UNCG 9, Southern Illinois 0
Minnesota 1, UNCG 0
JACKSONVILLE, FL ? UNC Greensboro scored eight runs in the fifth inning for a 9-0 victory over Southern Illinois in opening day action at the Jacksonville University Tournament at the JU Softball Complex. The victory was UNCG’s first season-opening win since the 2004 season. Later in the afternoon, the Spartans fell 1-0 to Minnesota.
UNCG (1-1) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning sparked by a double by senior first baseman Jennifer Bonilla which scored Mary Greenway. The Spartans unleashed their bats in the fifth inning, tallying eight runs on eight hits.
Heather Branche went 2-for-2 with one RBI, while Bonilla and Lyndsay Mouse each went 1-for-2 with one run scored. Bonilla and Adriane Audley also each tallied two RBI.
Senior Vanessa Oakes (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, recording five innings of work and allowing no runs on four hits. The Wilmington, NC native struck out seven batters in her first complete game of the season.
Southern Illinois’ Cassidy Scroggins suffered the loss after allowing six UNCG runs on seven hits in four innings of work.
In the late game against Minnesota (1-0), the Gophers scored the game's only run in the first inning behind an error at second base and a Minnesota stolen base. Minnesota’s Collen Conway was able to come home for the lone run of the game when Katie Meyer hit a single up the middle.
UNCG had several chances to tie the game. The Spartans had Brittany Ausley and Lyndsay Mouse on in the third inning but couldn’t find a hit to bring either around. The Spartans had another chance for the game-tying score in the fifth with Greenway and Ausley on base, but couldn't produce a hit to bring a run in.
Audley led the Spartans with two hits in the nightcap. Sophomore Hannah Angel (0-1) suffered the tough-luck loss after allowing one run on three hits in five innings fo work. Freshman Amber Harrell worked two scoreless innings in relief.
Minnesota’s Hassett (1-0) went the distance, scattering six hits and striking out six batters.
The Spartans will take on Minnesota at 10 am to begin the second day of action at the JU Tournament. They will take on Southern Illinois at 4 pm.
Game 1: Campbell 5, Furman 3
Game 2: Furman 3, Campbell 3
Greenville, S.C. -- Campbell jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held on for a
5-3 victory over Furman in the softball season-opener for both teams Friday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. Game two finished in a 3-3 tie after play was halted by darkness after seven innings.
In game one, Campbell’s Courtney Quinn belted a two-run homer in the first and drove in four runs for the game to key a 5-3 Camels’ victory.
Jessica Huffman opened the game with a single up the middle and Quinn followed two batters later with the roundtripper. The junior upped the lead to 4-0 in the top of the third with a two out single to center.
After Campbell added an insurance run in the fifth, Furman mounted a rally in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Amber Kiser reached base on a bunt single and Abby Robertson gave Furman runners at first and second with one out by reaching on an error. Sophomore Stephanie Cushing trimmed the lead to 5-3 with a home run to centerfield.
Brittany Stanley entered in relief of starting pitcher Kelly Weaver and limited Furman to just one hit over 1.2 innings of work to earn a save.
Weaver allowed two earned runs on three hits over 5.1 innings to claim the victory.
Quinn and Stephenie Pappas both went 2-for-3 for the Camels while Huffman scored three runs.
Kiser went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Paladins while Cushing notched three RBI. Murray went the distance in the circle giving up five runs on seven hits. The junior fanned six batters and walked three.
Campbell took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of game two. Robin Leathers drew a base on balls to open the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jessica Huffman lined a two-out single up the middle to plate the run.
Furman claimed its first lead of the day in the in the bottom of the third. Kiser drew a walk and stole second and third ahead of an Abby Robertson walk. Kiser knotted the game at 1-1 after Robertson swiped second and the catcher’s throw sailed into centerfield. Cushing put Furman ahead with an RBI double to right plating Robertson.
Quinn led off the Campbell half of the sixth inning with a walk and pinch hitter Cassie Webb tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single through the right side. Campbell regained the lead in the seventh. Pappas reached on an error at second before stealing second base. After Pappas moved to third on a groundout, Megan Paul reached base on a bunt single and registered a steal to give the Camels runners at second and third. Pappas scored unearned run on a wild pitch by reliever Lana Mackey to give Campbell the 3-2 lead.
Freshman Meredith Mielke led off the Lady Paladin half of the inning with a triple to right center and tied the game two batters later on Kiser’s single up the middle. Campbell starter Lauren Caviness got Jessica Batten to pop out to third with the potential winning run on third to end the game.
Paul collected two hits for Campbell while Caviness fanned seven batters in seven innings of work. Cushing went 2-for-4 with a double for Furman.
Lady Paladin starter Vanessa Williams worked six innings allowing two runs on seven hits.
Furman returns to action Saturday when it hosts East Tennessee State in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.
North Carolina 9, College of Charleston 1
Izmena Cabrera’s single in the bottom of the sixth stopped North Carolina’s Lisa Norris from pitching a no-hitter, but not before the Tarheels outscored the Cougars 9-1 in both teams’ season opener in the Carolina Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Cabrera advanced to second, before stealing third and scored on an error by Whitney Gelin for Charleston’s (0-1) lone run of the game.
North Carolina (1-0) was led by Gelin who hit 3-for-4 and scored one of the Tarheels’ nine runs. She batted in two runs.
Norris (1-0) got the win as she held the Cougars to one hit, while striking out nine and walking three.
Shannon Howard (0-1) gave up six hits and four runs for the loss.
The College of Charleston will face East Carolina on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., and North Carolina will host No. 2 Tennessee at 3 p.m.