Presbyterian 4, Furman 1; Furman 5, Presbyterian 0

 

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman’s Bethany Ullrich and Stephanie Mihaly combined on a five-hit shutout to help the Paladins snap Presbyterian’s seven-game winning streak 5-0 in game two and earn a doubleheader split with the Blue Hose in softball action Wednesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. Presbyterian claimed a 4-1 victory in game one.

 

Ullrich limited the Blue Hose to just two hits in two-plus innings of work in game two while striking out three. Mihaly (1-1), a freshman from Seneca, S.C., entered the game in the top of the third and scattered three hits over five innings to earn her first collegiate victory.

 

Furman produced all the offense it would need with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. After a single, walk and error loaded the bases with one out, Stephanie Field worked a base on balls to force in Katie Michaels.

 

Pitcher Mary Gordon threw wide of home plate on an attempted force allowing Abby Robertson to score and Brythe Blankenship capped the rally with a two-run single to center field to up the lead to 4-0.

 

In the sixth, Meredith Mielke and Robertson reached on back-to-back singles ahead of Stephanie Cushing’s RBI single to give the Paladins a 5-0 lead.

 

Blankenship went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Cushing went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI for the Paladins.

 

Mary Gordon (2-4) allowed four unearned runs on four hits in five innings to absorb the loss for PC. She walked five and fanned two batters.

 

In game one, Brittany Howell went 2-for-3 with two double and three RBIs and Leslie Hensley held Furman to one run over seven innings to improve to 6-2 in the circle.

 

Howell gave the Blue Hose a 2-0 lead in the second with a two-out, two-run double to right field. In the fourth, Howell highlighted a two-run inning with an RBI double to give Presbyterian a 4-0 lead.

 

Hensley allowed just three hits while not issuing a walk and striking out six to pick up the victory. Lana Mackey (3-3) surrendered four runs on four hits over four innings to suffer the loss for Furman. Cushing collected two hits and Field registered an RBI for the Paladins.

 

Furman opens Southern Conference play on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader at Chattanooga. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Frost Stadium. The final game of the three-game set is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.