East Tennessee State 5, Western Carolina 1
East Tennessee State 8, Western Carolina 0
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Western Carolina softball (10-37) was swept by East Tennessee State (20-34) 5-1 and 8-0 (six innings) in the final mid-week non-conference games of the season Wednesday at the ETSU Softball Complex.
The Catamounts avoided a shutout in the first game by plating a run in the top of the sixth inning. Senior Kristen Gay led off the inning with a single past the shortstop and then moved to second on a Lady Bucs error. With two outs, Jordan Fulton hit a frozen rope up the middle scoring Gay.
Sophomore pitcher Katie King got the start and tossed a complete game, taking the loss, and falling to 2-21 on the season. She went six innings allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits and striking out one.
The Catamounts had eight hits in the first game. Haley Pace and Gay each had a pair of hits in the contest.
ETSU broke up two scoreless innings with a three-run third inning. With the bases loaded, Lucy Schneider hit a base clearing double to left center. The Lady Bucs would score a single run in the fourth and one in the fifth.
In the second game, ETSU scored runs in five of the six innings played for the shortened six inning game. The Lady Bucs hit two homeruns in the first inning to help rack up a four-run first.
Freshman Amber Steinhardt started the game and went two innings before being replaced by King. Steinhardt took the loss allowing six runs on five hits, falling to 7-13 on the season.
ETSU catcher Katie Henderson had two homeruns in the game. In total, the Lady Bucks had four homeruns in the contest.
The Catamounts had just two hits in the second game. Pace and Robyn Burnette each had hits.
Western Carolina hosts Samford in its final Southern Conference series of the season Saturday and Sunday. The doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday and the Sunday game is slated for noon. Catamount seniors Danielle Reese and Gay will be honored in between games.
Jacksonville State 3, Samford 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford softball team fell just short of defeating its in-state rival Jacksonville State Wednesday night in a 3-2 loss on the road. The Bulldogs fall to 14-30 overall while the Gamecocks improve to 24-17.
After a quick inning and a half with no runs scored, Jacksonville State got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Amanda Crow hit a home run to center field with one out. The Gamecocks then added another run in the third inning on a lead-off homer by Nikki Prier.
Samford finally got on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Anna Kimbrell hit a two-run shot with one out to tie the game. However, JSU would come back and add one more run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single to deep right field by Prier to drive in Kelci Johnston to secure the win.
This game marked the second-straight game that Kimbrell has hit a home run. She hit one to lead off the sixth inning Sunday against Elon. The homer was the first multi-RBI home run of her career.
Kimbrell led the Bulldogs in the game, going 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and one run. Rachael Reeves was the only other Bulldogs to record a hit while Amanda Jordan scored the other run.
Kayla Burris (1-2) took the loss after coming on in relief for Stephanie Royall. She gave up two earned runs on five hits and walked two batters while striking out four in four innings of play. Stephanie Royall gave up one earned run on one hit and walked three batters in one and one-third inning of play. Amanda Barrs closed out the game, pitching just two outs while walking one batter.
Prier led the Gamecocks with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate along with one run and two RBI. Four other JSU players had hits including Crow, Chrissy O'Neal, Tess Echols and Krystal Ruth. Crow also recorded an RBI and a run while Johnston scored a run as well.
Hilary Phillips (8-10) earned the win for the Gamecocks, pitching a complete game while recording seven strikeouts. She gave up just two earned runs on two hits.
The Bulldogs will close out their seven-game road swing this weekend when they head to Cullowhee, N.C., to take on Western Carolina. They will play a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. CDT on Saturday followed by the series closer on Sunday at 11 a.m.