#3 Georgia Southern 2, #8 UNC Greensboro 0
GSU-UNCG Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, TN ? Third-seeded Georgia Southern advanced to the semifinals of the loser’s bracket of the 2006 Southern Conference Softball Tournament at Frost Stadium with a 2-0 shutout victory over eighth-seeded UNC Greensboro.
The victory eliminates UNC Greensboro from the championship, ending the Spartans’ 2006 campaign with a 20-42 overall record.
Georgia Southern (30-33) was able to plate the contests first run in the bottom of the second inning, going up 1-0 on an infield single just past the outstretched hands of UNC Greensboro shortstop Adriane Audley that scored the Eagles’ Carrie Mixon.
Georgia Southern added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning when with the bases loaded Georgia Southern’s Sam Steiner was hit by a pitch by UNC Greensboro pitcher Hannah Angel to score a run and garner the Eagles a 2-0 advantage.
UNC Greensboro did have its chances, threatening to score in the top of the fourth inning and tie the game. Jennifer Bonilla began the inning by doubling to left centerfield. Bonilla advanced to third base shortly thereafter on a wild pitch by Georgia Southern starting pitcher Melissa Laliberte, giving the Spartans’ a chance to tie up the game with no outs in the stanza.
Laliberte responded, striking out Kelly Allen and getting Lyndsay Mouse to pop up to the catcher. Laliberte ended the Spartans’ chances in the inning by striking out UNCG’s Leslie Furness looking.
Laliberte (13-11) finished the contest with a complete-game four-hitter. The All-SoCon pitcher also struck out seven UNCG batters in the game.
UNC Greensboro starting pitcher Danielle Byrne (4-8), who pitched just 1.1 innings, was saddled with the loss, giving up the games first run (unearned) in the bottom of the second before giving way to Angel, who pitched 4.2 innings of seven-hit softball.
The Eagles will play fifth-seeded Appalachian State at 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon in game 12 at Frost Stadium.
#5 Appalachian State 2, #6 Elon 1
ASU-Elon Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, TN ? Appalachian State’s Yancy Moose pitched a three-hitter and the Mountaineers eliminated the sixth-seeded Phoenix from the 2006 Southern Conference Softball Championship with a 2-1 victory on Friday afternoon.
The game was 1-0 in favor of Elon in the top of the third inning before Appalachian State’s Natalie Willis originated the scoring in the frame by singling to left field and then finding her way to third base.
Willis was able to score three batters later on an error by Elon rightfielder Nicole Ellis to square the game at 1-1.
Fifth-seeded Appalachian State (29-29) took the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Brittany Gaston beat a throw home from Elon’s Ellis after first-team All-SoCon performer Lindsay Glover singled to right field to plate Gaston and claim the Mountaineers a 2-1 lead.
Elon (24-29) powered its way to the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning when shortstop Tracy Dahlen uncorked a home run to left field for an early 1-0 advantage.
Elon left two on base in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Phoenix had a baserunner on second and third base in the inning with one out, but Appalachian State’s Moose was able to get out of the jam, fanning Rebecca Rijavec and then getting Jamie Rao to fly out to Glover at third base.
Moose (11-8), who pitched 6.2 innings, and surrendered just four hits, picked up her 11th win of the season with the victory over the Phoenix, while Elon’s Carol Lilley (5-10), who gave up just three hits on the day, pitched all seven innings to obtain the loss and succumb in her 10th game this season.
The Mountaineers will take the field against third-seeded Georgia Southern at 5 p.m. today in the semifinal of the loser’s bracket.