Appalachian State 3, No. 23 Purdue 2
TALLAHASEE, Fla.- Ashley Stubbs delivered a two-out two run double in the top of the seventh inning and Kayla Richardson shut down Purdue as Appalachian State (1-2) upset Purdue 3-2 Saturday afternoon at the Sunshine Classic.
The win is ASU's first in school history over a ranked opponent, Purdue is ranked No. 23 in the latest espn,com poll and received 23 votes in the latest NFCA poll.
Megan Rembielak got hit by a pitch to start the final inning and Sarah Rappe followed her with an infield single. After Purdue pitcher Suzie Rzegocki got the next two hitters out, Stubbs followed with a double down the right field line driving in both Rembielak and Rappe.
Richardson allowed a single in the final inning, but forced cleanup hitter Jenna Alexander to ground out to end the game. Richardson fired four innings of shutout ball allowing just two Purdue singles while striking out four.
Stubbs started the game in the circle for the Mountaineers, going three innings allowing two runs on three hits. Stubbs and Richardson combined to allow just five hits on the day, all singles.
ASU took the first lead of the game in the top of the second inning when Ashley Gaston drove in Stubbs with a single to center field. Purdue came back with two runs in the third inning to take a 2-1 lead and the way the game stood until the final inning.
Rappe and Ashley Gaston led the Mountaineers offensively with two hits apiece.
The ASU versus Mississippi State game was cancelled due to NCAA time rules, therefore, the Mountaineers will be back in action Sunday morning at 9 a.m. against Purdue.
UNC Greensboro 4-10, Army 1-2
CHARLOTTE, NC ? Brittany Ausley, Leslie Furness and Emily Akiyama all hit home runs in game one and UNC Greensboro pounded out 14 hits in the rematch later in the afternoon as the Spartans topped Army 4-1 and 10-2 Saturday to reach the championship game of the Green and White Classic.
The Spartans (6-3) will face host Charlotte (3-1) at 12:30 p.m. Sunday in the title game.
In game one against the Black Knights (0-4), Furness’ leadoff home run in the top of the second put the Spartans up 1-0. Army answered with a solo shot of its own in the bottom half of the frame, as Cassie Ellington took UNCG starter Cory Mattson out to center field to tie things at two.
The Spartans got the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth inning, when Alex Emeterio’s single to right scored Ausley.
Akiyama and Ausley added solo shots in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, as the Spartans won their fourth straight.
Hannah Angel (4-0) picked up the win in relief, as she came on in the third and limited the Black Knights to just one hit and a walk in five innings. She retired the first nine batters she faced in order before allowing a leadoff walk in the sixth. Alexis AuBuchon singled to lead off the seventh, but Angel struck out the next two batters before getting a groundout to end the game. Angel finished with seven strikeouts.
Furness and Emeterio both went 2-for-3 for the Spartans. Three different Army players accounted for their three hits on the afternoon.
Later in the day, UNCG would run-rule the Black Knights, as Kayla Hensley’s RBI single in the bottom of the fifth pushed the Spartans’ advantage to eight runs. UNCG scored three runs each in the second, third and fifth innings and added a single run in the fourth.
Army drew first blood in the contest, scoring a pair of unearned runs in a first inning in which the Spartans committed three errors. Clara Navarro earned a leadoff walk, and Rachel Duval reached on an error that allowed Navarro to advance to third. After Duval stole second, Navarro and Duval scored on a failed pickoff attempt and another Spartan error. UNCG would commit a third error in the inning, but avoided further damage when Amber Harrell struck out Ellington swinging to end the threat.
UNCG hit four doubles in the second inning to plate a trio of runs, with Akiyama leading off with a two-bagger. One out later, Kristen Gabel brought her in with a double, and after a Laura Olenderski sacrifice moved Gabel to third, Ausley’s double brought Gabel in to tie the score. Lyndsay Mouse followed with yet another double to plate Ausley with the go-ahead run.
The Spartans added three more runs in the third, with Whitney Miller and Gabel picking up an RBI apiece, and Furness’ sacrifice fly in the fourth scored Mouse to make it 7-2.
UNCG would put the game out of reach in the fifth, getting four hits ? three with two outs ? to end the game early. Ausley and Emeterio scored on an Army error before Hensley’s hit scored Furness to put the mercy rule into effect.
Harrell (2-2) won her second straight game, allowing just two hits ? both to the Black Knights’ Elaine Plato ? and one walk in five innings. Harrell struck out seven.
Jessi Muckelroy (0-2) took the loss, as she allowed three earned runs on five hits in 1.2 innings.
Ausley was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored in the game, while Mouse, Emeterio, Whitney Sirois and Akiyama all had two hits each.
The Spartans ran their win streak to five games, and a win over the 49ers on Sunday would give UNCG coach Jennifer Herzig, a Charlotte alumna, her first career tournament title.
College of Charleston 4, East Tennessee State 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Sophomore first baseman Katie Nutaitis (Vienna, Va.) went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI and junior third baseman Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) finished 3-for-3 with a home run as the College of Charleston (2-4) downed East Tennessee State (1-2) 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning in the 2009 CofC Cougar Classic in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
In the first inning the Buccaneers threatened with runners on second and third before senior pitcher Shannon Howard (Carmichael, Calif.) induced a foul fly out and struck out the final two batters to get out of the jam. They were not as fortunate in the following inning as ETSU managed back-to-back singles and took advantage of a throwing error before taking the lead on a sac fly by junior utility Katy Jett.
The Cougars would answer right back in the bottom half of the inning as Katie Nutaitis drilled an RBI double to the right centerfield gap to tie the game at 1-1. A pair of 1-2-3 innings kept the score tied until the top of the fourth inning when Buccaneers junior pitcher Marissa Hardy led off with a double. Pinch runner Annie Martin then advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a fielder's choice to give ETSU a 2-1 lead.
Once again, Charleston stormed back in the bottom half of the inning as Kristie Shifflett drove the first pitch she saw down the right field line for a solo homerun, evening the game a 2-2. Following a pinch-hit walk by freshman shortstop Katie Forbes (Odessa, Fla.), redshirt sophomore catcher Katie Pesature (Brewster, N.Y.) lined a double down the left field line, putting runners on second and third. Nutaitis then singled home the go-ahead run with a shot to left.
The Cougars would maintain that 3-2 lead until the top of the sixth when the Buccaneers tied the game on another sac fly by Jett. With the game tied at 3-3 at the start of the bottom of the seventh inning, Nutaitis struck again with a leadoff double before being pinch run for by junior catcher Amanda Maurer (Haubstadt, Ind.). Following a pair of strikeouts, redshirt junior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) then laced a single to centerfield and Maurer just slid under the tag to give Charleston the 4-3 victory.
Freshman catcher Amy Campbell went 2-for-2 to lead East Tennessee State while Jett drove in two runs on a pair of sac flies. Junior pitcher Darci Gilbert took the loss for the Buccaneers with 3.1 innings and four hits and one run allowed.
For the Cougars, Nutaitis went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs and Kristie Shifflett finished 3-for-3 with her 17th career home run, a run and an RBI. Her sister, Amber Shifflett went 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI. In the circle, junior pitcher Terri Mesko (McDonough, Ga.) earned the win with three innings of three-hit, one run relief to improve to 2-2.
The Cougars are back in action tomorrow on the final day of the 2009 CofC Cougar Classic. Charleston will face James Madison and Howard beginning at 2:00 p.m. in the final two games of the tournament.
Chattanooga 4, Idaho State 0; Illinois State 8, Chattanooga 2
TEMPE, Ariz. --- When the Chattanooga softball team (5-6) needed a win, senior Toni Hutchison stepped in with a power surge to snap the Lady Mocs’ five-game losing streak with a 4-0 win over Idaho State (1-7). UTC lost its first game of the day, 8-2, to Illinois State (3-5).
Hutchison finished the afternoon at 4-for-6, with two home runs and four RBI. Michelle Fuzzard (1-1) recorded her second career complete-game shutout, allowing only four hits and striking out a career-high eight.
The Lady Mocs jumped on the Bengals early thanks to a Hutchison RBI single, scoring Fuzzard. Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when Hutchison struck again with a two-run blast to left field, scoring pinch-runner Jessie Kuhlman.
Jenni Martin continued the rally with a base on balls. Pinch-runner Kaiti Kelley stole second base to get into scoring position when Jessica Traxler came up with her first career hit to drive Kelley home, and put UTC up 4-0.
In the top of the seventh Fuzzard continued her dominance of the Idaho State hitters, striking out two to retire the side in order and give the Lady Mocs the 4-0 win.
In the first game Illinois State came out of the gates swinging, scoring four runs in the first inning off UTC pitcher Kandice Irwin (2-4). Irwin did not have her best stuff, only lasting one-third of an inning, allowing four earned runs off six hits.
Hutchison cut into the Redbird lead with her first home run of the day, with a solo shot into left field. In the fourth Hutchison came back up and struck again with a one-out double down the left field line. After Tia Blosser popped up to short, Brittany Eason cut Illinois State’s lead to two with a two-out double into right field.
That would be it though for the UTC offense, as Illinois State responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the fourth to increase its lead to 6-2. The Redbirds plated two more in the bottom of the sixth to go up 8-2, which was the final tally.
The Lady Mocs will wrap up the Littlewood Classic on Sunday with Big Ten opponent Iowa. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. ET from Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Live stats for the contest will be available on GoMocs.com.
Villanova 1, Western Carolina 0; Bradley 5, Western Carolina 3
ORLANDO, Fla. ? Western Carolina softball (0-4) dropped a pair of games in the second day of action at the UCF Tournament. The Catamounts fell in the morning game 1-0 to Villanova and then lost in the afternoon game 5-3 to Bradley.
Sophomore transfer hurler Chere Monday had a solid first outing as a Catamount in the game against Villanova. However, a Western Carolina error in the bottom of sixth inning plated a Villanova runner and broke a scoreless tie. Monday took the loss without allowing an earned run and also struck out five batters.
Western Carolina had just two hits in the game, one by Kristen Gay and the second by Chelsea Schaffer. Villanova had five hits, with two of the five coming in the sixth inning, in which the team capitalized on the Catamount’s miscue and got the winning run.
Bradley broke open a scoreless tie with one run in the bottom of the second when Katelyn Kegley scored off a Western Carolina miscue. Bradley plated two more runs in the bottom of the third inning when Amanda Clack hit an RBI single and then scored the second run off a wild pitch by Catamount hurler Katie King.
Bradley tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to a two RBI triple by Alycia Bachkora.
Western Carolina rallied to score three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Kerri Burnside opened the sixth reaching first on a Bradley error and then advanced to second. Amber Hawkins ground out for the first out of the inning but it also placed Burnside on third and in scoring position. After Stephanie Beatty was hit by a pitch, Beth Hauser picked up a two out RBI single that scored Burnside. Freshman Chelsea Scahaffer notched the first extra base hit of her career when she hit a two RBI triple that scored Beatty and Hauser.
King takes the loss and falls to 0-2 on the season. She went 2.2 innings allowing three earned runs on four hits and struck out two. Megan Taylor replaced King and closed out the game.
Western Carolina plays its final game at the UCF Tournament Sunday taking on North Florida at 1 p.m.
Western Kentucky 9, Furman 1
Auburn, Ala. -- Western Kentucky took advantage of three Furman errors and used a five-run fourth inning to down the Paladins 9-1 in five innings Saturday morning at the Auburn Tiger Softball Invitational at Jane B.
Moore Field.
The loss dropped Furman to 2-2 on the season while the Hilltoppers upped their record to 4-1. The Paladins return to action Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET against the Morehead State Eagles.
After Furman took a 1-0 lead in the first when Meredith Mielke walked and scored on Abby Robertson’s sacrifice bunt, Western Kentucky took advantage of a pair of Paladin errors to plate three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Western Kentucky opened the bottom of the fourth with a hit batter and a sacrifice bunt before Sam Cronk laced an RBI double to center field.
After Lana Mackey relieved starting pitcher Hannah Bradley, Brooke Reed drew a walk and Lindsay Antone followed an illegal pitch with a two-run double into left. Rebecca Horesky cleared the bases with a two-run homer to give the Hilltoppers an 8-1 lead.
Pinch hitter Sara Williams capped the game in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double to give WKU a 9-1 lead and force the eight-run mercy rule.
Antone went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs to lead the Hilltoppers.
Jennifer Kempf (2-1) garnered the win in the circle allowing only one run on three hits in five innings. She struck out one batter and walked two.
Bradley (0-2) suffered the loss for Furman. The freshman surrendered three earned runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work. Shortstop Stephanie Cushing collected one of Furman’s three hits to extend her hitting streak to seven games. Mielke reached safely in her first two at-bats to cap a streak of reaching base safely in six straight plate appearances.
Morehead State 4, Furman 3
Auburn, Ala. -- Morehead State scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning and pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom half to edge Furman 4-3 on Saturday evening at the Auburn Tiger Softball Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Eagles (1-1) opened the ninth inning with a runner on second due to the international tie breaker rule. Ashley Archer moved to third on a wild pitch by Furman pitcher Stephanie Mihaly and scored on Bianca Cardenas’ single. With two outs and two runners on, Bri Jones delivered a two-run single to up the Morehead State lead to 4-1.
Furman answered in the bottom of the ninth. Abby Robertson singled to right and moved to second after a wild throw allowed Meredith Mielke to score and trim the Eagle lead to 4-2. Following a groundout, Morgan Hughey singled to plate Robertson and cut the lead to 4-3.
Stephanie Field drew a base on balls and Brythe Blankenship singled to centerfield to load the bases with one out. Morehead State hurler Alex Gjevre, however, settled down to strike out Lana Mackey and Jessie Homesley to end the Paladin threat.
Gjevre collected her first victory of the season while allowing only one earned run on six hits. She fanned 11 Paladins and issued just three walks.
Mihaly (0-1) suffered the loss for Furman after giving up three earned runs on five hits. The freshman notched nine strikeouts and allowed seven walks in her first career start. Robertson went 2-for-3 with a triple and Mielke scored two runs to pace the Paladin attack.
Furman (2-3) returns to action Sunday at 11 a.m. when it faces the University of Missouri-Kansas City in its final tournament game.
Winthrop 7, Elon 4
ATHENS, GA. ? A five-run second inning allowed the Winthrop Eagles to defeat Elon 7-4 in the second game for the teams in the Red and Black Showcase hosted by the University of Georgia. Elon is now 0-2 on the season after being defeated by Cleveland State in the opening game of the three-day tournament.
Lauren Taylor drew the loss, allowing seven runs, just two of which were earned, on 12 hits. Megan Evans picked up the win, allowing four runs on three hits and striking out eight.
The Phoenix looked to get things started early, as they put Jackie Gonzalez and Brandi Jones on base in the top of the first. The runners would be left stranded as Evans struck the final three batters out.
Taylor retired the first two Eagles hitters, before allowing a single up the middle by Pearl Coleshill. Coleshill was caught stealing, ending the Winthrop first.
Winthrop posted a big second inning when it scored five runs. Lenny Stoddart got things started when she singled and advanced second on a Phoenix miscue. She scored one play later when Megan Evans singled to right. Megan Chapman singled to left, allowing Jo-Lynn Smith to cross the plate for Winthrop’s second run of the game. Winthrop plated two more runs when Lisa Kingsmore singled, allowing Thomas and Chapman to score. Hogan popped up to second to end the inning.
Jones singled to right in the top of the third and advanced on a Gonzalez bunt-single. A throwing error allowed the runners to move to second and third. A sacrifice by Erin O’Shea allowed the Phoenix to earn its first run as Jones scored on the play.
Winthrop tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 6-1 game. Thomas singled to start the inning and would score off a RBI-double by Coleshill. The seventh run was scored a play later when Kingsmore crossed the plate on a sacrifice hit by Hogan. The final two Winthrop batters struck out, ending the inning with one left on base.
The Elon bats stayed quite for two innings, as Evans retired six Phoenix batters in order. The slump wouldn’t last as the team erupted for three runs in the top of the sixth. Gonzalez got things started with a single to center. Back-to-Back walks by O’Shea and Taylor loaded the bases for the Phoenix. A three-RBI double by Patti Weber allowed O’Shea, Taylor and Kaitlyn Piazzolla, who reached on a fielder’s choice, to score. Pam DelPizzo also drew a walk, but a fly out to center ended the inning with the score at 7-4.
Neither team would score on their last at bats, as Taylor retired three of the four Winthrop batters she faced in the bottom of the sixth. Elon would have one last chance to cut the Eagles’ lead in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Gonzalez singled to third. She would not advance as O’Shea would strike out.
Georgia 11, Elon 0
ATHENS, GA. - The Phoenix softball team fell to Georgia 11-0 in five innings at the Red and Black Showcase in Athens, Ga. The loss is the third straight for the Phoenix, having dropped games to Cleveland State and Winthrop in the tournament.
Melanie Helterbran picked up the loss, allowing 11 runs, 10 of which were earned, on 10 hits. She also walked three. Taylor Schlopy was the winning pitcher, allowing just three hits and striking out five.
The Phoenix looked to strike early, as Brandi Jones, Jackie Gonzalez and Patti Weber hit three straight singles, the only hits of the game for Elon, to load the bases. Schlopy settled in and struck out the final three batters to end the inning.
The Bulldogs put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first. A triple by Kristin Schnake was followed by a homerun off the bat of Alisa Goler over the left centerfield wall to make it a 2-0 game.
Georgia added four runs in the second that included an RBI-double by Echols and a two-RBI single by Goler. Following the RBI-double, a routine fly ball to center field by Scholpy plated the remaining UGA run.
Schlopy retired the next nine Phoenix batters and allowed UGA to build its lead to 7-0 by the bottom of the third.
The Bulldogs continued with their offensive show, adding four run in the fourth. Goler opened the bottom of the innings with a homerun to straightaway centerfield. Following the homerun, Wiggins drew a walk that brought Brianna Hesson to the plate where she smacked a RBI-triple. She scored a play later on a wild pitch. With two outs, Echols reached on a Phoenix fielding error, but was called out at second. As a result of the error, Lisaira Daniels was able to reach home for the Bulldogs final run of the game.