Georgia Southern 3, Presbyterian 0
Georgia Southern 3, Presbyterian 2
STATESBORO, Ga. --- Georgia Southern’s school-record shutout streak ended but the Eagles got enough offense to sweep a softball doubleheader from Presbyterian Wednesday afternoon at Eagle Field.
The wins are Georgia Southern’s seventh straight, the longest by the program since 2004, and improve the team’s record to 16-10. Presbyterian drops to 7-10.
“I thought we did a good job of coming out in a midweek (game),” said GSU head coach Natalie Poole. “Sometimes we struggle with that and drop games that we shouldn’t. So I thought we did a good job of getting two wins even though offensively we didn’t put up a lot of runs.”
Senior Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada) shut down the PC offense on three hits in game one. She struck out 10 and walked four to record the team’s sixth consecutive shutout, extending the school record.
“Mel did a good job of giving us a chance to win and keeping them scoreless,” said Poole. “She struggled a little bit with the umpire in terms of finding the zone. (But) I thought that she stayed focused and found ways to throw strikes.”
The Eagles put single runs across in innings one, two and five. Sophomore Lindsey Hopkins (McDonough, Ga.) recorded two hits in four at bats and scored a run. Junior Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.) went 2-for-2 at the plate.
GSU went on top 2-0 through four in game two on RBI singles from sophomore Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) and junior Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga.).
The Blue Hose were finally able to dent the scoreboard in the sixth on back-to-back walks and a single from Jenny Box. Both walks and hit came with two out. The run allowed was GSU’s first in 48 innings, dating back to a 4-1 loss to Minnesota on Feb. 24.
Georgia Southern got a much-needed insurance run in its half of the sixth thanks to a RBI triple from sophomore Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.). Presbyterian answered with an unearned run in the seventh but Side threw out pinch-runner Morgan White at third to end the game.
The Eagles won despite leaving 10 runners on base.
“It was a little but frustrating to see 10 people left on base,” Poole said. “We had a couple of key hits to score some runs throughout the game. We should have done a better job ? I think we chased some pitches out of the zone, we were down in the count. But we did come up with a few timely hits and put together enough to help us win.”
Freshman Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) earned the win (7-2) and allowed six hits and one earned run.
The Eagles return to action this weekend when they compete in the War Eagle Classic hosted by Auburn. Play begins Friday at 4 p.m. EST.
No. 23 North Carolina 4, UNC Greensboro 0
No. 23 North Carolina 3, UNC Greensboro 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? The UNC Greensboro softball team dropped both ends of a twinbill to No. 23 North Carolina in softball action at UNCG Softball Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. UNCG fell, 4-0 in game one and 3-1 in the nightcap.
UNCG (9-13) was led by third baseman Emily Akiyama who was 2-for-3 from behind the plate good for a .667 batting percentage on the afternoon. Leadoff hitter Mary Greenway was next for the Spartans and was 2-of-7 with a double. Sophomore Brittany Ausley also hit a home run.
In the first game the Spartans couldn’t get anything going from behind the plate. North Carolina took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a two-run home run from North Carolina’s Alyssa Francona which brought Brittany McKinney around the bases as well.
North Carolina added another pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning and pitcher Lisa Norris had a no-hitter going but a double from Mary Catherine Vercoe to left field broke that up in the bottom of the fifth but the Tar Heels took the first game, 4-0.
Amber Harrell took her sixth loss of the season after twirling her 10th complete game of the season. The McDonough, GA native allowed four runs on six hits and walked three on the afternoon.
The night cap was a pitchers duel from the outset as neither team was able to get a run until the fifth inning. North Carolina got on the board in the top of the inning with a double to left center from Breanna Brown, who advanced to third base on a groundout. She was driven home on an RBI single and put the lead with North Carolina.
The Tar Heels added to their tally in the top of the sixth with a two-out double from Bree Ensigminger and she scored on an RBI single in right field. The hits kept coming for North Carolina and a double to right center scored another run to put the lead at 3-0.
The Spartans were able to get on the board with a home run from outfielder Brittany Ausley, her first of the season, in the sixth to cut the lead to 3-1 where it would stay. Mary Greenway and Emily Akiyama led UNCG from the plate with two hits each. Hannah Angel (3-7) took the loss after pitching 7.0 innings of work and allowing three runs on 11 hits.
UNCG returns to the softball diamond this weekend when they head to Atlanta, GA for the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic. They will take on Radford, Troy, Toledo and Missouri State in pool play and will conclude the weekend with bracket play on Sunday.
No. 16 Georgia 5, Furman 1
No. 16 Georgia 6, Furman 0
Athens, Ga. -- Kate Gaskill and Norie Glazebrook fanned 15 hitters in 12 innings of work and limited Furman to just one run in two games to lead the 16th-ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs to a doubleheader sweep of the Paladins 5-1, 6-0 Wednesday evening at UGA Softball Stadium.
Georgia improved to 19-5 on the season while the Paladins dipped to 6-9.
In game one, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning. The first three batters reached with a pair of singles and a base on balls before Megan Wiggins delivered the big blow of the inning with a two-run double to right-center.
Furman got on the board in the top of the third. Kate Termini reached on a one-out walk and Bethany Ullrich and Katie Michaels followed with back-to-back singles. Meredith Mielke drove in Termini with a groundout to trim the lead to 3-1, but UGA pitcher Kate Gaskill got Stephanie Cushing to fly out to left to retire the side.
Georgia extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Sojourner Moody opened the frame with a bloop double and moved to second on a wild pitch. Kristin Schnake walked and stole second base. Melissa Wood drove home Moody with a groundout and Schnake scored on Alisa Goler’s double to left-center to up the lead to 5-1. After a walk to Wiggins, Furman pitcher Lana Mackey got Jennie Auger to bounce back to the circle to end the ending.
Mackey (3-7) surrendered five runs on eight hits to take the loss. The sophomore fanned six batters and issued four walks. Gaskill (8-2) fanned 11 Paladins and allowed just one run on four hits over six innings to earn the win.
Schnake went 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs while Wiggins went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI for the Lady Bulldogs. Ullrich collected two hits for the Paladins.
In game two, Georgia got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the second. Wood and Christie Hamilton opened the inning with walks and Brianna Hesson cleared the bases with a two-run double in the gap off of Ullrich.
The Lady Bulldogs added to their lead in the fourth. Goler led off the frame with a single to center field and Hamilton drew a base on balls before both runners advanced on a sacrifice. Goler scored on a passed ball and pinch hitter Kristen Thomas drew a walk. Norie Glazebrook drove in Hamilton to up the lead to 4-0 and Victoria Sanders scored on Schnake’s grounder to second. Taylor Schlopy capped the rally and upped the lead to 6-0 with a RBI double down the left field line.
Five different Bulldogs registered a hit while Hesson batted in two runs in the game two UGA victory. Glazebrook fanned four hitters in six innings while allowing tossing a shutout to improve to 2-1.
Ullrich (3-2) took the loss for Furman allowing six runs on five hits in six innings of work.
Furman travels to Atlanta, Ga., to take part in the Buzz Classic March 7-9. The Paladins open play on Friday against Jacksonville State at 1 p.m.