scoreboard when Jessica Lyness singled off the outstretched glove of Robertson to score Shondra Schlichenmayer from third base and make the score 4-1. The run snapped a scoreless streak of 23 innings by Murray, who concluded the victory over the Cougars by throwing a complete game seven hitter.
Furman will take the field against sixth-seeded Elon at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening at Hargraves Field, while College of Charleston will play against Georgia Southern at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Hargraves Field.
Story Courtesy Georgia Southern sports information
Game 4
#6 Elon 4, #3 Georgia Southern 2
Elon-GSU Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Elon softball team scored all four of its runs in the first two innings and held on to defeat Georgia Southern 4-2 in the first round of the 2006 Southern Conference softball tournament at Hargraves Field in Chattanooga.
The sixth-seeded Phoenix improve to 24-27 and move on to play No. 7 seed Furman, who downed second-seeded College of Charleston. The Eagles fall to 28-33 and take on CofC later today at 4 p.m.
Elon wasted little time in the top of the first, taking a 1-0 lead after just five pitches. Paige Goss led off with an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error. She was sacrificed to third and crossed the plate on a Debbie Ziegler single down the left field line.
The Phoenix added to their lead with a three-run second inning. Patti Weber and Goss each had RBI singles, and Weber later scored on a wild pitch.
Georgia Southern managed just two hits off Elon’s Carol Lilley. All of the team’s offense came off a two-run homer by junior Maria Laurato (New Orleans, La.) in the fourth.
Lilley (5-9) struck out six and walked five in the win. Sophomore Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada) lasted just 1.2 innings (12-11) and allowed five hits and three earned runs. Junior Logan Free (Sandpoint, Idaho) came out of the bullpen and pitched 5.1 scoreless innings.