Liberty 1, UNC Greensboro 0
UNC Greensboro 4, Liberty 3
LYNCHBURG, VA ? The UNC Greensboro softball team picked up a split in non-conference softball action against Liberty on Tuesday afternoon. The Spartans dropped the opener to the Flames, 1-0 but salvaged the split with a 4-3 win in the late game.
UNCG (10-19) was led by Leslie Furness and Mary Greenway. Furness was 3-of-7 from the plate with a team-high three hits while Greenway was 2-of-7 from the plate and had two runs. The Roanoke,VA native also recorded a triple on the day. Amber Harrell and Hannah Angel each started one game with Harrell falling to 6-10 on the season with a 1-0 loss in the early game while Angel picked up her fourth win of the season in the nightcap.
Harrell allowed one run on four hits in 6.0 innings of work while striking out a team-high seven batters while Angel allowed three runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings of action while recording six strikeouts.
The Spartans had hot bats and tallied 10 hits on the afternoon including six hits in their 4-3 win in the late game. With the game tied at 2-2 through the fourth inning UNCG used a two runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Kaitlin Merkt hit a leadoff single to centerfield and moved to second on a groundout from Whitney Miller. The Irvine, CA native was moved to third base with a single from Mary Catherine Vercoe and was plated with a single from Lyndsay Mouse. UNCG added another run late in the inning when Laura Olenderski, pinch running for Vercoe, rounded the bases after a Liberty fielding error.
Olenderski’s run proved to be the game-winner but the Flames were able to add one final run in the fifth inning. After a leadoff double from Amber Depasquale an RBI single from Ashley Williams cut the UNCG lead to 4-3 but that was as close as it would get for the rest of the game.
The Spartans had chance to add to their lead in the seventh inning. Mary Greenway hit a triple, her third of the season, but couldn’t find a way home as two strikeouts ended the inning. The Flames also had one last chance and used two singles to get runners at first and second but a groundout to shortstop ended the game.
The early game was a pitcher’s duel from the outset but a home run from Liberty’s J’nae Jefferson was the lone score and gave Liberty the win. UNCG best chance to tie the game came in the fourth inning. Whitney Sirois hit a leadoff single up the middle followed by a single from Brittany Ausley which placed two runners on base.
A single from Furness loaded the bases but Sirois was out at home on the next play with a throw home from Liberty’s third baseman. UNCG had another chance in the inning when Vercoe again loaded the bases after reaching on a fielder’s choice but Furness was out at third base ending UNCG’s scoring chances.
The Spartans return to UNCG Softball Stadium tomorrow when they welcome cross-town rival, North Carolina A&T for a twinbill. First pitch is scheduled for 3 pm.
No. 19 North Carolina 7, Elon 0
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? Solid pitching, including a career high 16 strikeouts by Lisa Norris, led the 19th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels to a 7-0 victory over the Phoenix in non-conference softball action.
Elon drops to14-10 on the season, but remains perfect in the SoCon with a 3-0 record. UNC improves 28-6-1 on the season.
UNC took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Lisa Norris drove the first pitch deep over the centerfield wall. The Tar Heels put two runners of base after taking advantage of two Elon miscues. The Phoenix recorded the final two outs of the game when Caitlin McGowan and Jaymie Shanahan turned a double play.
The Tar Heels plated their second run of the game when Breanna Brown singled to reach base then later scored on an Elon error. Jennifer Jacobs hit into a fielder’s choice to get the leadoff runner out. The final batter lined out to the first baseman to end the inning for the Tar Heels.
Tracey Dahlen recorded the first hit for the Phoenix with a single to the first baseman in the top of the fourth. Patti Weber executed a sacrifice bunt perfectly to put Dahlen in scoring position. Dahlen would be left stranded as the final two outs were recorded with a strikeout and a line out to the second baseman.
Cassie Palmer led off the UNC fifth with a walk and then advanced to second on a single by Jennifer Jones. With one out, Danielle Spaulding belted a three-run homerun to left center to increase the Tar Heel lead to 5-0. The final two batters were retired to end the inning.
The Heels tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. McKinney walked to lead off the inning. She scored on the next batter when Alyssa Francona singled through the middle. Palmer then grounded into a fielder’s choice. Brown put runners in scoring position when she singled to short. Jacobs drove in Palmer for the seventh run of the game for UNC with a single down the right field line. Norris struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning with the Tar Heels leading 7-0.
The side was retired in the top of the seventh to end the game for the Phoenix.
Taking the loss for the Phoenix was Pam DelPizzo who allowed five runs on six hits in five innings of work. She also recorded three strikeouts and walked two. Norris picked up the win to improve to 10-3 on the year with the complete game shutout. She allowed just one hit and struck out 16 while not allowing any walks.
Elon returns to the field tomorrow afternoon when it travels to Buies Creek, N.C. to face the Fighting Camels of Campbell University. The first game of the double header is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Full coverage of the game will be available at www.ElonPhoenix.com .
Georgia Tech 7, Furman 0
Georgia Tech 9, Furman 0 (5 inn.)
Atlanta, Ga. -- Whitney Humphreys and Emily Schreck each hurled a complete-game shutout as Georgia Tech swept Furman 7-0 and 9-0 in a non-conference softball doubleheader Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta, Ga.
Blair Shimandle went 4-for-4 at the plate and Humphreys tossed a four-hit shutout to lead Georgia Tech past Furman 7-0 in game one.
The Yellow Jackets took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning against Furman starter Lana Mackey. Becky McGraw and Christy Jones delivered back-to-back RBI singles and Stephanie Butler followed by driving in a run with a groundout. Shimandle singled to open the fifth inning and swiped second and third base before scoring on Whitney Haller’s grounder to third.
Georgia Tech posted three more runs to up the margin to 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth. Aileen Morales plated two runs with a single and Shimandle capped the scoring with an RBI single through the right side.
Humphreys improved to 7-11 in the circle by scattering four hits and fanning seven Paladins in a complete-game effort. Mackey took the loss for Furman to fall to 7-10. The sophomore allowed three runs on five hits in four innings of work.
In game two, Schreck (3-0) limited Furman to only two hits in five innings while fanning three batters as the Yellow Jackets beat Furman 9-0 in five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Brittany Barnes went 2-for-2 with a double and a game-ending two-run homer to spark the 9-0 rout. Georgia Tech took a 2-0 lead in the first as Morales and Shimandle reached on singles to start the frame and game around to score on a throwing error and wild pitch.
Morales and Shimandle reached to start the fifth inning on a single and hit batter. After a double steal, Morales scored on an error by the third baseman and Shimandle came home on an RBI grounder from Savannah Brown.
Georgia Tech loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, double and base on balls with one out. A passed ball and throwing error by the catcher allowed two more runs to score before the Jackets capped the inning with their fifth run of the game on a sacrifice fly.
Haller walked to start the bottom of the fifth and Barnes hammered a two-run home run to center to end the game. Morales went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs as Georgia Tech plated its nine runs on just five hits.
Mackey (7-11) suffered the loss for Furman allowing nine runs on five hits in four-plus innings in the circle.
The sweep dropped Furman to 11-15 overall while Georgia Tech improved to 15-21.
Furman, 1-2 in league play, opens a three-game Southern Conference series at Elon with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.