Cougars Sweep Georgia Southern
Katie Pesature’s RBI-single to centerfield to score Kristie Shifflett lifted the College of Charleston softball team to a 3-2 win and a Southern Conference series sweep over Georgia Southern before 175 at Patriots Point Field in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
The sweep was the first against the Eagles (17-24, 4-5 SoCon) since 2003. The Cougars won 3-2 and 4-1 in a doubleheader to open up the series on Friday.
Charleston (22-17, 6-3), riding an eight game winning streak, will play at Furman next weekend in Greenville, S.C., Apr. 14-15. Georgia Southern will travel to Kennesaw State for a doubleheader on Apr. 11
Georgia Southern’s Lindsay Hopkins led off with her second triple of the season, before Heather Smith had an RBI-sac fly to plate Hopkins in the first inning. The Cougars answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on Jennifer Golden’s RBI-double to score Amber Shifflett, before Terri Mesko’s RBI hit by pitch to score K. Shifflett.
After two scoreless innings, the Eagles’ Katie Smith hit an RBI-double to centerfield to score Jenny Side for the 2-all tie.
Terri Mesko, who scattered three hits, struck out seven and walked to improve to 11-7 on the season.
Golden led the offensive attack on 3-for-4 hitting with an RBI, followed by K. Shifflett who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Pesature and A. Shifflett each had a hit.
Melissa Laliberte (6-10) gave up seven hits, walked six and struck out four for the loss.
Hopkins, Smith and Maria Laurato had a hit apiece for Georgia Southern.
Furman Downs Elon 7-3, Takes Best of Three Series
Greenville, S.C. - Freshman Lana Mackey fanned a career-high 11 batters to lead Furman to a 7-3 victory and best of three series win over Elon Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
The win improves Furman to 14-21-1 overall and 4-5 in Southern Conference play. Elon drops to 22-18 overall and 6-3 in the league.
Third baseman Abby Robertson opened the scoring For Furman in the bottom half of the first inning with a solo homer to center field, the first of her career.
The Lady Paladins extended the lead to 5-0 with a four-run bottom half of the second. Brythe Blankenship opened the frame with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mackey reached on an error to give the Lady Paladins runners at the corners and Blankenship scored when Mackey swiped second and catcher Jaymie Rao's throw was deflected into right field.
Danielle Franklin upped the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single and Lynn Parmer reached on shortstop Tracey Dahlen's second miscue of the inning. With one out, Amber Kiser's chopper back to the circle was misplayed to load the bases. After Franklin was thrown out at the plate on Abby Robertson's fielder's choice, Stephanie Cushing singled to center to plate two more runs.
Elon got on the board in the top half of the fifth. Dahlen reached on a bunt single and moved to second when Mackey's pitch hit Debbie Zeigler. The pair executed a double steal and Dahlen trotted home when catcher Megan Jaudon's throw skipped into left field.
Furman rebounded in the bottom of the inning starting the frame with back-to-back walks and a single by Blankenship. Mackey followed with a base on balls to force in Cushing and chase Elon starter Carol Lilley. Reliever Meredith Gay retired the first two batters she faced, but issued a walk to Meredith Mielke to up the lead to 7-1.
The Phoenix edged closer with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth, but Mackey fanned Rao with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate to end the rally.
Mackey (7-9) scattered seven hits and did not allow an earned run to notch the victory. Blankenship went 2-for-4 at the plate while seven different Lady Paladins scored a run.
Lilley (10-8) allowed seven runs on six hits in four-plus innings to suffer the loss. Brandi Jones led the Phoenix with two hits.
Furman travels to Winthrop for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday before hosting SoCon rival the College of Charleston April 14-15.
Appalachian State Takes Series With 4-1 Win Over UNCG
GREENSBORO, NC ? Appalachian State used a four run second inning in a 4-1 win over UNC Greensboro in Southern Conference softball action at UNCG Softball Stadium on Saturday. The Mountaineers claimed the series with the win after the teams split a doubleheader on Friday afternoon.
The teams were scoreless through the first inning before Appalachian State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. UNCG pitcher Hannah Angel walked Appalachian State’s Diana Cook to open the inning. ASU shortstop Kasey Motsinger hit a single through right field in the next at bat which advanced Cook to second base. Cook was plated with an RBI single from Kristyn Hurt to give the Mountaineers the 1-0 advantage.
Motsinger added to the tally when she came home on RBI single from designated player Tiffany Hensley and the Mountaineers added two more to their tally with runs from pinch runner Robyn Bronson and right fielder Natalie Willis, which pushed the score to 4-0.
The Spartans were able to put two runners on base in the bottom of the inning after a single by Kara Clouser and Lyndsey Wilson took base after being hit by a pitch. With two outs UNCG needed a hit to try and drive runners across the bases but couldn’t find one as Lyndsay Mouse grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.
UNCG cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning with a run from Mary Greenway. Greenway hit a leadoff single through right field and advanced to second base on a passed ball. She was moved to third base with a sacrifice from Adriane Audley and was plated on a miscue from Appalachian State’s shortstop, cutting the ASU lead to 4-1.
The Spartans wouldn’t get any closer as Appalachian State claimed the series with the victory.
Hannah Angel (5-6) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. She issued three walks and had five strikeouts on the afternoon.
The Spartans are next in action Thursday April 12 when they host NC State in doubleheader action. First pitch is scheduled for 4 pm.
Western Carolina Swept by Chattanooga
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (18-24, 3-6 SoCon) was swept by Chattanooga (26-22, 7-2 SoCon) 4-2, 11-1 Saturday at Catamount Complex in the final two games of the three-game Southern Conference series. The Catamounts return to action on Wednesday when the club travels to Atlanta, Ga. to face No. 24 Georgia Tech in a single game at 4 p.m.
Western Carolina had some strong performances in game one, but still fell to Chattanooga 4-2. Junior Savannah Filley got the start on the mound and takes the loss, falling to 4-5. She went 4.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits and striking out three.
Chattanooga captured the early lead in the first inning. Jeannie Cochran led off with a single and scored when Alyssa Edwards hit a sacrifice fly to left field. The Lady Mocs tacked on the second run of the game in the second inning thanks to a homerun by Tara Tembey.
Western Carolina trimmed Chattanooga's lead to one with one swing of the bat in the second inning. Sophomore Lauren Ross hit her sixth homerun on the season when she launched a ball over the left field wall.
The Catamounts tied the game in the third inning. Nikki Bost hit a one out single and scored thanks to an RBI single by Stephanie Beatty.
Chattanooga strung together two runs in the fifth inning and it proved just enough to secure the win. Filley gave up a walk to Cochran to start the inning and she moved to second with a sacrifice bunt. Tia Blosser reached first on Filley's second walk of the inning and back-to-back RBI singles gave the Lady Mocs all the insurance runs they would need. With a runner on and one out, Filley was replaced by Mendy McKenzie on the mound and she got the last two outs of the inning.
In the sixth inning, Western Carolina got it self out of a real jam with the first triple play in school history. Chattanooga had bases loaded when McKenzie snagged a liner to the pitcher, she quickly tossed it to Beatty and third and then Beatty tossed it to first to erase the Lady Moc threat.
McKenzie finished the game tossing 2.2 scoreless innings. She allowed just two hits and struck out two batters. With the pair of strikeouts, McKenzie now has 100 strikeouts on the season.
Chattanooga put Western Carolina in a scoring hole early in the second game. The Lady Mocs scored three runs in opening frame. Ross was a bit shaky on the mound, as she had four walks in the inning, two wild pitches and walked in a run when the bases were loaded. Ross did get out of the inning with three strikeouts.
Ross found her self in a tough situation again in the second inning. She gave up a single and pair of walks to load the bases for the second consecutive inning. Head Coach Christine Hornak decided to make a change and replaced Ross with Filley with one out. Filley forced a ground out and then a strikeout to end the inning.
Western Carolina let an excellent opportunity to get on the board, in the bottom of the second inning, slip through its fingers. Ross drew a walk and Fowler hit a single to place runners at first and second. Jamie Swank hit into a fielder's choice and Ross should have been out at third but the Lady Mocs third baseman dropped the ball to load the bases with no outs. Three consecutive outs spoiled the Catamounts scoring chance.
Bost helped the Catamounts avoid a shutout. She hit her third homerun of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Chattanooga scored eight runs in the top of the sixth inning to close out the game.
Ross takes the loss in game two and falls to 7-7 on the season.