Furman 11, South Carolina State 5
Furman 13, South Carolina State 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Furman pounded out 24 runs on 24 hits over two games to sweep South Carolina State 11-5, 13-2 and extend its winning streak to six games in non-conference softball action Wednesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
The Paladins improved to 19-17 on the season while the Bulldogs slipped to 7-35.
In game one, Stephanie Field went 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs and two RBI to pace the Paladins to an 11-5 victory. The centerfielder singled to start the bottom of the first and came around to score when Morgan Hughey reached on a two-out error.
Furman posted five runs on just two hits in the second inning. Alex Bimonte reached on a wild pitch after striking out with two outs and advanced to third before Emily Boyer drew a base on balls. Field was hit by a pitch to load the bases. South Carolina State looked to be out of trouble when Katie Michaels grounded to second base, but the ball was misplayed allowing Bimonte to score. Jessie Homesley followed with a two run single, Michaels scored on a throwing error and Hughey batted in the fifth run of the frame with a single.
The Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning loading the bases with two singles and a hit batter before Shannon Baity blasted a grand slam to left field off of Paladin starter Lana Mackey.
Furman added two runs in the fourth to up the lead to 8-4. Boyer and Field reached on singles and scored on an RBI single from Homesley and groundout from Hughey. The Paladins increased their cushion to 10-4 in the fifth on Field's two-out triple to right-center that plated Boyer and Bimonte.
Mackey earned the win to improve to 13-7 on the season. She surrendered four earned runs on six hits in seven innings while fanning 14 batters. By striking out the side in the second inning, Mackey became just the third player in Southern Conference history to record 700 career strikeouts.
Field and Homesley each collected three hits while Boyer went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks and three runs.
Arzine Lee suffered the loss allowing 11 runs on 10 hits in six innings. She walked two batters and struck out three. Denitia Carter went 2-for-4 and Baity batted in four runs.
In game two, Furman's Hannah Bradley limited the Bulldogs to a pair of unearned runs on six hits over five innings and went 3-for-3 with a triple at the plate to lead the Paladins to a 13-2 win.
After South Carolina State scored two runs in the top of the first, Furman answered with five in the bottom half of the inning highlighted by Brythe Blankenship's three-run double over the centerfielder's head. Bradley tripled to open the bottom of the second and scored on Michaels' double to left-center before the Paladins leftfielder was driven in by Homesley's double into the gap.
Hughey delivered a two-run triple and Field plated a pair of runs with a single to key a six-run fourth to provide the final 13-2 margin.
Michaels and Bradley each went 3-for-3 at the plate while Field, Homesley and Blankenship collected two hits apiece to lead Furman's 14-hit attack. Bradley fanned six batters without issuing a walk to improve to 2-5 in the circle.
Furman caps its non-conference schedule on Thursday afternoon when the Paladins entertain Presbyterian in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
Most Furman home games and selected road contests will be available via GameTracker. Fans can follow Furman action by logging onto www.furmanpaladins.com and following the links on the athletics schedule or by surfing to the Furman softball page.
College of Charleston 5, Charleston Southern 2
Charleston Southern 4, College of Charleston 1
LADSON, S.C. - Redshirt-senior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) broke the program record for steals with her 58th and sophomore outfielder Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) belted a pair of homeruns as the College of Charleston (19-19, 7-7) split a double-header with Charleston Southern (23-23-1, 7-8 Big South) on Wednesday, April 21. The Cougars won Game 1 by a 5-2 margin before dropping a 4-1 decision in the nightcap.
The Cougars managed the early 1-0 lead in Game 1as senior catcher Amanda Maurer (Haubstadt, Ind.) led off the inning by reaching on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a hard single to left by junior outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.). That lead would not last long as the Buccaneers would strike in the third inning with back-to-back two-out homeruns by first baseman Megan Hall and third baseman Shayla Cullum to take a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, however, it was the College of Charleston's turn for a two-out rally as Woodall laced a double to the left centerfield gap that scored freshman second baseman Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.) and tied the game a 2-2. Senior designated hitter Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) then belted the 30th homerun of her career, a two-run shot down the right field line, that gave the Cougars a 4-2 lead.
Sophomore outfielder Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) would add to that lead to lead off the sixth as she cranked her team-leading sixth homerun of the season down the right field line to make it 5-2.
Junior pitcher Alexa Datko (San Diego, Calif.), who entered the game following the consecutive homeruns, made that lead hold up as she retired all 13 batters she faced to lock down the three-run victory.
Hall and Cullum had the only hits of the game for Charleston Southern, both of which were solo homeruns. Sondra Vetter started and went 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and four runs to take the loss and fall to 8-14 on the year.
Kristi Woodall led the College of Charleston with a 3-for-3, two-RBI performance that included a double and career-high tying mark for hits. Kristie Shifflett delivered two RBIs on her fifth homerun of the season while Amanda Lonergan rounded out the scoring with her sixth homerun of the year. Datko threw 4.1 scoreless and hitless innings of relief, retiring all 13 batters she faced to pick up the win and move to 5-9.
The Buccaneers got on the board first in the nightcap as catcher Erin Kegley singled to lead off the second inning, stole second and scored on a single up the middle by Jana Matthews. That lead would hold up until the fourth inning when Lonergan ripped her second homerun of the season to deep right to lead off the frame and tie the game at 1-1.
A double by designated hitter Kristin Kelleher to lead off the fourth inning and a single to right by second baseman Trea Steele put Charleston Southern back on top, 2-1. The Bucs would add a pair of insurance runs in the sixth as Jana Matthews reached on a two-base error and then scored on a double by outfielder Jessica Peters-Brock Outfielder Melissa Adams then singled her home for a 4-1 advantage. That would be all they would need as they retired the Cougars in the bottom of the seventh to record the three-run victory.
Jessica Peters-Brock finished 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead Charleston Southern while Adams, Matthews and Steele each had an RBI to round out the scoring for the Buccaneers. Kimberly Hobbs pitched a complete game and allowed six hits and just the one run and struck out seven to pick up the victory and improve to 9-6 on the season.
For the College of Charleston, Amanda Lonergan had the lone RBI with her solo homerun, her second of the day, while junior first baseman Katie Nutaitis (Vienna, Va.) finished 2-for-3. Amber Shifflett also went 2-for-3 on the day and broke the Cougars' all-time career stolen base mark with the 58th of her career. She passes Brooke Flower's mark of 57 set from 2001-04. Freshman pitcher Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.) started and went 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs, two of which were earned, and struck out a near career-high tying seven batters to take the loss and fall to 4-2 on the season.
The College of Charleston concludes its five-game road trip this weekend when they head to Statesboro, Ga. for a three-game Southern Conference series with Georgia Southern. The Cougars will play a double-header beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 24 before concluding the series with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday, April 25.
NOTES
Amber Shifflett now has 58 career stolen bases, breaking the College of Charleston program record of 57 previously held by Brooke Flowers (2001-04).
UAB 7, Samford 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford softball team closed out its homestand against UAB with a 7-1 loss in its final home midweek game of the season. The Bulldogs fall to 13-27 on the year while the Blazers improve to 30-15.
The Blazers put one run on the board in the top of the first inning on a single by Mandy Lowman to drive in Cameron Skates from first base. They then added five more in the top of the second on a lead-off homer by Kate Armstrong and a two-out grand slam by Skates to go up, 6-0.
After UAB retired three Bulldogs in a row in the bottom of the second inning, Kayla Orr led off the third inning for the Blazers with another lead-off homer to left-center field. However, the Bulldogs were able to get out of the inning with three straight outs.
Aaren Fisher returned the favor in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off home run of her own to get the Bulldogs on the board. Then Katie England followed with a single to deep right-center but was thrown out at second base as Amanda Barrs reached on a fielder's choice. Barrs moved to second when Amanda Jordan grounded out to second base. However, UAB got out of the inning as pitcher Alisha Smith struck out Kayla Shaffer swinging. But the Bulldogs cut the Blazer lead to six, 7-1.
Tessa Frates led off the bottom of the fifth inning for the Bulldogs with a double, which was just her fourth hit of the season. However, the Blazers recorded three straight outs to end the inning.
UAB loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning with no outs, but Bulldog pitcher Amanda Barrs put together back-to-back strikeouts followed by a fielder's choice to record the third out and get out of the inning.
England led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while Fisher, Barrs and Frates each had a hit for Samford. Fisher's home run gave her the only run and only RBI for the Bulldogs.
Emily Waters (1-3) started in the circle for Samford and pitched one and two-thirds innings before being taken out. She gave up two earned runs on six hits. Kayla Burris pitched one and one-third innings of relief, giving up one earned run on one hit while striking out two batters. Stephanie Royall pitched two innings and gave up just two hits while recording one strikeout before Barrs closed out the game, giving up just two hits and striking out three batters.
Hailey Glynn and Skates led the Blazers, both going 2-for-2 at the plate. Skates also scored two runs and had three RBI while five other UAB players each had one hit.
Alisha Smith (11-8) earned the win, pitching a complete game and giving up just one run on five hits. She struck out nine batters and walked zero.
Samford will be on the road this weekend as it jumps back into Southern Conference action at Elon Saturday and Sunday.