Elon Drops Two to Georgia Southern
ELON, N.C. ? The Georgia Southern Eagles earned two wins over Elon on Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference softball action at East Field. The Eagles took game one 5-0 and earned a 9-3 victory in eight innings in game two.
Melissa Laliberte struck out 10 batters and allowed just three hits to lead Georgia Southern to the win in game one.
Georgia Southern got on the board in the top of the second inning. With runners on the corners, Robyne Siliga took home plate on a wild pitch to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. The Eagles extended its lead in the top of the fifth inning when Elizabeth Branan knocked a solo home run out of left field.
GSU added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Michelle Beasley singled to short stop and Branan earned a walk before a passed ball advanced both runners. Lindsey Hopkins singled to load the bases before Heather Smith singled through the right side to score Beasely and Branan and give the Eagles a 4-0 lead. Maria Laurato then singled through the left side to send Hopkins home, giving GSU a 5-0 advantage.
Smith led the Eagles from the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI while Laurato and Branan each added a hit and an RBI. Debbie Zeigler, Melanie Helterbran and Patti Weber each posted a hit for the Phoenix.
Helterbran (11-7) suffered the loss for Elon after throwing 6.1 innings and giving up five runs on seven hits and striking out four batters.
In game two, Georgia Southern posted six runs in the top of the eighth inning to earn a 9-3 win. Tied 3-3 entering the eighth inning, Siliga singled up the middle before Jenny Side knocked a homer out of centerfield to give the Eagles the eventual game-winning runs and a 5-3 lead. With the bases loaded, Hopkins hit a ball back to the pitcher and pinch runner Jordyn Nail scored from third. Smith then singled to right centerfield to score Katie Smith before a single from Siliga plated Smith and Hopkins to give the Eagles a 9-3 advantage.
In the bottom half of the inning, Jaimie Rao earned a walk, but the Phoenix could not put any runs on the board.
Georgia Southern started the scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. Hopkins walked and stole second before Smith doubled down the left field line to send her home. With the bases loaded, Sam Russo knocked a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Smith and put the Eagles up 2-0.
Elon responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brandi Jones ripped a two-run home run over the left field fence to tie the game, 2-2. Paige Goss then doubled to left field and Laurin Smith singled through the right side to send her home and give Elon a 3-2 advantage.
The Eagles tied the game in the top of the fifth inning when Laurato knocked an RBI single to score Hopkins.
Logan Free (6-10) earned the win for the Eagles after tossing four innings in relief and giving up no runs on one hit while striking out three batters. Samantha Schroeder (0-7) suffered the loss for Elon. She tossed seven innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits while retiring two batters.
Siliga paced the Eagles from the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Smith was 2-for-5 from the plate with two RBI and two runs scored while Side also tallied two RBI. Jones led Elon from the plate. She was 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored while Smith also posted an RBI.
The two teams conclude the three-game series on Sunday, April 15 in a 1 p.m. contest at East Field.
College of Charleston Sweeps Furman Softball 9-1, 8-6
Greenville, S.C. ? College of Charleston pounded out 24 hits and scored 17 runs in a 9-1, 8-6 doubleheader sweep of Furman in Southern Conference softball action Saturday at Pepsi Stadium.
The sweep improves Charleston to 24-17 overall and 8-3 in the SoCon while Furman dips to 14-23-1 overall and 4-7 in league play.
In game one, the Cougars broke open a 1-0 game by plating eight runs in the top of the fifth to down the Lady Paladins 9-1.
Charleston took advantage of seven hits, an error and a bases loaded walk to create the eight-run outburst. Leadoff hitter Izmena Cabrera struck the big blow of the inning, a two-run double to right-center, to cap the frame and give the Cougars a 9-0 lead.
Terri Mesko limited Furman to only one run on five hits over five innings to earn the victory and improve to 12-7. Mesko fanned five batters and issued three walks.
First baseman Jennifer Golden ignited the Cougar offense going 3-for-4 with a double and her 10th homer of the campaign. Mesko, Brittany Small, Amber Shifflett and Kristie Sifflett each collected to hits for CofC.
Abby Robertson went 3-for-3 with a double and Stephanie Cushing notched a safety and an RBI for the Lady Paladins. Lana Mackey (7-10) suffered the loss for Furman after allowing four runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings.
Charleston jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two on a fielder’s choice by Golden and a dropped line drive. A single, sacrifice, walk and wild pitch set the Cougars up with runners on the corners. Golden bounced into a fielder’s choice to plate Cabrera and Shannon Howard’s liner to center was dropped allowing Golden to scamper home.
After CofC stretched the lead to 3-0 on Cabrera’s second inning RBI single, Megan Jaudon blasted a solo home run to left to get Furman on the board.
The Cougars added to the lead with a four-spot in the fourth inning. A one-out walk and single set the table for Kristie Shifflett who uncorked a three-run homer to left-center to put the Cougars ahead 6-1. After Charleston loaded the bases with one out, Jessica Batten came on in relief of starter Blake Murray and retired the side with only one more run scoring on a ground out.
Furman mounted a charge in the fifth. Megan Schonhar reached on an error and Amber Kiser reached on a one-out bunt single. Robertson hit s bouncer to short that was misplayed allowing Schonhar to score and Kiser to move to third. Cushing singled to right to plate Kiser and cut the lead to 7-3. Jaudon followed with a ground out to the pitcher, but starter Katie Sansouci walked Brythe Blankenship to load the bases with two outs.
Mackey greeted reliever Shannon Howard with a three-run double into right-center field to clear the bases and trim the lead to one run.
Golden immediately gave the Cougars some breathing room in the sixth with a leadoff homer to center. Howard and reliever Terri Mesko combined to strand four Furman runners in the final two frames to secure the 8-6 win.
Howard (6-7) who worked 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, earned the victory while Mesko tossed a scoreless inning to notch the save. Cabrera went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs while Golden went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Kristie Shifflett recorded three RBI.
Murray dropped to 6-12 after suffering the loss for Furman. She allowed six earned runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings of work. Batten managed to limit Charleston to one run on four hits in 3.2 innings in the circle.
Kiser collected three hits for Furman while Mackey went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
The finale of the three-game series is slated for Sunday afternoon at 1:00 at Pepsi Stadium.
Reese’s RBI Single Scores Winning Run Against UNC Greensboro
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? Western Carolina softball’s Danielle Reese hit an RBI single to left field to score Lauren Ross and secure a 4-3 win over UNC Greensboro in the second game of the doubleheader Saturday at Catamount Complex. The Catamounts lost the first game 9-6. Western Carolina returns to action on Sunday for the final game of the series with UNC Greensboro. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Catamount Complex.
Western Carolina improves to 19-26 on the season and 4-7in Southern Conference play. UNC Greensboro is now 22-28 overall and 3-8 in the conference.
Lauren Ross got the call on the mound in the second game and earned the win. She tossed a complete game allowing two earned runs on five hits and tied her season high with nine strikeouts improving to 8-7 on the season.
Western Carolina jumped on the board early in the second game. With one out, Nikki Bost hit a single to right field and moved to second when Stephanie Beatty ground out. Savannah Filley hit an RBI single up the middle to score Bost.
UNC Greensboro scored a run in the top of the third without getting a hit. Three walks and a Catamount error allowed the Spartans to tie the game. With the bases loaded, pitcher Ross walked in a run to tie the game.
The Catamounts scored two runs in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie. With the bases loaded and one out, Mendy McKenzie hit into a fielder’s choice and picked up an RBI when Mollie Fowler scored. Jamie Swank also scored on the play when the Spartans’ catcher allowed the ball passed her and it went to the back stop.
For the second time in the game, UNC Greensboro had the bases loaded. Back-to-back singles and a one out walk loaded the bases for the Spartans in the fifth inning. Kara Clouser ground out for the second out of the inning, and Brittany Ausley scored.
UNC Greensboro tied the game at three in the top of the sixth inning. Lindsey Wilson led off the inning with a single and scored thanks to an RBI single by Ausley. Ross gave up two walks to load the bases, the third time in the game the bases were full of Spartans. Ross was in a real jam when she gave up three balls to Jennifer Bonilla with the bases loaded. She got threw three straight strikes to fan Bonilla and get out of the inning.
Western Carolina had the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and let the scoring opportunity slip through its fingers. Beatty hit the ball to the pitcher and pinch runner Beth Hauser was out at home for the second out of the inning. Filley struck out looking to end the Catamount threat.
Game one of the doubleheader was a homerun-fest. Western Carolina and UNC Greensboro combined for seven homeruns in the game, unfortunately, the Catamounts were losing end of the blast-fest.
The score was tied at four when Western Carolina took its only lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Beatty hit a one out double and with two outs moved to third off a wild pitch. It was then time for sophomore Lauren Ross to add some heroics to her manacle. With a 2-2 count, Ross launched a homerun over the center field wall to give Western Carolina a 6-5 advantage. It was Ross’ seventh homerun of the season.
UNC Greensboro scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead and the game. McKenzie, who got the start in the game, allowed four straight hits in the inning and back-to-back two RBI homeruns. Filley relieved her on the mound and closed out the inning.
The Spartans posted four runs to start the game. UNC Greensboro scored its first run off a passed ball in the opening frame of the game and plated three runs in the third inning.
Western Carolina cut the Spartans’ lead in half with one swing of the bat. With one out, Bost singled up the middle and was sent home thanks to a homerun by Filley, her fourth on the season.
Reese tied the game with a first in her career. She hit her first homerun of the season and it was two RBI shot sending Jamie Swank home as well.
McKenzie took the loss in the game and falls to 7-14 on the season. She had six strikeouts in the game.
INCLEMENT WEATHER HALTS GAME ONE OF SOFTBALL SERIES AGAINST APPALACHIAN STATE
Chattanooga, Tenn. ? Sophomore center fielder Ashley Cuticchia (Rising Fawn, Ga.) hit a one-out three-run homer over left center to help propel Chattanooga to a 5-4 lead over Southern Conference opponent, Appalachian State, Saturday afternoon.
Inclement weather halted play in the middle of the sixth inning with the Lady Mocs ahead. Game one will resume Sunday morning, weather and field conditions permitting, at 10:00 a.m. before finishing out the series in a doubleheader immediately following.
The Lady Mocs were down 3-0 going into the bottom of the third after Danielle Peters scored on an error before Diana Cook hit her fourth home run of the season to score Brittany Gaston, who had reached on a single.
Senior first baseman Alyssa Edwards (Geneva, N.Y.) belted a solo home run over left field two at bats later to put Chattanooga up 4-3 after three innings.
Chattanooga scored in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Lady Mocs up 5-3, on an error by the Mountaineers. Junior right fielder Tara Tembey (Folsom, Calif.) picked up the run after reaching on a single.
Appalachian State’s Kristyn Hurt hit another one out of the park in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 5-4.