Marshall 12, College of Charleston 2
Athens, Ga. -- Marshall recorded 12 hits in its 12-2 defeat of the College of Charleston softball team in game two of the Red & Black Showcase at the UGA Softball Stadium this afternoon.
The loss puts the Cougars record at 0-1 while the Thundering Herd improve to 2-0 on the new season.
Third-inning runs by Rachael Folden, Rachael Sofie, Caitlyn Jackson and Rachel Schmidt opened the scoring for the Herd.
Sophomore Brittany Small put the Cougars on the board with a run in the bottom of the third. She scored off a single through the right side by junior Tiffany Harmon. The bottom of the fourth saw a second RBI for Harmon. The Lynn Haven, Fla., native singled to center field to bring Katie Nutaitis in for the run.
Nutaitis and Harmon led the CofC offense. Harmon went 2-for-2 with two RBI, while Nutaitis was 2-for-2 with one run scored.
Sophomore pitcher Terri Mesko (0-1) pitched six innings for the Cougars. She recorded fives strike-outs, nine hits and allowed nine runs.
Jackson set the pace for MU. She went 3-for-5 with three RBI and scored two runs. Pitcher Erin DeStefano (1-0) pitched through seven innings with seven strike-outs and two earned runs.
The Cougars face host Georgia in game four of the tournament Friday night at 6:00.
UNC Greensboro 2, Jacksonville 0
Southern Illinois 5, UNC Greensboro 0
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ? The UNC Greensboro softball team split a pair of games at the Best Western/Jacksonville University Tournament to open the 2008 softball season. The Spartans fell 5-0 to Southern Illinois but handed host Jacksonville a 2-0 loss in the nightcap. This is the second consecutive season UNCG opened the season with a 1-1 record.
UNCG struggled from the plate in both game combining for a total of six hits on the day. Whitney Miller was 1-for-1 from the plate in the win over Jacksonville to lead UNCG’s offensive efforts while Mary Greenway was 1-for-2 from the plate with one run scored in the late game.
In the second game the Spartans and Dolphins were scoreless through the first four innings before UNCG got on the board in the fifth inning. Leadoff batter, Leslie Furness ripped a home run down the middle of the park to give UNCG a 1-0 lead.
UNCG added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Dolphin pitcher Ashley Iverson walked pinch hitter Laura Olenderski and in the next at bat Greenway singled to put two runners on base. The Spartan loaded the bases after Lyndsay Mouse and Brittany Ausley reached on back-to-back fielders choices’. Greenway rounded the bases when Mary Catherine Vercoe grounded out to the second base.
Amber Harrell picked up her first win of the year after allowing no runs on one hit in her first complete game of the year. She walked four and tallied five strikeouts. Greenway was also 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts, brining her career total to 43 stolen bases, placing her fifth on UNCG’s all-time list.
In the first game of the day the Spartans and Salukis were scoreless through three innings before Southern Illinois used two runs to take a 2-0 lead.
UNCG pitcher Hannah Angel (0-1) walked Wilson to open the inning and Chelsea Petty used a sacrifice hit to advance Katie Wilson to second base and put the Salukis in scoring position. Angel walked Jayme Wamsley to put two runners on base and SIU’s Becky Wegmann doubled to score both runners.
Brittany Ausley tallied UNCG’s first hit of the afternoon in the fourth inning but UNCG couldn’t find another hit after Vercoe lined out to shortstop to end the inning, leaving the Wake Forest, NC native stranded. The Spartans couldn’t muster any offense in the next several innings and Southern Illinois added three more runs to put the game out of reach.
Ausley, Lyndsay Mouse and Whitney Sirois tallied hits for the Spartans while Angel and Amber Harrell split time in the circle. Angel twirled five innings of work and allowed three runs on four hits while walking four. She also threw seven strikes on the afternoon. In two innings of relief, Harrell allowed two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four.
The Spartans continue action at the Best Western/Jacksonville Invitational when they take on Minnesota at JU Softball Stadium at 12:15 pm before closing the day against Coastal Carolina at 2:45 pm.
Georgia 4, College of Charleston 0
Athens, Ga. - Fifth-inning runs by Victoria Sanders, Megan Wiggins, Alisa Goler and Katie Becket pushed Georgia 4-0 over the College of Charleston softball team in the night cap of day one of the Red and Black Showcase at the UGA Softball Stadium Friday night.
The Cougars fall to 0-2 overall, while the Bulldogs improve to 2-0.
A strong defensive effort by both squads kept the game scoreless through four-and-a-half innings before Sanders opened the scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
Cougar pitcher Shannon Howard pitched four innings before giving up four runs. She had three strikeouts before being replaced by freshman Alexa Datko.
Offensively for Charleston, junior Tiffany Harmon had the Cougars lone hit for the game. UGA had six hits, led by Wiggins who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
CofC returns to action Sat., Feb. 9, in day two of the tournament to face Marshall at 10:00 a.m. and #10 DePaul at noon.
Marshall 9, College of Charleston 1
Athens, Ga.--Marshall recorded 12 hits and nine runs as they defeated the College of Charleston softball team 9-1 in five innings in game five of the UGA Red and Black Showcase this morning at the UGA Softball Stadium.
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 0-3 on the season. The Thundering Herd improves to 3-0.
Offensively, junior Tiffany Harmon went one-for-three and scored the Cougars’ lone run. Third baseman Kristie Shifflett went one-for-two with one RBI.
Freshman Alexa Datko pitched through four innings for CofC and recorded seven earned runs. Shannon Howard entered the game for Datko. She record one strikeout and one earned run.
Charleston’s next game is against # 10 DePaul at noon from the UGA Softball Stadium.
No. 10 DePaul 7, College of Charleston 0
Athens, Ga. -- Three first-inning runs helped push 10th-ranked DePaul over 4-0 the College of Charleston in Division I softball action this afternoon at the UGA Softball Stadium.
The Cougars (0-4) continue in the Showcase Sun., Feb. 10, at noon when they face DePaul for the second time. The win is the first of the season for the Blue Demons, improving their record to 1-2.
Charleston's ace hurler, Terri Mesko pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts and seven earned runs.
Short-stop Christal Kotchman turned in the Cougars' only hit for the game as she when one-for-three.
Tara Voss and Marcy Wilus led the Blue Demon offense. They both went two-for-four. Voss scored one run and hit one RBI on the afternoon.
East Tennessee State 7, Furman 0
Furman 5, East Tennessee State 3
Greenville, S.C. -- Furman rallied from a three-run deficit to down East Tennessee State 5-3 in game two and earn a split with the Lady Bucs in the season opening softball doubleheader for both teams Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. ETSU rolled to a 7-0 win in game one.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Lana Mackey reached on a fielder’s choice following a Brythe Blankenship single for Furman. Junior Kate Termini followed with a double down the left field line to plate Mackey from first and tie the game at 3-3. Freshman Morgan Hughey put Furman ahead scoring Termini on an RBI double into the left-centerfield gap and Hughey later scored on a passed ball to extend the lead to 5-3.
Mackey (1-1) took the circle in relief of starter Bethany Ullrich in the fourth and allowed just one hit while fanning four Lady Bucs to earn the victory. Ullrich surrendered two earned runs on five hits in three innings during her collegiate pitching debut.
ETSU (1-1) took the early lead with a three-run second inning. Jessie Hackworth started the frame by reaching third on a dropped fly ball and scored when Trisha Massenzo singled to right. After Massenzo swiped second and Marissa Hardy singled and advanced to second, Briana Knight and Vicki McCoy notched back-to-back singles to up the lead to 3-0.
Furman (1-1) answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to slice the lead to one run. Junior Abby Robertson opened the inning with a double to centerfield and moved to third on Blankenship’s ground out.
Mackey lined a double to left-center to score Robertson. After moving to third base on a ground out, Mackey scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
Hughey went 1-for-1 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored while fellow freshman Katie Michaels went 2-for-4 at the plate. Massenzo collected two hits, scored a run and drove in a runs for the Lady Bucs. Hardy (0-1) took the loss allowing four earned runs on seven hits in six innings.
In game one, Jessie Hackworth doubled and blasted a seventh-inning grand slam to lift ETSU to a 7-0 victory over the Lady Paladins.
McCoy broke open a scoreless tie in the fifth scoring on a wild pitch.
Six consecutive Lady Bucs reached in the top of the seventh, highlight by Hackworth’s homer and Massenzo’s two-run shot, to help East Tennessee State pull away.
Darci Gilbert (1-0) went the distanced in the circle to record the shutout. The sophomore fanned four batters and allowed only five Furman hits. Hackworth went 2-for-4 with four RBI while Katy Jett and Cherniece Cason also collected two hits apiece.
Lana Mackey suffered the loss for Furman allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits despite striking out nine batters in the season opener. Hughey tallied two hits for the Lady Paladins.
Furman will entertain Winthrop in a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday at Pepsi Stadium.
Minnesota 8, UNC Greensboro 1
Coastal Carolina 1, UNC Greensboro 1
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ? The UNC Greensboro softball team dropped two games in the second day of action at the Best Western/Jacksonville University Tournament. UNCG fell to Minnesota, 8-1 and dropped a close 2-1 game to Coastal Carolina to conclude the day.
Katie Stripling, Whitney Sirois and Lyndsay Mouse each tallied two hits on the afternoon for UNCG (1-3). The Spartans found some offense and tallied 12 hits on the day, compared to only six hits in opening day action. Freshman Stripling was 2-for-2 in the second contest to pace the Spartans offensive efforts while catcher Whitney Sirois was 2-for-3.
All three Spartans pitchers saw time in the circle today. Amber Harrell (1-1) played her second compete game of the season against Coastal Carolina. The McDonough, GA native twirled 6.2 innings of work and allowed two runs on three hits. She walked eight and had five strikeouts.
Coastal got on the board in the second inning. Harrell walked their leadoff hitter, who then stole second base and rounded the bases when Britney Birnbaum singled giving the Chanticleers a 1-0 lead. The Spartans tied things up in the top of the fifth inning Whitney Sirois singled up the middle and Laura Olenderski, who was pinch running, stole second base and was driven home when Kristen Gabel singled down the middle.
Coastal Carolina had the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh inning. Laicole Walker was hit by a pitch placing her on first base and she advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt. She moved to third on the next play and scored on a UNCG passed ball giving Coastal Carolina the, 2-1 win.
Offensively, Minnesota jumped ahead early in the first game and never looked back, using a four-run fourth inning en route to a 8-1 win. Colleen Powers drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the second.
The Gophers’ four-run fourth was keyed by freshman shortstop Brianna Sudenga, who followed an Amber Nelson leadoff walk with a double to center field. A bunt single by Powers brought home Nelson with the first run of the game, and Neal then put the Gophers up 2-0 with an RBI single. Minnesota’s other two runs would score on a Fernandez sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.
The Spartans did manage to get on the board in the sixth inning with a run from Mary Greenway. The Roanoke, VA native singles and then picked up her third stolen base of the season when she stole second. Greenway advanced to third base with a single to center field from Mouse and came home when Brittany Ausley grounded out to first base.
The Gophers tacked on three more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, all of them coming with two outs. Hannah Angel and Mary Catherine Vercoe saw action in the circle for the Spartans. Angel (1-1) tossed four innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. She tallied two strikeouts and walked two. Vercoe pitched two innings of relief action and allowed three runs on two hits. She walked three and had one strikeout on the afternoon.
UNCG concludes action in Florida tomorrow morning when they take on Coastal Carolina. First pitch is set for 11:15 am at JU Softball Stadium.
Chattanooga 9, Wichita State 3
Kentucky 3, Chattanooga 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Senior Tara Tembey (Folsom, Calif.) went 5-of-8 with two runs scored and an RBI and redshirt-freshman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) belted her first career home run as Chattanooga (1-1) split their first two games of the season with a 3-2 loss to Kentucky (2-0) and a 9-3 victory over Wichita State (0-2) Saturday afternoon at Jim Frost Stadium.
The Lady Mocs got on the board early against Kentucky, pushing across two unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead before the Wildcats responded in the top of the third inning. After loading the bases with no one out, sophomore pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.) nearly worked out of the jam, getting back-to-back outs before senior first baseman Ashley Dimkich laced a single down the third base line to tie the game at 2-2.
The score would remain tied until the top of the seventh inning when sophomore shortstop Molly Johnson reached on a single and moved to third base on a passed ball. A groundout by right fielder Becky Bishop then drove in the go ahead run to make it 3-2, Kentucky, before the Wildcats held off a late rally by the Lady Mocs in the bottom of the inning.
Senior pitcher Megan Jolly collected the complete game win for UK and Johnson went 2-of-3 with two runs while Dimkich drove in two runs.
For Chattanooga, Tembey posted a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored while sophomore catcher Brittany Eason (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and junior outfielder Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) each collected a hit.
In the nightcap, Wichita State pushed across a run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead before Tiffany Baker belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to put UTC ahead 2-1. In the bottom of the third inning, that lead would balloon to 7-1 as the Lady Mocs scored five runs with a key three-run double being delivered by freshman pitcher Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.). Chattanooga tacked on two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning before wrapping up the 9-3 victory.
Freshman pitcher Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) went seven innings to notch her first career victory while senior pitcher Cynthia Verhulst took the loss for the Shockers.
In the Shootout’s other game of the day, Kentucky opened their season with a victory, defeating Wichita State 5-2 in the early game.
The Lady Mocs resume play tomorrow afternoon when they take on Wichita State at 12:45 p.m. and Kentucky at 3:00 p.m.
Elon 10, Savannah State 0
Elon 9, Savannah State 0
ELON, N.C. ? Elon amassed 19 runs, 23 hits, five walks and eight stolen bases in just eight innings as the Phoenix swept a non-conference softball doubleheader from Savannah State ? 10-0 and 9-0 ? in Elon’s season-opener Saturday afternoon at East Field.
The Phoenix (2-0) scored in every inning but one while Phoenix pitchers fanned 12 batters and yielded no runs in 10 innings, limiting the Tigers (0-4) to just five hits and one walk for the two contests combined.
In the opening contest, Elon erupted to a 5-0 lead after the first inning and then went on to tack on four more runs in the second frame and one more in the fourth to determine the final score. The Phoenix out-hit Savannah State 15-3 and committed no errors to five by the Tigers.
Elon pitcher Pam DelPizzo (1-0) surrendered just three hits and one base on balls while striking out seven SSU batters over five innings. Savannah State's Rachel West (0-2) endured 15 hits and six earned runs during her four innings in the circle, but allowed no walks and logged a strikeout.
Shamyra Adams (1-for-2, stolen base), Brittany Henderson (1-for-2) and Sade Labron (1-for-2) all collected hits and Keisha Barkley (0-for-1) drew a walk for the Tigers.
Tracey Dahlen (3-for-3, two runs, RBI, double, two stolen bases), Caitlin McGowen (3-for-3, two RBI), Allison Hartman (2-for-3, two runs, two RBI, double), Patti Weber (2-for-3, three runs, RBI, stolen base) and Jaimie Rao (2-for-3, two runs) paced the Phoenix offense.
In the nightcap, Elon scored once in the first frame, twice in the second, once in the third and five times in the fourth. The Phoenix out-hit the Tigers 8-2 and drew five walks. Elon committed the game's lone error.
Phoenix pitcher Melanie Helterbran (1-0) held the Savannah State offense to two hits and no walks over five innings. She fanned five Tigers. SSU's Tiffany Ward (0-2) scattered eight hits, nine earned runs and five bases on balls in four innings.
Jessalyn Ross (1-for-2) and Barkley (1-for-2) rapped hits for the Tigers while Hartman (3-for-3, two runs, four RBI, one home run) keyed the Elon offense.
The two teams conclude their three-game series with a 1 p.m. contest Sunday at East Field.