Chattanooga 6, Elon 3; Elon 2, Chattanooga 1
ELON, N.C. ? The Elon Phoenix softball team bounced back from a 6-3 extra inning loss to post a 2-1 win over the SoCon-leading Chattanooga Lady Mocs in game two of Southern Conference softball action at East Field this afternoon. The win was the first conference win of the season for Elon, allowing the team to improve to 9-14 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Chattanooga is now 16-15 on the season and 7-2 in league play.
Leading the way offensively for the Phoenix was sophomore second baseman Jacqueline Gonzalez. She was three-for-six on the afternoon with two runs scored and a walk. Lauren Taylor had two hits and one RBI on the afternoon while Brandi Jones added a solo home run in game two.
In game one, Chattanooga put the first run on the board in the top of the first inning. Lyndsey Stiles opened the inning with a strike out, but a wild pitch allowed her to reach first. She rounded the bases when Michelle Fuzzard singled up the middle. Fuzzard reached second on a groundout and would remain there as Elon’s Taylor ended the inning with a strikeout.
Gonzalez singled to left field for Elon’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning. She would not advance further as Chattanooga pitcher Brooke Loudermilk was able to strike the next two Elon batters out.
Chattanooga could not get anything across in the top of the second inning as Taylor was able to strike out the first two batters and record the final out of the inning when Jessica Traxler lined a pitch back to the circle.
Elon tied the game up at one in the bottom of the third inning. Gonzalez and Patti Weber drew back-to-back walks to bring Ashlee Crewe to the plate where she doubled to left field to score Gonzalez from third.
Fuzzard opened the fourth inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a Phoenix error. She scored one batter later when Tiffany Baker singled to right-center to break the tie and make it a 2-1 game. Jenni Martin then singled to score Baker to give Chattanooga a 3-1 lead. The team could not add to the lead, as Melanie Heltberbran, who came on in relief of Taylor, allowed the Phoenix defense to retire the final three batters.
A hard hit ball by Chattanooga’s Toni Hutchison opened the sixth inning, but a spectacular diving catch by Jones in center ended any chance of Hutchison reaching base. The Lady Mocs put a runner on one batter later as Brittany Eason singled to left field. Traxler reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Elon to get the lead runner out at second, and advanced following an Elon throwing error. She would be left at second as Lauren Flores popped up to Danielle Lafferty at shortstop.
Gonzalez continued her hitting tear with her third hit of the game to begin the Phoenix rally. She then moved to second after Weber drew a walk. The pair advanced following a sacrifice hit by Crewe. Kaitlyn Piazzolla used an infield single to the shortstop to score Gonzalez and bring the game within one at 3-2. Weber scored the tying run on the same play after Chattanooga’s shortstop committed an error to send the game into extra innings.
Chattanooga took a three-run lead in the top of the eighth inning. Hutchison singled to third base to begin the inning and moved to second after Eason drew a walk. Traxler then sent a pitch to the left field corner for a double that scored both Hutchinson and Eason to make a 5-3 game.
The game-winning run was scored after Stiles singled back to the pitcher to score Traxler from third that brought the score to 6-3.
The next three Elon batters were retired in order to allow Chattanooga to take the game 6-3.
Picking up the win for Chattanooga was Kaity Holloway who allowed just one hit in one and one-third innings of work. Also appearing in the circle for UTC was Loudermilk, who hurled six and one-third innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits. She also struck out a career-best 16 batters. Helterbran earned the loss to fall to 3-7 on the season. In five innings of work, she allowed three runs on six hits and struck out one. Taylor threw three innings and allowed three runs on five hits and struck out four batters.
In game two, the pitchers quieted the offenses, with each team garnering just one hit each. That changed in the top of the fourth inning when Chattanooga's Baker greeted the inning with a solo home run to right field to give Chattanooga a 1-0 lead.
Elon looked to get things going in the bottom of the fifth inning after Taylor led off with a single to left field. She advanced as far as third but was left stranded as the final Phoenix batter grounded out to the shortstop.
Chattanooga put two runners on in the top of the sixth but could not push them across the plate as Pam DelPizzo and the Phoenix defense stepped up to retire the final two batters.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jones took the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to tie the score at one. The home run was followed by a bunt single off the bat of Weber. She moved into scoring position after Piazzolla reached on an error by UTC’s second baseman. With two outs, Taylor hit an RBI-single to second that allowed Weber to score the go-ahead run to make it a 2-1 lead.
Elon pitcher Pam DelPizzo set down the final three Chattanooga batters in order to record to seal the 2-1 win and avoid the sweep.
DelPizzo earned the win to improve to 2-2 on the season. She allowed one run on six hits in the complete game. Kandice Irwin recorded the loss to fall to 5-9 on the season. She allowed two runs, just one of which was earned, on five hits in six innings of work.
The Phoenix will travel to NC State Tuesday afternoon for the first of a seven game road-trip. The first game is scheduled for 4 p.m. with a second game to follow at approximately 6 p.m.
Western Carolina 15, College of Charleston 14
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? College of Charleston freshman shortstop Katie Forbes (Odessa, Fla.) went 5-for-5 with four RBIs and tied the program record for hits in a game but College of Charleston (11-18, 4-5) still dropped a narrow 15-14 decision to Western Carolina (9-18, 5-4) Sunday, March 29 in the finale of a Southern Conference series in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Trailing 13-9 in the sixth inning, the Cougars pounded out four runs on five hits to tie the game at 13-13 after playing from behind the entire contest. In that inning, redshirt junior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) tripled home a pair of runs while senior outfielder Tiffany Harmon (Lynn Haven, Fla.) and junior third baseman Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) each added an RBI.
The Catamounts retook the lead in the top of the seventh when back-to-back doubles by senior designated hitter Mollie Fowler and senior first baseman Lauren Ross gave them a 14-13 advantage. It would not last long as Forbes doubled with two outs in the bottom of the inning to put the tying run in scoring position. Freshman outfielder Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) then singled home pinch runner Stormie Henderson (Cottondale, Ala.) from second to make it 14-14 and send the game to extra innings.
In that extra frame, Western Carolina struck again, this time with a two-out single down the left field line by freshman shortstop Chelsea Schaffer. She then scored on a double by sophomore infielder Amber Hawkins, who was thrown out at third to end the inning. The Cougars were out on two close plays to begin the bottom of the eighth before a pop out to shortstop sealed the 15-14 victory for the Catamounts.
The Cougars trailed 6-0 through the game's first two innings before rallying with three runs in the bottom of the second and two more in the third to close to within 6-5. The Catamounts then responded with a five run outburst in the top of the fourth inning to push their lead to a commanding 11-5 advantage.
It was the College of Charleston's turn in the home half of the inning as CofC scored four runs on five hits and took advantage of an error to close to within 11-9. The score would stay that way until WCU stretched its lead to 13-9 with a pair of runs in the sixth inning, setting the stage for the Cougars' late inning rally.
For Western Carolina, Lauren Ross and sophomore outfielder Keri Burnside led five Catamounts with three hit days as they both finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBIs and a run. Fowler and Hawkins also had identical lines with 3-for-4, three run, two RBI performances while Chelsea Schaffer rounded out the three-hit outings with a 3-for-5, two run day.
In the circle, Ross pitched six innings of relief, allowing 14 hits and nine runs to come away with the victory and improve to 6-6 on the year. Sophomore pitcher Chere Monday started and went two innings, giving up four runs and five hits to get a no-decision.
Forbes led the Charleston attack with her 5-for-5, four RBI performance that included a pair of doubles. She became only the fourth player in Cougar history to amass five hits in a single game, tying for the program record held by Amanda Cone, Brittany Shepperd and Katie Ballard. All three of those players reached the milestone on February 11, 2004 in a 42-0 victory over Savannah State, a recent Division I transitional program at the time.
In addition to Forbes outstanding performance, Amber Shifflett continued her hot hitting with a 3-for-5, three run, three RBI day that included her 35th career stolen base. That ties her for the sixth most in program history.
Sophomore outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.) went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs and junior catcher Amanda Maurer (Haubstadt, Ind.) finished 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Lonergan, Kristie Shifflett and senior shortstop Christal Kotchman (Seminole, Fla.) each added an RBI on the day.
Junior pitcher Terri Mesko (McDonough, Ga.) started and earned a no-decision despite surrendering 11 runs and 10 hits over 3.2 innings of work. Sophomore pitcher Alexa Datko (San Diego, Calif.) threw 4.2 innings of relief, allowing eight hits and four runs to suffer the loss and fall to 1-1 on the year.
The Cougars return to action when they travel to Appalachian State for a three-game Southern Conference series April 4-5 in Boone, N.C.
UNC Greensboro 2, Appalachian State 1; Appalachian State 7, UNC Greensboro 0
GREENSBORO, NC ? Kaitlin Merkt hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and Hannah Angel made it stand up as UNC Greensboro topped Appalachian State on Sunday in the first game of a Southern Conference doubleheader, 2-1. The Mountaineers used a pair of three-run innings to take game two, 7-0, and win the three-game series.
UNCG’s record moved to 12-17 overall and 4-5 in the SoCon, while Appalachian State moved to 15-17, 8-4 in league play.
Brittany Ausley led off UNCG’s half of the first inning of game one with a walk, and after Lyndsay Mouse moved her to second with a sacrifice, Merkt hammered a 1-1 pitch out to deep center for her team-best fourth home run of the season and a 2-0 lead.
Angel did the rest, allowing just a solo home run by Michelle Lighton to lead off the third. The Mountaineers threatened to add more in the inning, loading the bases on singles from Kayla McIntyre and Megan Rembielak and a walk from Katie Boyd, but Angel struck out Morgan Price swinging to escape the jam.
Ausley, Merkt and Laura Olenderski had UNCG’s three hits in the contest. Rembielak and Lighton had two hits each to lead the Apps.
Angel (8-6) moved two games over .500, allowing just one run on seven hits and three walks, striking out two.
Mountaineers starter Kayla Richardson, whose two-hitter gave ASU a 7-0 win Saturday, took the loss, falling to 8-9 by allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. She struck out six.
After an early stalemate in game two, Appalachian State blew it open in the fourth inning thanks to some shoddy UNCG defense. Boyd and Lighton led off the inning with singles to put runners on the corners, and after a groundout and a walk, Boyd and Lighton both came around on Mouse’s throwing error trying to nail Boyd at the plate on a fielder’s choice.
ASU added another run on another error, as Stephanie Long scored on Emily Akiyama’s errant throw to first.
The Mountaineers added three more runs in the fifth, getting one on Price’s RBI groundout and two more on Brittany Gaston’s single to right. The Apps capped the scoring with a single run in the sixth on Lighton’s bloop double down the left field line that scored Sarah Rappe.
For the game, Lighton was 3-for-4, while six other players accounted for the rest of ASU’s nine hits.
Ausley was 2-for-3 to lead the Spartans, who had six hits in the game. Olenderski, Alex Emeterio, Whitney Sirois and Kristen Gabel had UNCG’s other four hits.
Amber Harrell (3-9) took the loss for UNCG, as she allowed six runs ? three earned ? on six hits and three walks in five innings. Freshman Cory Mattson pitched the final two innings, allowing a run on three hits and two walks.
Ashley Stubbs improved to 6-7, handing the Spartans just their second shutout of the season. Stubbs allowed six hits and three walks.
UNCG returns to action on Tuesday when it steps out of conference to host Campbell for a doubleheader at 4 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
Furman 2, Samford 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team dropped its third and final game in this weekend’s series with Furman Sunday, 2-0. The Bulldogs are now 10-17 (4-8 SoCon) on the year while Furman improves to 12-17, 4-5 SoCon.
After winning the first game of the series, 3-2, Samford fell, 7-3, in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday. The Bulldogs hoped to pick up another win on Sunday but Furman had other plans. The Paladins shut out the Bulldogs in the third game.
“I keep telling the players that it’s not physical, it’s mental,” Samford head coach Beanie Ketcham said. “Nothing they are doing wrong is physical. They just have to come ready to play. Stephanie (Royall) pitched well today. That’s just the adjustment we have to make is just come ready to play.
Stephanie Royall (5-7) pitched her fifth complete game of the year, striking out four batters, walking only one and giving up just two runs on six hits. Katie England let the Bulldogs in hitting on the day (.500), reaching base twice on a hit and a walk. Amy Gonzalez, Kristy Lawrence, Robyn Harmon and Amanda Jordan all were one-for-four on the day.
Lana Mackey (6-9) got the win for the Paladins, her sixth on the year. She struck out seven batters and walked one while give up five hits. Mackey also led in hitting, along with Jessie Homesley, both went two-for-three on the day. Mackey drove in the Paladins’ first run while Meredith Mielke batted in the winning run.
Samford quickly retired three straight Paladins in the first inning while Gonzalez led off with a single in the bottom of the inning. However, Furman would quickly retire three Bulldogs to close out the inning.
It was another quick outing for Furman in the top of the second inning as Samford retired three with a pop-up, strike out and ground out. In the bottom of the inning, Samford led off with a single up the middle by Kristy Lawrence. After Aaren Fisher popped up, Lawrence advanced to second on a wild pitch before Robyn Harmon singled to third base. However, Furman would get the two outs it needed to close out the inning and Samford left two stranded.
After another scoreless inning in the third, the Paladins finally got on the board when Mackey singled through the left side to bring home Stephanie Cushing. With two outs, Mielke singled to bring in the winning run before Samford finally closed out the inning.
Samford was never able to get anything going on the bats, and after three more scoreless innings, Furman walked away with the 2-0 victory.
The Bulldogs will be on the road for the next two weekends on a six-game road swing beginning with Georgia Southern and then onto UNC Greensboro. The next time Samford will be back at home will be April 15 when the Bulldogs host Memphis for a doubleheader.