Presbyterian 5, Furman 1
Furman 7, Presbyterian 3
Clinton, S.C. -- Freshman Bethany Ullrich tossed a complete game, striking out a career-high 11 batters, to lead Furman to a 7-3 victory over Presbyterian and doubleheader split with the Blue Hose Thursday afternoon at the PC Softball Complex. Presbyterian took game one 5-1.
Ullrich, who improved to 5-4 in the circle, limited Presbyterian to just two earned runs on seven hits while issuing only two walks in seven innings of work. The Dacula, Ga., native struck out at least a pair of batters in five innings, including striking out the side in the opening frame.
Katie Michaels got Furman on the board first leading off the game with a triple to center field and scoring on a wild pitch. After Presbyterian tied the game on pitcher Paige Cassady’s RBI single in the second, Furman took control of the game with three runs in the top of the third. Michaels reached on an error and Stephanie Cushing walked to set up Abby Robertson’s two-run double to the right-center field gap. Robertson moved to third on a ground out by Brythe Blankenship and scored when Morgan Hughey’s line drive struck Cassady in the left wrist to force the PC starter to the bench.
The Blue Hose trimmed the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the third with the help of three hits and a Paladin error. Robertson could not handle Rachel Parker’s bases loaded grounder allowing Cari Clark to score and Laura Tate followed with an RBI single.
Blankenship upped the lead to 5-3 in the sixth. The sophomore opened the inning with a single, moved to second on Hughey’s sacrifice and scored on Lana Mackey’s single to left field. The Paladins added two more runs in the seventh for the final margin. Meredith Mielke reached on an infield single and scored on Cushing’s double into the gap. Cushing came home moments later on a passed ball.
Cassady (3-9) took the loss for PC after surrendering four runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings in the circle. Robertson led Furman going 2-for-4 with a double while Katie Anderson and Tate each collected two hits for the Blue Hose.
Presbyterian took game one 5-1 as Mary Gordon limited Furman to only one run on four hits over seven innings.
Furman grabbed a first inning lead as Mielke reached on a double and scored on Robertson’s infield single. Jenny Box answered for the Blue Hose with a solo blast in the bottom of the first and Presbyterian took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. Box walked and Tate
singled to start the inning before advancing on a wild pitch. After a pair of pop outs to first, Ashley Ford delivered a two-out single to plate both runners and put the Blue hose on top.
Cassady added an RBI single in the fifth and Anderson belted a pinch hit homer in the sixth to fashion the 5-1 margin.
Gordon worked around four hits and six walks to improve to 7-10. Mackey slipped to 9-13 after allowing four earned runs on six hits in six innings. She struck out eight batters. Robertson collected two hits for the Paladins in the loss.
With the non-conference doubleheader split, Furman moves to 14-17 on the season while PC moves to 10-23.
Furman opens a three-game Southern Conference series with a Saturday doubleheader at the College of Charleston. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. The final game of the series is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Georgia Tech 4, Western Carolina 0
Georgia Tech 8, Western Carolina 1
ATLANTA, Ga. - Western Carolina softball (6-25) was swept by Georgia Tech (17-23) 4-0, 8-1 Thursday at Glenn Field.
Georgia Tech scored a single run in the first four frames of the first game. Starting pitcher Michelle Tating gave up a pair of homeruns in the second and fourth innings and took the loss in the game, falling to 4-5 on the season.
Junior Lauren Ross replaced Tating in the fourth inning after Georgia Tech's second homerun of the game. Ross allowed just one hit, to the first batter she faced, and didn't allow a Yellow Jacket hit in the next two innings she pitched. She sat down the next seven batters to close out the game, and also recorded two strikeouts.
The Catamounts had some crucial scoring opportunities they couldn't capitalize on. In the third inning, Mollie Fowler and Casey Camp had back-to-back singles and with one out, Jamie Swank hit into a double play to end the inning. In the fifth inning, Western Carolina again had runners at second and third, but a hot shot to center field by Ross was caught at the wall in centerfield.
Fowler led the club in the first game going 2-for-3.
After being shutout in the first game, Western Carolina used a bit of trickery to get on the board in the second game. Senior Jamie Swank led off the second game with a single and then promptly stole second. After Camp drew a walk, Amber Hawkin's fielder's choice got the force out at second and moved Swank to third. The Catamounts perfected a double steal plating Swank and sending Hawkins to second. The inning ended for Western Carolina on a pair of groundouts.
Georgia Tech tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs starting pitcher Lilly McDonagh allowed back-to-back singles and then had a wild pitch to place runners at second and third. Christy Jones hit a blooper to left field for the RBI single that scored Jessica Weaver.
The tenuous balance of a tied game came un-frayed in the bottom of the fifth inning for Western Carolina. Georgia Tech unleashed for four runs and all but sealed the game for the Yellow Jackets.
McDonagh took the loss in the game falling to 1-8 on the season. The line for McDonagh read five runs, 10 hits and a wild pitch.
Georgia Tech scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off relief pitcher Ross. Western Carolina had just three hits in the second game as Swank, Hawkins and Fowler picked up singles.
Western Carolina travels to Greensboro, N.C. this weekend to take on UNC Greensboro in Southern Conference action. The Catamounts face the Spartans in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday and the single game begins at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Rain Cancels Elon Softball Twinbill Against NC State
ELON, N.C. ? The softball double-header scheduled against NC State today has been cancelled due to inclement weather and poor field conditions. Elon, who is 15-14 (4-2 SoCon) overall, was trailing 4-1 in the top of the fifth before heavy rainfall forced both teams into the dugouts. No make up date has been scheduled.
Elon returns to action this weekend when they travel to Statesboro, Ga. to take on the Georgia Southern Lady Eagles in a three-game conference series. Full coverage of the games will be available at www.ElonPhoenix.com .
Rain Postpones ASU Softball Doubleheader
BOONE, N.C. - For the third time in the span of a week, ASU Softball has been affected by the weather. Heavy rains are set to move through the New River Valley region throughout the day, forcing the doubleheader to be moved. The set has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 17 at 4 and 6 p.m.
The Mountaineers will open a three-game SoCon series with Chattanooga on Saturday afternoon. The first game will get underway at 1 p.m. at the ASU Softball Stadium. Game two follows 20 minutes after the end of game one. The Sunday finale will get underway at 1 p.m.