Campbell 8, UNC Greensboro 3; UNC Greensboro 5, Campbell 3
GREENSBORO, NC ? Alex Emeterio and Brittany Ausley had two hits each in game one and Kaitlin Merkt hit a two-run home run in game two as UNC Greensboro twice rallied from deficits to split a doubleheader with Campbell on Tuesday, falling 8-3 in game one before rebounding for the 5-3 victory in game two.
The Spartans (13-18) twice trailed in game two, but immediately answered both times the Camels (22-10) took the lead.
Robin Leathers hit a leadoff home run in game two ? her second of the day, both of which hit the scoreboard in right center ? to put Campbell on top early. But UNCG found the answer in the bottom half of the first, manufacturing a run with some small ball. Ausley led off with an infield single, and after Lyndsay Mouse moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt, Merkt singled up the middle to drive her in.
Campbell went ahead again in the top of the fourth, with Leathers scoring from third on a double steal. The Spartans again rallied in the bottom half of the frame, this time going ahead for the first time on the day.
Emeterio drew a leadoff walk to get things going, and Whitney Sirois followed with a single to right. Freshman Jordan Jewett sacrificed both runners over, and after an out, Emeterio came in on a wild pitch from Lauren Stephan. Laura Olenderski drew a full-count walk, with ball four heading to the backstop, allowing Sirois to come in on another wild pitch.
Merkt hit her fifth home run of the season the following inning, sending a drive out to left field to bring in Mouse and match her career high. The home run was also the 11th of Merkt’s career, moving her into a tie for ninth place in UNCG history.
With UNCG now holding a 5-2 lead, the Camels got a run back in the sixth ? and threatened for more. Keeli Michael led off with an infield single, then went to second on an Amber Harrell wild pitch. A groundout moved her to third, but another wild pitch brought her in to score.
Consecutive hit batters loaded the bases, but Harrell recovered to strike out Taylor McGee swinging to end the threat.
Harrell (4-9) picked up her fourth win of the season, allowing three runs ? two earned ? on four hits and six walks.
Stephan (6-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks in four innings. Christina Melton finished the game for the Camels, allowing a pair of runs on two hits and walk in two innings.
Game one saw Campbell jump out to an 8-0 lead before the Spartans pushed three runs across late.
The Camels plated a pair in the third inning on Leather’s home run and Amanda Miller’s RBI single. Campbell blew the game open with a four-run fourth, with McGee’s two-run home run the big blow.
Campbell threatened to put the mercy rule into effect in the sixth, pushing the score to 8-0 on McGee’s two-run single. UNCG finally got on the board in the bottom half of the frame to keep the game going, as Emeterio laced a 2-2 pitch into left to score Ausley and Mouse with two outs.
The Spartans added another run in the bottom of the seventh, as Ausley’s double off the glove of a diving Miller brought in pinch-runner Kayla Hensley.
Brittany Stanley improved to 7-3 on the year, getting the win by allowing just two runs on four hits and two walks. Katie Woodcock worked the final inning, allowing an unearned run on a walk and a hit.
Hannah Angel (8-7) took the loss for UNCG after surrendering six runs ? five earned ? on three walks and six hits in four innings. Cory Mattson finished the game in the circle, allowing two runs on a pair of walks and six hits in three innings.
The Spartans return to action April 7 with a home doubleheader against North Carolina Central. First pitch for game one is set for 4 p.m.
N.C. State 10, Elon 2; N.C. State 7, Elon 2
RALEIGH, N.C. ? Patti Weber went three-for-five with two homeruns, the first two of the season for the senior, as the Elon softball team fell 10-2 and 3-2 against NC State in Raleigh, N.C.
Kaitlyn Piazzolla added her fourth home run of the season in game two. Jaimie Rao and Lauren Taylor each recorded two hits on the day.
Elon dropped to 9-16 on the season, while NC State improved to 18-13. The Wolfpack took a one-game lead in the all-time series, which now stands at 6-5.
Weber recorded Elon’s first hit of the game in the top of the first inning with a two-out laser through the middle. The Phoenix lineup was unable to capitalize on the hit as the next batter was retired.
In the bottom of the first, with a runner in scoring position, Elon pitcher Pam DelPizzo struck out the second batter to record the first out. The strikeout was followed by a groundout to second and chopper to third base to end the inning and the threat of an NC State run.
A stand up double by Rao in the second inning gave Elon its second hit of the afternoon. With two outs, Hannah Shelton beat out the throw to first for an infield single that put runners at the corners. The pair would be left stranded as Wolfpack pitcher Lindsay Campana ended the inning with a strikeout.
Brandi Jones reached first in the top of the third inning on a throwing error by the catcher. She rounded the bases on a towering homerun to left center by Weber that gave Elon a 2-0 lead.
NC State’s first run was scored when Claudia Cooper hit a single to right-center with the bases loaded. The Wolfpack tacked on three more runs to bring the score to 4-2 after Bridget Desbois doubled to the left field corner. Katie Mansilla scored on a RBI-single by Lauren Peters, making it a 5-2 ball game. The single was followed by a two-RBI double by Eliza Jacobellis that scored both Kristine Bechtholdt and Peters. NC State added two more runs on a homerun by Ishibashi, bringing the score to 9-2.
Rao recorded her second hit of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Taylor, playing the Wolfpack for the first time since transferring from NC State at the end of last season, followed Rao with a double to deep left field. Hannah Shelton tried to score Rao from third, but instead reached on a fielder’s choice that forced Rao out at home.
Allbritten doubled to center to begin the bottom of the sixth inning. She later scored, ending the game with a score of 10-2, on a base hit by Desbois.
Picking up the win in game one was Campana, who improved to 9-6. In four innings of work, she allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits. She also struck out seven. Mendy McKenzie came on in relief of Campana and threw two hitless innings. She also struck out four of the six batters she faced. DelPizzo fell to 2-3 on the season with the loss. She allowed five runs on as many hits in 2.1 innings of work. She also struck out one and walked one. Also seeing time in the circle for the Phoenix was Melanie Helterbran. She allowed five runs on five hits in 3.0 innings. She also walked two batters.
Taylor earned the start for Elon in game two, where she promptly retired 10 of the first 11 batters that she faced.
The Phoenix got on the board first in game two after Piazzolla sent a 3-2 pitch over the right-centerfield wall to give Elon an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Ashlee Crewe singled to shallow right field with one out, but NC State was able to turn a double play with Helterbran at bat to end the inning.
Holding on to the 1-0 lead going into the top of the fourth, Weber added a run with her second homerun of the day to give Elon a 2-0 lead. Rao followed the round-tripper with a walk to bring Piazzolla to the plate. The pair was doubled-off after Piazzolla popped up to third base and Rao was unable to make it back to first in time.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Elon turned a double-play of its own after Desbois sent a pitch to third where Weber was able to step on the bag and then throw to first to get the runner out and end the inning.
The Wolfpack put its first run on the board in the bottom half of the fifth inning after Bechtholdt homered to left center. An infield single by Peters followed the home run. Ishibashi allowed the Wolfpack to take a one-run lead at 3-2 with a homerun to centerfield.
A pair of singles by Allbritten and Desbois allowed NC State to have runners at first and second with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Hannah Ojeda tripled to left field to allow both runners to score to make it a 5-2 game. Bechtholdt followed with a double to left center that sent Ojeda home for NC State’s sixth run of the game. Peters then singled up the middle to score Bechtholdt to give NC State a 7-2 lead.
NC State’s McKenzie set down the final three Elon batters in order to get the win and improve to 7-5 on the season. She hurled three hitless innings and struck out five batters. Also seeing time in the circle for NC State was Morgan Peeler. She allowed two runs on four hits in four innings of work. She also walked two batters and struck out one. Taylor fell to 0-3 on the season with the loss. She allowed three runs on five hits in five innings of work. DelPizzo also saw time in the circle for Elon. She allowed four runs on six hits in two-thirds innings of work.
The Phoenix will return to the field this weekend when it resumes conference play at Furman in Greenville, N.C. The three-game series will begin Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Game one will be followed by a game slated for 3 p.m. The final game of the series will be played Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.