Georgia Tech 9, Georgia Southern 1; Georgia Southern 6, Georgia Tech 5
ATLANTA, Ga. -The Georgia Southern softball team (15-15) split Tuesday's doubleheader with Georgia Tech (22-8) losing game one 9-1 before rebounding to win game two 6-5.
Game One
Georgia Southern kept the game close for four innings but a fifth inning grand slam by Tiffany Johnson helped Georgia Tech win game one 9-1.
Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.) went two for two with a pair of singles raising her average to .424.
The Yellow Jackets struck first after Blair Shimandle was walked to lead off the first and stole two bases reaching third with no outs. The Eagles brought the infield in and held Shimandle at third on one ground out but could not on the second and the senior outfielder scored on Kelsi Weseman's RBI ground out to short.
The Eagles responded by immediately loading the bases on three straight hits, but were unable to bring anyone home after three straight outs were recorded.
Streetmon worked around a one-out double in the second inning by striking out the side keeping the Georgia Tech lead at a run.
Jen Yee opened up an one run game with a two run shot to right. Whitney Haller kept the inning going with a homer of her own. Haller gave the Yellow Jackets a 4-0 lead in the third inning with her seventh home run of the year.
Georgia Southern got on the board in the fifth after four straight hits plated Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) who singled to lead off the inning. Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) attempted to score from second on Amanda Hall's (Haddock, Ga.) RBI single but was thrown out on a close play at the plate.
Tiffany Johnson plated four runs with a grand slam in the fifth opening up a 8-1 lead after two walks and a base hit loaded the bases.
Kelsi Weseman ended the game with a walk-off RBI single in the sixth, plating Shimandle from third.
Game Two
Georgia Southern won game two 6-5 behind Siliga's three-run home run.
The Yellow Jackets started out hot scoring three runs in the first. The Eagles attempted to limit the damage after throwing out Shimandle at the plate for the second out of the inning, but an error by the left fielder and a RBI single from Kristen Adkins plated three runs.
Georgia Southern loaded the bases with one out in the second, but Georgia Tech escaped the jam without allowing a run to score for the third time in the doubleheader.
Yee added to the lead in the second with her second homer of the day, a solo shot over the fence in right.
Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) cut the four run lead in half in the third with one swing of the bat sending a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left center.
The Eagles took their first lead of the series in the fourth inning scoring four runs on four hits all coming with two outs. Marie Folge (Rincon, Ga.) reached base on a single to left and scored from second on Iduate's RBI base hit. Siliga drove in three more runs with her sixth homer of the season.
Kristen Adkins cut the lead to one run with a solo shot to center her fourth on the season.
The Yellow Jackets threatened in the sixth with runners on second and third. Whitney Haller put a drive into one that sent Hall to the wall, but she caught the ball for the final out of the inning.
Softball will take the weekend off before returning to action April 4th against Samford.
UNC Greensboro 3, Harvard 0; Harvard 10, UNC Greensboro 5
GREENSBORO, NC ? Kaitlin Merkt celebrated her 21st birthday with four hits, including three for extra bases, as UNC Greensboro split a doubleheader with Harvard on Tuesday, winning game one 3-0 and falling 10-5 in game two.
Merkt went a combined 4-for-7 with three RBI on the day, notching a pair of hits in both games. In the game-one win, Merkt was 2-for-3 with an RBI single and a solo home run. She had a pair of doubles in the nightcap.
Hannah Angel (7-6) earned her seventh win of the season in game one, handing Harvard ace Rachel Brown (7-1) her first loss of the season. The shutout was Angel’s third of the season.
The Spartans (11-15) scored the only runs they would need in the bottom of the third, as Brittany Ausley and Lyndsay Mouse drew consecutive two-out walks to bring Merkt to the plate. Merkt delivered a single to right field that a diving Jennifer Francis couldn’t come up with, scoring Ausley with what would prove to be the game-winning run. Mouse also came in on second baseman Ellen Macadam’s errant throw to the plate, putting Harvard (10-6) in a 2-0 hole.
UNCG added another run in the sixth on Merkt’s home run, a blast to left field just one pitch after Mouse was caught stealing at second. The roundtripper was Merkt’s third of the season.
Angel allowed just four hits and three walks in the game, only letting one runner get as far as third. She only really got in trouble in the fourth, as Melissa Schellberg reached on a two-out error and Jane Alexander followed with a single through the left side to put runners at the corners. Angel coaxed a popup to second from Krysiak to end the inning with no damage.
Brown allowed three runs ? two earned ? on six hits and two walks, striking out 10.
Alex Emeterio was 2-for-3 for UNCG, while Ausley and Mouse both had singles. Krysiak was 2-for-3 to lead the Crimson at the dish.
Harvard pounded out 12 hits in game two, and got to UNCG starter Amber Harrell (3-8) early, as Macadam smoked a single down the left field line to lead off the game and later came around to score on Hayley Bock’s RBI single.
UNCG answered with a run in its half of the inning on Emeterio’s RBI bloop single behind the bag at third base, which scored Mouse.
The Crimson would rattle off nine unanswered runs after that, plating a trio in the third to chase Harrell. Freshman Cory Mattson fared didn’t fare any better, as Harvard got a sacrifice fly from Whitney Shaw in the fourth and rode Macadam’s two-run double to a three-run fifth to make it 8-1.
Angel entered the game in the sixth and gave up a pair of runs, both coming on bases-loaded walks in the seventh.
The Spartans ? who managed just two hits and three walks from the second through sixth innings ? finally got their offense back in gear in the seventh, using three hits, a walk and a hit batter to score four runs.
Pinch-hitter Whitney Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off, and Ausley followed with a double down the left field line to put runners at the corners. Mouse’s sac fly scored Jordan Jewett, who re-entered for Miller, and Merkt followed with a double to bring in Ausley.
Mary Catherine Vercoe followed with a solid at-bat, fouling off a several pitches before crushing her third home run of the season out to left to knock Crimson starter Bailey Vertovez out of the circle. Emeterio kept the rally going with her third walk of the game, but reliever Julia Moore struck out the last two batters looking to end the game.
Macadam, Vertovez and Jessica Pledger, the top three batters in Harvard’s order, each had two hits, with Macadam and Vertovez scoring three runs each. Shaw was 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Vertovez improved to 1-3 on the year, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks. Harrell took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits and a pair of walks.
The Spartans return to action Wednesday when they make the short trip across town to take on North Carolina A&T for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
Lipscomb 11, Western Carolina 6; Lipscomb 12, Western Carolina 0
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? Western Carolina softball (7-17) dropped a doubleheader to Lipscomb University (19-6) 11-6, 12-0 Tuesday at the Catamount Softball Complex in non-conference action.
The first game was highlighted by a grand slam by senior Lauren Ross. After two scoreless innings, Lipscomb jumped on the scoreboard first, posting three runs in the top of the third. The Bison got all three runs thanks to homeruns with Kellie Sirius hitting a two run shot and Christen Campbell knocking a solo shot.
The Catamounts took a one run lead with one swing of the bat from Ross. Kristen Gay reached on a fielder’s choice then Lipscomb hurler Alaina Jacobson walked Stephanie Beatty and Mollie Fowler setting up the grand slam. Ross tattooed a 2-0 pitch by Jacobson over the left field wall to give Western Carolina a 4-3 lead.
It was a short-lived lead as Lipscomb spotted four runs in the fourth inning and four more in the seventh. The Bison hit three homeruns in the game.
Western Carolina did tack on two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Gay singled and then sophomore Amber Hawkins hit a two RBI homerun.
Freshman pitcher Katie King takes the loss in the game and falls to 3-5. Jacobson took the win for Lipscomb and improves to 7-3.
The second game was all Lipscomb. The shortened game was called after five innings with the Bison posting 12 runs in the contest.
Ross started the game for Western Carolina and lasted three innings giving up seven runs on seven hits and striking out one. Freshman Megan Taylor closed out the game tossing two innings and giving up five runs on five hits.
Lipscomb had five extra base hits in the game with three being homeruns. Western Carolina had just four hits in the contest to the Bison’s 12.
Western Carolina returns to Southern Conference play Saturday traveling to Charleston, S.C. to take on College of Charleston. First pitch at Patriot’s Point is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Gardner-Webb 3, Appalachian State 2; Gardner-Webb 9, Appalachian State 8
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball let a four-run seventh inning lead slip away falling in game two 9-8 Tuesday afternoon at Gardner-Webb. Gardner-Webb won the first game 3-2.
The losses drop ASU to 13-16 while the Bulldogs improve to 11-14 on the year.
The Mountaineers scored twice in the first inning of game two when Sarah Rappe scored on a wild pitch and Meagan Squartino drew a bases loaded walks to bring in Megan Rembielak.
Gardner-Webb fought back with four unearned runs in the bottom half to take the lead, but that was all the runs they would get until the final inning.
Appalachian scored in the third to cut the lead to 4-3. Andrea McIntyre led off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Rappe.
ASU took the lead in the third when McIntyre walked with the bases loaded and Brittany Gaston scored on an error by the first baseman.
The Mountaineers pushed the lead to 8-4 in the fifth. Rembielak had an RBI ground out while Michelle Lighton drove in two with a single through the right side.
The game remained 8-4 until the seventh. Gardner-Webb started the inning with a double and a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error allowed all runners on safely. Kayla Richardson came into pitch for ASU. Melody Harrell was the first batter she faced and hit a single to left field to score one run. Christa Fullwood followed with a drive to left field that tipped off the left fielders glove and went over the fence for a game-winning grand slam.
Teri Fister had a strong outing for ASU in relief, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs. Rembielak had two hits for ASU with a run and an RBI, while Fullwood had two hits and five RBIs for the Bulldogs while Melinda Dulkowski and Mandy Ward had two hits apiece.
Appalachian dropped the first game 3-2, as Gardner-Webb scored all of their runs in the third inning.
Fullwood gave the Bulldogs their first run with a double and McKenzie Morenus added a sac fly for the second run. Fullwood moved to third on the sac fly and scored in between pitches as she caught the ASU defense off guard.
ASU got back in the game in the fifth. Lighton led off with a double and moved to third on a sac bunt by Ashley Gaston and scored on a single by Andrea Mcintyre.
The Mountaineers got within 3-2 in the sixth when Katie Boyd launched her ninth homer of the year, tying her own single-season school record that she set last season.
The score remained 3-2 as ASU went down in order in the seventh. Ashley Stubbs was the hard luck loser as she allowed just two hits, but walked four and struck out two in six innings. Christine Murray earned the win, allowing three hits with 10 strikeouts.
The Mountaineers return to action this weekend when they travel to UNC Greensboro in SoCon action beginning Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Jacksonville State 11, Chattanooga 9; Jacksonville State 5, Chattanooga 4
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Despite one of the strongest offensive outputs of the season, the Chattanooga softball team was sweep in a midweek doubleheader by Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks (19-9) took Game 1, 11-9 in eight innings, and won the nightcap 5-4. The Lady Mocs have now lost three games in a row.
The Gamecocks were able to take Game 1 in what ended up being a back-and-forth battle between potent offenses. The Lady Mocs set a season-high hit total with 14 as the two teams combined for 20 runs and 29 base hits. Every one of UTC’s starters had a hit in the contest and seven drove in at least one run.
Jacksonville State was able to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth when Chattanooga struck twice. Jenni Martin led off the inning with her second home run of the season to cut the Lady Mocs’ deficit to three. UTC would put its second run of the inning up on a Kaiti Kelley RBI single.
After JSU scored another run in the fifth, Chattanooga sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom half to tie the game at six. Fuzzard started the rally off with her third home run of the season to make the game 6-4. The Lady Mocs would then proceed to load up the bases with singles by Tiffany Baker and Jenni Martin, mixed in with a walk to Brittany Eason. Jessica Traxler made the most of her start at shortstop with a RBI single into rightfield. Lyndsey Stiles would drive in UTC’s third run of the frame a few batters later with a single into centerfield, driving in Eason.
Nikki Prier put the Gamecocks back on top in the sixth with a RBI single as JSU took the 7-6 lead. Chattanooga answered right back in the bottom as Toni Hutchison singled into right-center to drive in pinch-runner Kristin Holloway.
The seventh inning proved to be a rather wild frame as the inning consisted of four runs, five hits and three errors. The Gamecocks started things off with a one-out, Jackie Jarman double. Jarman scored after the following at bat as Mary Beth Ledbetter recorded an infield single. Chrissy O’Neal then got into the act with a double into rightfield to score Ledbetter.
In the bottom of the seventh, Traxler began the frame with her second hit of the day, a single into rightfield. Lauren Flores then reached on an error by JSU pitcher Ashley Eliasson, putting runners at second and third. Stiles was able to drive in the Lady Mocs’ first run of the frame, reaching first on an error by Jacksonville State’s third baseman. A few batters later, Baker was able to tie the game with an infield single, bringing in Flores.
Chattanooga pitcher Kandice Irwin (5-8) could not hold the Gamecock offense however in the eighth however. JSU put two more runs on the board thanks to a double by Allie Barker and a triple from Courtney Underwood as Jacksonville State outlasted UTC 11-9.
In Game 2, Fuzzard was in the circle for the Lady Mocs and came out strong, striking out five through the first three innings. Her success against the JSU hitters would not last however as the Gamecocks were finally able to scratch across a run on a Jarman single. The earned run allowed by Fuzzard (5-5) snapped her streak without allowing an earned run at 20 and two-thirds.
Jacksonville State would put two more runs on the scoreboard in the fifth as the Chattanooga bats were silenced by JSU pitcher and Game 1 winner Ashley Eliasson.
Entering the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Mocs were down 3-0 and their offense slowly began to awaken.
The frame began with a walk to Stiles by Eliasson. After a strike out by Kaiti Kelley, Fuzzard helped her own cause with a two-run home run. Tiffany Baker came up next and promptly tied the game with her team-leading sixth home run of the season.
After Hutchison fouled out, Jenni Martin kept the inning alive with double to deep left-center. Jessica Traxler would then come up huge for the Lady Mocs with her second hit of the day, a double to left that narrowly missed being her first career home run.
Chattanooga would enter the top of the seventh with a 4-3 lead, but it would not last long as Ledbetter led off the frame with a solo shot to tie the game at four. The Gamecocks would be able to put one more run on the board in the inning to regain the lead, 5-4.
Relief pitcher Kayla Collins would shut UTC’s portion of the seventh as the Gamecocks captured the sweep.
The Lady Mocs will now hit the road for a three-game set at conference foe Elon. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 28. Game 1 is set to begin at 1 p.m.