College of Charleston 3, Towson 1
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- The College of Charleston softball team scored three runs on six hits to defeat Towson 3-1 in their third game of the CofC Cougar Classic Sunday at Patriots Point Field.
The Cougars improve to 3-12 on the season. Towson, playing its final game of the weekend falls to 1-3.
Junior Shannon Howard (3-5) pitched through 5.1 winnings striking out one Tiger batter before being relieved by freshman Alexa Datko. Datko, a San Diego, Calif., native pitched through 1.2 innings, earning her first save of the season.
The Cougars got on the board in the third inning. Kristi Woodall singled up the middle to bring Christal Kotchman in from second base. Charleston added insurance in the fourth inning. Catcher Brittany Small hit a triple to right field and Linzi Bereitschaft reached base on an error by Towson shortstop Sammi DiPompo. Small scored in the effort to bring the score to 2-0.
Katie Nutaitis scored the final run of the game off a sacrifice fly by second baseman Alex Williams. Nutaitis, a freshman right fielder, went 1-for-3 and scored one run. Woodall, Howard, Small, Bereitschaft and Tiffany Harmon added the remainder of the hits for the Cougars.
CofC will play Kennesaw state in the final game of tournament at 6 p.m.
Georgia Southern 10, Jacksonville 3
Minnesota 4, Georgia Southern 1
STATESBORO, Ga. ? The Georgia Southern softball team earned a trip the finals of the GSU Eagle Classic defeating Jacksonville 10-3, before falling to Minnesota 4-1 in the title game on Sunday at Eagle Field.
The Eagles (9-10) overpowered the Dolphins in game one amassing 13 hits and used a four run first inning to get things started. GSU struck first when Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) went from second to home on a fielding error by Jacksonville’s second baseman. Georgia Southern manufactured four runs off of four hits and one error during the first inning.
GSU opened the game up during the fourth and sixth innings as they scored three runs in each inning. Sophomore Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) hit a three run homer to left centerfield giving the Eagles a 7-3 lead in the fourth and Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.) went yard in the sixth.
Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) earned the win improving her record to (4-2), while Jacksonville’s Shannon Jensen falls to (2-6).
Minnesota’s Briana Hassett used a two-hit, 12 strikeout performance to topple the Eagles claiming the GSU Eagle Classic. The Golden Gophers scored two runs off of two hits in the first and two runs off of two hits in the second to take the early advantage.
GSU made a late rally notching its first hit of the game when Side homered to right centerfield in the fifth inning. The Eagles loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but the rally fell short and Minnesota left with the win.
Hassett picked up the win for Minnesota, while Brianna Streetmon earned the loss for Georgia Southern. Side went 1-for-3 from the plate in the championship game with an RBI.
The Eagles return to action Tuesday, February 26, when they play host to Georgia State. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
Chattanooga 5, Akron 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Freshman pitcher Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) pitched a complete game one-hit shutout and freshman catcher Katie Blevins (Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.) drilled a two-run homerun as Chattanooga (8-7) downed Akron (1-8) 5-0 Sunday afternoon in the finale of the 2008 Chattanooga Challenge at Jim Frost Stadium.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Lady Mocs took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI groundout by sophomore catcher Brittany Eason (Chattanooga, Tenn.) before junior third baseman Toni Hutchison (Madison, Tenn.) lifted a sacrifice fly to left field in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.
After manufacturing two runs in the previous two innings, Chattanooga used power production to add to their lead over the next two innings as redshirt-freshman infielder Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) belted a solo shot over the left field fence in the fourth inning before Katie Blevins hit a two-run laser shot down the left field line to push the Lady Mocs lead to 5-0.
While the lineup took care of the offense, Kandice Irwin took care of the Akron batters as she struck out seven and allowed only one hit as she pitched a complete game shutout. The only hit that Irwin allowed came off the bat of senior first baseman Katrina Moffett who laced a clean single to left in the second inning.
Irwin improves to 4-2 on the season and currently leads the team with a 3.13 ERA and is second with 32 strikeouts while freshman Brittany Clarke took the loss for the Zips, dropping her record to 0-2 on the season.
Offensively, Blevins finished the day 1-for-3 with a run scored and a two-run homerun while Hutchison went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior shortstop Tara Tembey (Folsom, Calif.) added a 2-for-4 performance.
Blevins now leads the team with five homeruns, 13 RBIs and a .935 slugging percentage and is batting .355 on the season.
Chattanooga finishes the weekend with a 3-1 record with the only loss coming to 10-1 Iowa State which went undefeated at the Chattanooga Challenge.
The Lady Mocs return to action tomorrow at 4 p.m. when they host St. Francis at Jim Frost Stadium.
Elon 6, Georgetown 3
ELON, N.C.- The Phoenix softball team defeated Georgetown 6-3 in the second game of the final day of the Bojangle’s Invitataional at East Field. The team was scheduled to play James Madison in the championship game of the four-team tournament, but due to inclement weather, the game was cancelled. JMU, who went 3-0 this weekend, was named the tournament champion.
With the win, Elon improves 6-4 on the season, while Georgetown fell to 4-9. JMU finished the weekend with a 3-0 record that brings the team to a 5-2 record. Also participating in the tournament was Binghamton, which opened its season this weekend, finished with a 1-3 record.
Game five of the tournament started slowly, with neither team scoring until the fourth inning. Georgetown threatened early when Kristi Preuss doubled down the left field line, but could not push the run across the plate as Elon’s Carol Lilley retired the next two batters.
Elon’s Tracey Dahlen reached first on an error by the pitcher, but the Phoenix couldn’t capitalize on the miscue, as the next three batters where retired.
In the fourth, Allison Hartman was hit by a pitch following a pop up to the second baseman. An error on Georgetown’s pitcher allowed Rebecca Rijavec to reach base and advanced Hartman to second. Hartman capitalized on a throwing error by the first baseman to move to third. Pam DelPizzo singled to left field, allowing Hartman to score for the first run of the game. Caitlin McGowen was credited with a sacrifice that moved Rijavec to second and DelPizzo to third. The two scored off a double to centerfield by Debbie Zeigler. The hit parade continued with Dahlen doubled to leftfield, scoring Zeigler from second.
Georgetown answered in the top of the fifth when Demetria Cipriano singled through the right side to score Sarah Kamenski, who came in to pinch run for Katherine Incantalupo.
Georgetown cut the Phoenix lead to one at the 4-3 mark of the game in the sixth inning. Brittany Sonnichson pinch hit for Jillian Webb and came up with a single to centerfield and then advanced to second on a Phoenix error. McKinley Cooper doubled down the right field line to score Sonnichson and Moffat, who reached on a walk.
Dahlen doubled in the bottom of the sixth to score Hannah Shelton from first for Elon’s fifth run. The final run came off an error by Georgetown’s third baseman.
The Phoenix returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 27 when they travel to Chapel Hill to face the Tarheels of North Carolina. The first game of the double-header is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., with the second game starting 20 minutes following the end of game one. Full coverage of the game will be available at www.ElonPhoenix.com .
Western Carolina 10, St. Bonaventure 2 (6 Inn.)
FORT MYERS, Fla. ? Western Carolina softball (2-6) closed out the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament with a win defeating St. Bonaventure (1-4) 10-2 in six innings Sunday.
The 10 runs scored against the Bonnies is won less run then the combined runs the Catamounts scored in the previous four games. It was a breakout game for Western Carolina who has been struggling at the plate and at scoring runs to start the season.
Western Carolina got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Jamie Swank drew a walk and stole second. She moved to third on a ground out by Casey Camp and then scored off a wild pitch.
As junior hurler Michelle Tating cruised on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings the Western Carolina offense exploded at the plate.
The second inning was a huge one for the Catamounts as they capitalized on crucial errors by St. Bonaventure. Mollie Fowler opened the inning with a single through the left side and moved to second off a wild pitch. Stephanie Beatty drew a walk and moved to second off the second wild pitch of the inning which sent Fowler to third. The Bonnies got two quick outs but Western Carolina stayed in the inning when Heather Pritchard drew a walk to load the bases.
With based loaded Swank was hit by a pitch and it sent Fowler home for the first run of the inning. That was followed by Alesha Clayton drawing a walk and allowing Beatty to score. A two RBI single by junior Beth Hauser plated Pritchard and Swank for runs number three and four. Camp, who came back into the game after Clayton pinch hit for her, scored the fifth run of the inning off a wild pitch.
Western Carolina scored one run in the fifth inning and it all started with a single by Tating. After Fowler followed up Tating’s hit with a passed ball, Danielle Reese came in to pinch run for Tating. Reese scored when Lauren Ross reached on a St. Bonaventure error.
After throwing five scoreless innings, Tating allowed two runs by St. Bonaventure in the top of the sixth inning. There were two runs on three hits and one error in the inning.
Western Carolina closed out the game with three runs in its half of the sixth inning to shorten the game. After back-to-back singles by Swank and Camp, Hauser came up big again with her second two RBI at bat this time thanks to a double to left center field. Hauser scored the final run of the game when she went home off a wild pitch.
Tating picked up her second win in the tournament and improves to 2-1 on the season. She went six innings allowing two runs on six hits and also struck out six. Hauser was the only Catamount to have a multiple hit performance going 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Western Carolina returns to action Thursday when the Catamounts travel to Clinton, S.C. to take on Presbyterian. First pitch for the double-header is set for 2 p.m.
Lehigh 3, UNC Greensboro 2
UNC Greensboro 1, UNC Wilmington 0
WILMINGTON, N.C. ? The UNC Greensboro softball team conclude action at the Seahawk Classic with a 3-1 record after falling to Lehigh, 3-2 and defeating UNC Wilmington, 1-0 in final day action.
A run from Mary Greenway in the first inning proved to be the game-winner in UNCG’s win over instate rival, UNC Wilmington in the last game of the tournament.
The Roanoke, VA native hit a leadoff single and then stole second to put herself in scoring position. She advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Whitney Miller and then crossed home plate on a wild pitch.
UNCG had chances to add to their tally twice in the course of the game. Twice the Spartans were able to get leadoff singles but UNC Wilmington turned double plays in both instances to end the scoring threats.
Amber Harrell, who held the Seahawks to only one hit on the evening, went the distance and allowed no runs on one hit and had 12 strikeouts for her fourth win of the season. Greenway was 1-for-3 from the plate with one run scored for the evening while Brittany Ausley, Leslie Furness and Mary Catherine Vercoe also added hits.
Greenway led UNCG for the weekend and posted a .400 batting average after going 6-for-15 from the plate and she was 4-4 on stolen base attempts while teammate Lyndsay Mouse was 3-3 on stolen base attempts for the weekend. Harrell posted a 2-0 record through the weekend and tallied a team-high 22 strikeouts.
The Spartans dropped their first game of the tournament to Lehigh in the first game of the day, falling 3-2 to the Mountain Hawks. UNCG was able to put two runs on the board in the first inning.
Leadoff hitter Mary Greenway hit a single to second base and proceeded to steal second base, putting a runner in scoring position. Lehigh walked Whitney Miller and a double from Brittany Ausley in the next at bat brought Greenway across home plate.
UNCG added another run with an RBI single from catcher Whitney Sirois but the bats went cold for UNCG from that point as the next two batters struck out to end the inning.
Lehigh put runs on the board in the second and third innings to tie the game. They were able to score their first run from Carly Potok. The first baseman hit a single through to shortstop and advanced to second base on 4-3 putout and moved to third base on an out from the pitcher to the shortstop. She was driven home on an RBI single to right field to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Mountain Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with a leadoff double form Lisa Sweeny. Kristyn Kubiak, who was pinch running for Sweeny, moved to third base with a groundout to second base and scored on an error from UNCG third baseman Emily Akiyama.
A Lehigh run in the sixth inning proved to be the game winner. The Spartans had a chance to take the game in the top of the seventh. Lyndsay Mouse hit a leadoff single and advanced to scoring position on an error an with a Whitney Miller walk was on third base but the Spartans couldn’t muster a hit in their last two at bats wit a foul out and a strikeout to end the game.
Mouse was 2-for-3 from the plate while Greenway was 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Spartans. Greenway had two stolen bases while Mouse tallied one. Hannah Angel went the distance and allowed three runs on nine hits while striking out seven.
The Spartans are next in action on Wednesday as they travel to Raleigh, NC for a doubleheader with North Carolina State. First pitch is set for 3 pm at the brand new Curtis and Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium on the campus of North Carolina State.
College of Charleston 2, Kennesaw State 0
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Christal Kotchman and Kristi Woodall scored late in the sixth inning to push the College of Charleston softball team over Kennesaw State, 2-0 in the final game of the CofC Cougar Classic Sunday night from Patriots Point.
"It was very exciting, Terri (Mesko) brought her 'A' game," said CofC Head Coach Shelly Hoerner. "We gave a great team effort, I'm very proud of them."
The Cougars improve to 4-13 on the season, while KSU falls to 10-4
Sophomore pitcher, Terri Mesko, earned her first victory to move her record to 1-7. The sophomore from McDonough, Ga., pitched a complete game. She struck out 14 Owl batters with only three hits.
Kotchman got the first hit of the game for the Cougars in the bottom of the sixth. The Seminole, Fla., junior singled to the shortstop. After stealing second base, Kotchman advanced to third off a wild pitch by Jessica Cross. As Woodall watched ball four, Kotchman took off for home after a throwing error by KSU catcher Jenna Closner.
Designated player Shannon Howard stepped to the plate and singled down the right field line. The Carmichael, Calif., native batted Woodall in for the final run of the game. Howard went 1-for-1 in the effort, with Kotchman going 1-for-1 with one run scored.
KSU's Cross (1-1) faced 19 Charleston batters, striking out three. She recorded two earned runs.
CofC will host its second of three home tournaments next weekend. The CofC Invitational will be at Patriots Point Friday, Feb. 29 - Sunday, March 2. The Cougars play East Tennessee State at 4 p.m. Friday.
Purdue 10, Appalachian State 7
East Carolina 8, Appalachian State 2
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The Appalachian State softball team suffered another pair of tough losses on Sunday afternoon at the ECU Pirate Classic. The Apps first fell to Purdue, 10-7, then later to host East Carolina, 8-2. With the losses, the Mountaineers finish the tournament with a 1-3 record and fall to 1-9 on the season. The Mountaineers led Purdue for a short time, but fell in the end.
Junior Kayla Richardson got the start for the Apps and held the high scoring Boilermakers to three runs in the first two frames on five hits.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers erupted. Junior Brittany Gaston and freshman Sarah Rappe opened the frame with back-to-back infield hits. Freshman Katie Boyd stepped in next and singled to score Gaston. A wild pitch scored Rappe and moved Boyd to third base. Junior Stephanie Long was given a free pass, followed by junior Ashley Gaston’s single through the right side to score Boyd.
With the score tied and no outs in the inning and runners on the corners, junior Andrea McIntyre singled to left to plate Long and move Gaston to third. McIntyre then stole second, to force the Boilermakers to walk sophomore designated player Meagan Squartino loading the bases full of Mountaineers. Freshman Tijana Stevens struck out next for the first out of the inning. Freshman Morgan Price was called upon next pinch hit. A fielder’s choice put Price on first and advanced everyone one base, including scoring Gaston. Pinch runners replaced Squartino with freshman Kristen Fister at second and Price with senior Tiffany Hensley. Back to the top of the order, Brittany Gaston doubled to center, scoring McIntyre. Fister was cut down at the plate as she attempted to score for the second out of the inning. Rappe ended the frame with a groundout to second base. Appalachian scored six runs on six hits, sending 11 batters to the plate and stranding runners at second and third. ASU took a 6-3 lead, their first of the game.
The ASU lead was short-lived as Purdue answered for four runs in the fourth inning off three hits and two more in the fifth. The Boilermakers added another run in the sixth to lead 10-3 with only three outs remaining for the Mountaineers.
With the top of the lineup at the plate, the Boilermakers retired the first two batters before Boyd belted her fifth home run of the season to continue her march to the single-season home run record. The four-bagger moved the freshman into fifth place on the single season chart, two shy of the record and into sole possession of eighth place on the career home run chart. However, 10-7 was as close as the Mountaineers would get as Purdue retired the final out.
Richardson was given the loss, allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on 14 hits. The West Jefferson, N.C. native struck out four while walking four and hitting one Boilermaker.
In game two against East Carolina, junior Yancy Moose got the start in the circle. The ASU lefty opened the game with two-innings of no-hit softball before the Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. In the bottom of the frame, the Apps loaded the bases, but could not answer the Pirate score.
East Carolina added two more in the fourth and three in the fifth to vault out to a 6-0 lead. In the top of the seventh, the Pirates posted two more runs to lead 8-0, with three outs remaining
Senior Natalie Willis opened the bottom of the seventh with a single to left and stole second base. Price was called on to pinch hit next, the Kannapolis, N.C. native caught a good pitch and lifted it over the fence for her first home run of her career. The next three Mountaineers were retired in order, giving ECU the 8-2 victory.
Moose was given the loss, her third of the season in seven innings of work. She allowed eight runs, three earned on nine hits. The Hamptonville, N.C. native struck out a season high, seven batters. She also walked four and hit one batter.
The Mountaineers will now travel to the Eastern Kentucky Tournament in Richmond, Ky. The weekend opens on Saturday, March 1 against Dayton at 11 a.m., followed by Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. The tournament continues on Sunday, March 1 at 10:30 against Cleveland State. The Mountaineers will then compete in a bracket play round on Sunday afternoon.