East Tennessee State 5, Furman 3
East Tennessee State 5, Furman 4
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Katy Jett and Sam Lower belted home runs to help East Tennessee State to a doubleheader sweep of Furman, 5-3 and 5-4, in non-conference softball action on Thursday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium on the Furman University campus.
The sweep improved the Buccaneers to 2-1 on the season while Furman slipped to 1-2 following its home opening twinbill.
The Buccaneers used a three-run fifth inning in game one to break open a 2-2 tie on their way to a 5-3 victory. Lucy Schneider doubled to left to plate Cheniece Cason with the go ahead run and Jett followed with a two-run blast to left to up the lead to three runs.
Furman cut the advantage to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth, but ETSU hurler Darci Gilbert stranded seven Furman runners on the day to preserve the win. Gilbert (1-0) tossed seven innings allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out two batters.
Cason went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs while Schneider was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Jett drove in two runs and third baseman Amy Campbell collected a pair of hits.
Hannah Bradley (0-1) suffered the loss for Furman, allowing five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work. Stephanie Field, Morgan Hughey and Lana Mackey each notched two hits, including a solo homer by Hughey in the bottom of the third inning that knotted the game at 2-2.
In game two, ETSU fashioned a four-run fourth inning and extended its lead to 5-0 in the fifth before holding on for a 5-4 victory.
The Bucs opened the top of the fourth with three infield singles and a ground out to score two runs before Sam Lower blasted a two-run homer to deep left-center field to cap the four-run rally.
Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Jessie Homesley delivered a two-run single for Furman to trim the ETSU lead to 5-2. With the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, Lana Mackey's pop fly to right field was dropped allowing two runs to score, but reliever Shelby Morris got Brythe Blankenship to ground back to the circle to end the game.
Morris worked one inning to earn the save while starter Jessica Duncan (1-0) limited Furman to a pair of runs on six hits over six innings to grab the win.
Stephanie Mihaly (0-1), who surrendered four runs on four hits in four innings, suffered the loss for the Paladins. Field, Mackey and catcher Alex Bimonte collected two hits apiece for Furman.
Mackey came on in relief in both games and gave up only one hit while fanning seven batters in 3.1 innings of work.
Furman returns to action on February 25, when it travels to Clinton, S.C., for a doubleheader with the Presbyterian Blue Hose. First pitch for game one is set for 2 p.m.
Mississippi Valley State 6, Samford 4
ITTA BENA, Miss. - The Samford softball team fell Thursday in its first midweek matchup to six-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions Mississippi Valley State. The Devilettes defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 6-4. Samford is now 2-2 on the season.
After a scoreless first four innings by both teams, Samford (2-2) finally got on the board in the top of the fifth when Brianna Chambers scored from third base on a passed ball.
The Devilettes then broke out in the bottom of the inning and took a 3-1 lead, sparked by Angelia Jones' lead-off triple. Jones was brought in by a sacrifice fly ball before Tiana Parks doubled with two outs to bring in the second and third MVSU runs.
Samford answered back in the top of the sixth inning to take over the lead, 4-3. Katie England led off the inning by reaching base on an error and then stealing second base. Amanda Barrs was then walked and then a passed ball advanced the runners to second and third to set up a scoring opportunity. Aaren Fisher took advantage of that opportunity to bring in England and Barrs on a triple to right field. Jordan then laid down a bunt to bring home Fisher to but the Bulldogs up by one.
However, MVSU (1-0) matched Samford's sixth inning by posting three runs of their own to take over the lead again, 6-4. The Devilettes' reliever Kimberly Spivey shutout the Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning to secure the win for her team.
Junior shortstop Amanda Jordan led the Bulldogs against MVSU with a 2-for-2 appearance at the plate while batting in one run. Fisher also helped lead the Bulldogs, recording two of Samford's three RBI while going 1-for-3 at the plate with one run.
Robyn Harmon also tabbed two hits while Amy Gonzalez and Barrs each had one. Barrs and England also scored one run while Chambers scored one for the Bulldogs as well while pinch running for Amanda Jordan.
Harmon (1-1) started at the circle for the Bulldogs and was credited the loss, pitching five and two-thirds innings. She gave up six runs on eight hits, but struck out eight batters and only walked one. Barrs closed out sixth inning for the Bulldogs. She gave up just one hit and walked one batter.
MVSU was led by Jones who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs. Shanika Randall and Tiana Parks combined for four of the Devilettes' six RBI. Lisa Jansen (1-0) grabbed the win in the circle for MVSU, pitching six complete innings. She gave up three earned runs on seven hits, walked two batters and struck out four. Spivey pitched the final inning and earned the save. She did not record any strikeouts in five batters faced but walked one.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Sunday as they are set to open home play against Miami (OH) in a doubleheader. The first game is slated for 11 a.m. and will be followed by a second game that should begin at approximately 1 p.m.