Chattanooga 2, Dartmouth 0
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Sophomore pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.) struck out 14 batters and pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout as Chattanooga (15-12) defeated Dartmouth (1-5) 2-0 Friday morning at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex at the USF Under Armour Showcase.
An RBI single in the second inning by sophomore catcher Lynleigh Hurndon (McDonough, Ga.) and a RBI single up the middle by freshman first baseman Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) in the third staked the Lady Mocs to a 2-0 lead early on. That would be all that they would need as Loudermilk would surrender only three hits on the day and strike out 14 batters, including the last five of the game, to lock up the 2-0 victory.
Junior infielder Rachel Norris (Ringgold, Ga.) and freshman outfielder Lauren Flores (Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.) each went 2-for-3 on the day to lead Chattanooga while Fuzzard finished 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Hurndon went 1-for-3 with the other UTC RBI and senior shortstop Tara Tembey (Folsom, Calif.) scored a run and stole her seventh base of the season to go to 7-7 on the season.
Loudermilk notched her second complete game shutout of the season and tenth of her career as she won her fifth straight decision to move to 6-4 on the season. Stephanie Trudeau went the distance and allowed only the two runs as she fell to 0-3 on the season for the Big Green.
For Loudermilk, it is the third time in her career that she has rung up 14 batters. She did it twice last season against St. Francis on February 23 and Austin Peay on March 2, setting the program record and then tying it. Earlier this season, she struck out 15 batters against Bowling Green to break her own school record and has a total of 13 career double-digit strikeouts performances.
The Lady Mocs return to action later this afternoon when they take on Boston University at 4 p.m.
Chattanooga vs. Boston University
CLEARWATER, Fla. ? After an impressive 2-0 victory over Dartmouth to open the USF Under Armour Showcase, rain was the winner in the Lady Mocs game against Boston University as a steady down pour forced the game to be suspended with Chattanooga leading 3-2 entering the bottom of the second inning.
Play will resume from that point at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Chattanooga will now play Liberty at 4:30 p.m tomorrow and will face Penn State at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Due to the complications caused by the weather, bracket play has been dropped from the tournament.
Furman 6, Vermont 3
Furman 13, Gardner-Webb 3 (5 inn.)
Rock Hill, S.C. -- Sophomore Meredith Mielke belted her first two career home runs, including a fourth-inning grand slam, to power Furman to a 13-3 victory over Gardner-Webb and a sweep of the Paladins’ two games on the opening day of the Winthrop/adidas Invitational Friday afternoon. Furman opened the tournament downing Vermont 6-3.
Trailing Garner-Webb (9-12) 3-0 in the third inning of the nightcap, Katie Michaels reached base on a two-out infield single and Mielke followed with a towering blast over the centerfield fence to pull Furman within a run.
After Abby Robertson reached on an error to start the bottom of the fourth inning, Brythe Blankenship hammered a two-run shot over the left-center field wall to give Furman a 4-3 lead. Alison Coffey relieved Bulldog starter Christine Murray and was greeted by back-to-back singles from Morgan Hughey and Lana Mackey. A groundout and a pair of errors plated another Paladin run and loaded the bases for Mielke who belted a Coffey pitch over the right field fence for a grand slam.
Furman (9-10) continued the fourth-inning rally as Robertson singled, Blankenship was hit by a pitch and Hughey registered her second hit of the inning. With the bases loaded, Mackey lined a grand slam over the right field fence to up the Furman advantage to 13-3.
Mackey retired the Bulldogs in order in the fifth to invoke the eight-run mercy rule. The righthander worked two scoreless innings of relief to improve to 6-7 in the circle. The Paladins recorded 10 hits, including two-hit games by Mielke, Robertson, Hughey and Mackey. Mielke, a centerfielder from Matthews, N.C., equalled a Furman record with two homers and six RBI in a game as the Paladins set a new school record with four home runs and two grand slams in a game. Mackey finished 2-for-3 with four RBI while six Paladins scored two runs apiece.
Murray (3-4) suffered the loss for Gardner-Webb allowing three earned runs on four hits in three innings. Coffey surrendered nine unearned runs on six hits in one inning of relief. The Bulldogs grabbed an early 3-0 lead when Mandy Ward notched a two-run homer in the first and Jessi Williams belted a solo shot in the top of the third.
Furman opened the day rallying from a 3-1 deficit on the strength of a four-run sixth inning to down Vermont 6-3.
The Paladins lost an early 1-0 lead when the Catamounts plated three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. Mielke, Stephanie Cushing and Robertson opened the sixth reaching on singles to load the bases.
Blankenship chopper to third was misplayed allowing Mielke to score and cut the lead to 3-2. After Vermont (2-10) pitcher Aimee Kern retired the next two batters, Mackey lined a single through the left side to drive in a run and the Catamounts committed another error on a ground ball to second off the bat of Bethany Ullrich allowing two more runs to score.
Blankenship added an RBI single in the seventh and Mackey finished off the complete game for the victory. Mackey did not allow an earned run and fanned four batters while issuing four walks. Kern (1-7) allowed six runs on nine hits to take the loss.
Cushing went 2-for-4 with a triple while Blankenship finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs.
The Paladins continue pool play on Saturday facing Charlotte at 1 p.m. and Memphis at 5 p.m.
Elon 4, Bowling Green 3
DELAND, FLA.- Allison Hartman hit a leadoff homerun in the third to spark a 4-3 come from behind victory over the Bowling Green Falcons in the first game of the Stetson Spring Classic in DeLand, Fla.
Elon improves to 9-7 this season and 1-0 in the tournament. Bowling Green falls to 0-10 on the year.
Bowling Green got on the board first in the bottom of the first when Dawnjene DeLong scored on a throwing error that followed single by Rachel Delp.
The Falcons extended their lead to two in the second after a passed ball advanced Haleigh Bielstein to third after she reached on a walk. She then scored on a wild pitch by Pam DelPizzo.
Elon answered in the third after Allison Hartman hit a leadoff homerun. Tracey Dahlen recorded her second hit of the day when she doubled to center and then stole third. She would be left stranded as Bowling Green retired the next two batters.
Jaimie Rao scored to tie the game at two in the top of the fourth. Rao singled and then took advantage of a Falcon throwing error to move to second. DelPizzo laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Rao to third. A Brandi Jones single to right field scored Rao. Hartman grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.
Bowling Green threatened in the bottom half of the inning when Susan Sontag opened with a single, but was tagged at second on a fielder’s choice. The threat ended when the next batter grounded out to the pitcher.
The score remained tied at two until the top of the sixth when Debbie Zeigler singled to left to start the inning. Hannah Shelton came in to pinch run and advanced to second on a passed ball. A DelPizzo single moved Shelton to third. A throwing error by the catcher allowed Shelton to score and advanced DelPizzo to third. Elon added to its lead when Jaymie Shanahan singled to drive home DelPizzo. That is all the damage that was done as the final two hitters were retired to end the inning.
BGU’s DeLong scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on a double by Allison Vallas.
Picking up the win was Pam DelPizzo who improves to 3-3 on the year. DelPizzo allowed three runs off of five hits, walked five and struck out three in seven innings of work. Taking the loss was Emily Gouge, who came on in relief of Hayley Weimer. Gouge (0-3) allowed two runs on four hits in 3.0 innings pitched. She also walked three and struck out four.
Shanahan was 1-2 at the plate with two RBI to lead the Phoenix offensive attack. Dahlen was 2-3 with two stolen bases and one walk. For the Falcons, Vallas led the team in offensive production with one RBI off of two hits in three trips to the plate.
Iowa 6, Elon 0
DELAND, FLA.- Iowa defeats Elon 6-0 in the second game of the Stetson Spring Classic in DeLand, Fla. Elon is now 9-8 on the year. Iowa, who was one of seven teams that received votes in the latest USA Today/Coaches Poll, improves to 15-5 with the win.
Iowa jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first after loading the bases with back-to-back singles and a walk. Lindsey Diggman was the first Hawkeye to cross the plate on a sacrifice hit by Katie Brown. Taylor Leichsenring scored on an sacrifice hit a play later. The final out was recorded when Jenny Schuelke grounded out to the shortstop.
Elon threatened in the bottom of the second inning when Patti Weber singled and then advanced to second a passed ball. The Phoenix could not capitalize a the next two batters were retired.
No one crossed the plated until the fourth inning when Iowa’s Heidi Daumen laid down a bunt that sent Brown home. The run extended Iowa’s lead to 3-0.
Weber led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to record Elon’s second hit of the afternoon. The Phoenix were unable to push her across the plate as the next three batters were retired.
Iowa scored two runs off of four hits and left two on in the top of the fifth to take a 5-0 lead in the top of the fifth. Diggman reached on a singled and later scored following a double off the bat of Colleen McGlaughlin. McGlaughlin scored on the next play when Downs drove the ball to deep left for a double. The final two batters recorded outs to end the inning.
Elon looked to get on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Brandi ones drove a 2-2 pitch to centerfield for a double. Weber drew a walk that was followed be a bunt single by Tracey Dahlen. Elon would strand all three runners as Melanie Helterbran struck out looking and Debbie Zeigler flied out to leftfield.
Iowa added a run in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to 7-0. Downs sinlged and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on a single up the middle by Lindsey Major.
Elon’s side was retired in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Picking up the loss for Elon was Helterbran (3-3) who allowed six runs off of 12 hits while walking two and striking out two. Brittany Weil (9-4) earned the complete game shutout by allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out 10.
Weber led the offensive effort for the Phoenix, going two-for-two and drawing a walk. For Iowa, Downs was two-for-four with two runs and two RBI.
Elon returns to the field tomorrow at 2:45 p.m. when they face Michigan State in day two of the Stetson Spring Classic. Live stats, audio, and video are available for all games of the tournament at www.gohatters.com . Full coverage of the game will be available at www.ElonPhoenix.com .
St. John’s 6, College of Charleston 1
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Despite five hits, the College of Charleston fell to St. John's 6-1 in game three of the College of Charleston Classic Friday afternoon from Patriots Point Field.
The Cougars (9-20) take on Syracuse immediately following for the day one night cap. The Red Storm (7-13) will face Big East foe Syracuse at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15.
St. John's opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third. Bionka King, Shauntaine Harris and Kacee Cox put the Red Storm atop the Cougars.
After two innings with no runs scored, Christal Kotchman scored the only run for the Cougars. Kotchman reached on a single to the shortstop. Freshman Kristi Woodall hit a single to left and Kotchman headed to third. Kristie Shifflett hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield to bring Kotchman in for the run.
Freshman Katie Nutaitis led the Cougars' offense. The right fielder went 2-for-2 from the plate. Tiffany Harmon went 1-for-3, while Woodall and Kotchman went 1-for-4 and 1-for-3, respectively.
Terri Mesko (3-8) pitched through four innings. The McDonough, Ga., native struck out three Red Storm batters and allowed two earned runs and five hits, before being relieved by Alexa Datko. Kat Lawrence (3-5) pitched a complete game with five strikeouts and one earned run.
Syracuse 12, College of Charleston 4 (6 inn.)
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Linzi Bereitschaft's three-run homer was not enough as the College of Charleston fell to Syracuse, 12-4 in six innings, in game four of the CofC softball Classic at Patriots Point.
The Cougars fall to 9-21 on the season. The Orange improves to 5-15 and return to the Classic Saturday at 11 a.m. to face Big East foe St. John's.
"It was a very tough afternoon," said CofC Head Coach Shelly Hoerner. "We didn't bring our 'A' game today. Hopefully we'll come out tomorrow with a different attitude."
Junior Tiffany Harmon slapped a single to left to start off the game. The Lynn Haven, Fla., native put the Cougars on the board in the first inning off a double to left-centerfield by Katie Nutaitis.
Charleston seemed to gain some insurance in the third inning when Bereitschaft, hit a three-run bomb to left-center, the first of her collegiate career. The first baseman from Fenton, Mo., brought in Shannon Howard and Nutaitis to put the Cougars up 4-0.
The Orange quickly ate away at the Charleston lead when they scored four runs in the bottom of the third. They took advantage of Cougar errors in the fifth and sixth innings and added eight more runs to their total.
Offensively, Howard went 3-for-3 and scored one run. Harmon, Kristi Woodall, Nutaitis, Bereitschaft and Brittany Small each added runs to the Cougar total of nine.
Howard (5-9) pitched through five innings with five strikeouts and five earned runs on 14 hits. Chanel Roehner (3-5) pitched a complete game, striking out three Cougar batters and allowing nine hits.
Charleston returns to action Saturday, March 15, at 1:30 p.m. when they take on the Orange for a second time.
GSU Softball's First Day of USF Under Armour Invitational Rained Out
CLEARWATER, Fla. --- Georgia Southern's involvement in the first day of the USF Under Armour Invitational Friday has been washed out by rain.
The Eagles' game against George Mason was called after the second inning with GSU leading 2-0. The game will be resumed at a time to be determined.
The rest of the tournament's schedule will be decided later.
Florida Gulf Coast 7, Appalachian State 5
Florida Gulf Coast 3, Appalachian State 2
BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State softball dropped a pair of tough games on Friday afternoon to Division I newcomer FGCU. In the opener, ASU trailed early, but rallied, losing the final decision, 7-5. In game two, the Apps kept even with the Eagles, falling 3-2 in a heartbreaker. With the losses, ASU falls to 1-18 on the season.
In game one, junior Yancy Moose started for the Black and Gold on the rubber. The Hamptonville, N.C. native allowed three runs on two hits. She struck out two in two and two-thirds innings of work. She was relieved by junior Teri Fister who pitched two complete innings, allowing one run on four hits. She also notched a strikeout and walk, facing 11 batters. Junior Kayla Richardson closed out the game for the Mountaineers, allowing three runs, two earned on one hit in two and a third innings pitched. Richardson fanned three while walking two.
ASU got on the scoreboard in the fifth with a pair of two-out doubles from Sarah Rappe and Brittany Gaston, respectively. The two-baggers sandwiched an intentional walk issued to freshman Katie Boyd. Gaston notched her sixth and seventh RBI of the season, scoring Rappe and Boyd. Back-to-back singles advanced Gaston to third and drove her home. Sophomore Meagan Squartino netted the RBI.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the Mountaineers trailing 7-3, added two more runs with two outs. Long and Boyd both scored with Squartino and junior Ashley Gaston posting RBI. The Mountaineers closed the game with the tying run on first base.
Moose was handed the loss, dropping her record to 1-7 on the season.
Appalachian opened game two by scoring two runs in the first frame to match FGCU’s inning. Leadoff hitter Andrea McIntyre and Rappe both notched singles to start the game. McIntyre scored off a throwing error. Two batters later, Brittany Gaston plated Rappe with a single to center. The scores tied the game with an inning in the books.
Richardson started the game for ASU in the circle and pitched all seven innings. She allowed three runs, both earned off seven hits. The West Jefferson, N.C. native struck out two batters and walked one.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Mountaineers put runners on first and second with one out and looked poised to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Unfortunately, ASU could not push across any more runs, and fell by the final score of 3-2.
Richardson took the loss to fall to 1-7 in a strong outing.
Boyd and Squartino were the leading batters on the day for the Apps with both batting 3-for-6. Squartino drove in two runs while Boyd scored twice.
Appalachian will open a three-game series with Western Carolina on Sunday. The set begins with a doubleheader at the ASU Softball Stadium at 2 p.m. followed by a 1 p.m. St. Patrick’s Day matinee.