College of Charleston 3, Presbyterian 2
Presbyterian 2, College of Charleston 1
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Redshirt-senior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) tied the program career mark for triples and her sister, senior designated hitter Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.), drew her 33rd walk of the season to tie that mark as the College of Charleston (23-25, 9-11) split a double-header with Presbyterian (21-26, 4-14) in non-conference softball action at Patriots Point on Thursday, May 6. CofC earned a 3-2 victory in the first game before falling 2-1 in the nightcap.
After a pair of scoreless innings to start Game 1, the College of Charleston loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch to mount a rally in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, senior designated hitter Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) nearly missed a grand slam, belting a ball a foot below the top of the right field wall to score a pair of runs and notch her 15th double of the year.
The Cougars would add to that lead in the fifth inning when Amber Shifflett ripped her 12th double of the season, scoring freshman outfielder Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.C.) to make it 3-0.
The Blue Hose got one run back in the sixth as three singles loaded the bases with one out. Senior pitcher Mary Gordon dropped a ball into left center that scored junior first baseman Katie Anderson from third to make it 2-1. The play would have gone for a hit had a PC runner not been forced out at third base on the ensuing throw.
Having held the Cougars scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, Presbyterian earned a leadoff walk in the seventh and followed with an RBI double to left by junior third baseman Taylor Staten to narrow the gap to 3-2. At that point, senior pitcher Terri Mesko (McDonough, Ga.) entered the game in relief. She struck out the first two batters she faced before Staten stole third. Following a walk that put runners on the corners, Mesko then dialed it up and struck out sophomore pitcher Leslie Hensley to end the threat and secure the one-run victory.
Anderson led the way in the opener for the Blue Hose as she went 3-for-3 with a run scored while freshman outfielder Tera Powell finished 2-for-4. Taylor Staten went 2-for-3 with an RBI to round out the offensive production for PC. Hensley threw a complete game, allowing seven hits and three runs to take the loss and fall to 9-12.
Amber Shifflett led the College of Charleston with a 2-for-3, one RBI, one run performance while her sister Kristie Shifflett was 1-for-2 with a two-RBI double and her 33rd walk of the year. The latter ties the single season record held by Amanda Cone (2001-04) while the double was her 15th of the year and improved her career total to 48, five shy of tying the program record.
Sophomore third baseman Katie Forbes (Odessa, Fla.) went 2-for-3 and junior outfielder Katie Nutaitis (Vienna, Va.) finished 2-for-2 with a run scored. Junior pitcher Alexa Datko (San Diego, Calif.) threw six innings and allowed only two runs to collect the win and move to 6-10 on the year while Mesko threw one scoreless inning of relief to earn her first save of the year. It is the fifth of her career, putting her one behind Rachael Stern's (2003-05) program record of six.
It was another pitchers' duel in the nightcap but it looked anything like that with the first batter for the Cougars. Amber Shifflett opened things up by lacing a hard triple to the centerfield fence but would be stranded there as PC shut down the next three batters. While she didn't score, that triple was the tenth of her career, tying her for the all-time career mark at CofC.
When the score did change, it was Presbyterian that got on the board first with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Taylor Staten dropped a two-out single down the leftfield line and stole second before Katie Anderson singled down the right field line to score her and make it 1-0. The Blue Hose would add another run the following inning as Gordon pounded an RBI double to left center to push the lead to 2-0.
The College of Charleston would answer back in the bottom of the inning as Amber Shifflett got hit to lead off the frame and junior outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.) singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Following an out, both runners advanced on a wild pitch before Shifflett scored on a ground out by sophomore outfielder Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) to close to within 2-1.
That would be as close as the Cougars would get though as Brittany Howell, who entered one batter before the groundout, threw three scoreless innings of relief to close out the one-run victory.
Taylor Staten went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Presbyterian while Katie Anderson and Mary Gordon did the damage at the plate as they each notched an RBI on the evening. Gordon, who started and went four innings with just the one run allowed, picked up the win to move to 8-7 while Howell collected her first save of the season.
Amanda Lonergan led the Cougars with a 2-for-4 performance that included the only RBI of the game while Kristie Shifflett laced her 16th double of the season. That is the fourth highest single season total in program history. Amber Shifflett made the most of her one hit with her fifth triple of the year and also scored a run. Freshman pitcher Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.), who was perfect through the first 11 batters, went six innings and allowed the two runs to fall to 5-5 on the season.
The College of Charleston wraps up the regular season this weekend as they head to Chattanooga, Tenn. for a three-game series with defending champion Chattanooga. First pitch for both days is slated for 1 p.m.
NOTES
Amber Shifflett's triple to lead off Game 2 was the 10th of her career and tied her for the most in the history of the program ... Kristie Shifflett's walk in the first game was the 33rd of the season, tying the single season mark held by Amanda Cone.
USC Upstate 3, Appalachian State 0
USC Upstate 9, Appalachian State 8 (9)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Sarah Rappe and Allie Cashion had two hits apiece but USC Upstate scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to top Appalachian State University softball 9-8 in nine innings.
Appalachian scored a run in the top of the ninth when Michelle Gorzelle smartly scored on a foul out sacrifice fly by Megan Rembielak to give ASU an 8-7 lead.
Upstate fought back to tie the game with an RBI single from Kim Brasil. An ASU error put runners on second and third before Harris' game-winner.
The Mountaineers got on the board first in the third inning on an RBI single from Rappe.
The Spartans came back to take the lead in the fourth, with a four-run inning. Upstate used three-straight doubles to begin the inning and Cheyanna Ohlrich came up with a two-out, two run single.
ASU came right back with a four-run inning of their own in the top of the fifth. Michelle Lighton led off the inning with a walk and Meagan Squartino and Gorzelle followed with back-to-back singles, Gorzelle's driving in Lighton.
Rembielak drove in a run with a fielder's choice and Katie Boyd capped the inning with a towering home run to left center to give ASU a 5-4 lead.
The score remained 5-4 until the seventh, when the game was interrupted by a 52 minute lightning delay. After the delay, Upstate tied the score when Brasil singled up the middle.
The top of the eighth started with Allie Cashion on second, and she was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Meghan Smith, while Smith reached on a fielding error by the first baseman. McKenzie Phillips lined a single down the left field line to drive in Cashion and Hannah Dow drove in Smith with a sac fly to center field.
Once again Upstate fought back to tie the score. Chrislyn Chewning was placed on second and scored on a leadoff double by Jackie Zauner. After a Monica Hall ground out, Lauren Quevedo knocked a single through the left side to tie the game again to send the game into the ninth.
Rembielak and Boyd each had two RBI for ASU while Brasil had three hits to lead the Spartans. Frannie Seader suffered the loss in relief, allowing seven hits and five runs, just one earned. Alex Yohe earned the win for Upstate, going two innings giving up one run.
Morgan Childers struck out 14 batters in game one as USC Upstate took the first game 3-0.
The Mountaineers were able to get the leadoff hitter on base in 5-of-7 innings and stranded the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
Lauren Quevedo put the Spartans on the board with a homer to left center in the bottom of the second inning.
The Apps had a great opportunity in the top of the fifth, Gorzelle led off with a single, and after two outs, Boyd and Allie Cashion worked back-to-back walks but Childers got a strikeout to end the inning.
Upstate capitalized in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two insurance runs on RBI hits from Kim Brasil and Crislyn Chewning.
ASU had a chance in the seventh when Gorzelle and Rappe had back-to-back hits but were left stranded to end the game.
Gorzelle led a seven-hit ASU attack with two hits. Dow held Upstate to just four hits and one earned run.
East Carolina 1, Elon 0
East Carolina 8, Elon 0
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Elon dropped a pair of decisions to East Carolina on Thursday afternoon in non-conference softball action. Elon fell 1-0 in game one before dropping the second game 8-0. The Phoenix is now 33-19 on the season, while ECU moved to 36-16. Elon returns to action on Saturday when it wraps up the regular season against Winthrop. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
Game One - East Carolina 1, Elon 0
Emerald Graham was the first base runner for either team after leading off the top of the second inning with a single up the middle. She was left stranded as the next three batters were set down in order.
Cristen Aona picked up ECU's first hit of the game in the bottom of the third inning with a single up the middle. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but Erin O'Shea settled in to record the final two outs to end the inning with a runner in scoring position.
Graham picked up her second hit of the game with a hard hit, two-out single to left field in the top of the fourth. She was left on base for the second time as Toni Paisley fanned the final Phoenix hitter to end the inning.
ECU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one away, Charina Sumner and Kaui Tom registered back-to-back doubles that put runners at second and third. A fielding error by Elon allowed the ECU runner to score and put runners at the corners. O'Shea held the runners with a strike out and an induced ground out that ended the inning.
Elon's best chance came in the top of the fifth inning when it put two runners on. Ashlee Crewe worked an eight-pitch at bat before she sent a ground ball through the gap at short for a base hit. Pam DelPizzo followed with a walk that put runners at first and second. Paisley registered her ninth strikeout of the game when she caught Jackie Gonzalez looking to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Paisley earned the win after throwing a complete-game shutout. She allowed just three hits and fanned 12 to improve to 25-9 on the year.
O'Shea suffered the loss after surrendering just one unearned run on three hits. She is now 15-8 on the season. DelPizzo did not allow a hit and struck out one batter in one inning in relief.
Game Two - East Carolina 8, Elon 0 (Six Innings)
Elon didn't waste time in getting a runner on in the second, as Gonzalez led off the game with a single to right field. After Hannah Shelton hit into a double play, Tomeka Watson took a pitch to the hole in shallow center and moved to second on a passed ball. She was left stranded as Graham grounded out to first to end the inning.
ECU registered three straight one-out singles that helped it take a 1-0 lead. A single off the bat of Marina Gusman-Brown plated the next two runs that put the Pirates on top 3-0.
The Pirates tacked on another run in the bottom of the third inning after Vanessa Moreno scored on a passed ball that gave ECU a 4-0 lead. Taylor struck out Priscilla Velasquez to end the inning with runners at the corners.
In the bottom of the fifth, new Elon pitcher Kari Pervell gave up a hit but Ashley Myers caught Moreno stealing for the second out of the inning. A two-out walk by Aona put a runner at first for Gusman-Brown, who hit a stand-up RBI-triple to right center that made it a 5-0 game. Gusman-Brown put ECU up 6-0 after she came home on a passed ball. A single by Jordan and a walk to Velasquez followed the run and put runners at first and second. Pervell caught Kai Clark swinging to end the inning and any threat of another Pirate run.
Shelton registered an infield single in the top of the sixth inning that gave Elon its first base runner in three innings. She was left stranded as the final two batters flew out to right and center.
Christina Merrida led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and later scored on a RBI-double by Moreno that brought the score to 7-0. ECU sealed the 8-0 win one batter later when Aona doubled to center field.
Sutton fanned seven batters on her way to the complete-game win. She scattered just four hits to move to 11-7 on the year.
Taylor gave up four runs on five hits and two walks in four innings of work to get the loss and fall to 14-7 on the year. She also struck out two batters. Pervell allowed two runs, three of them earned, on six hits and two walks in 1.2 innings of work, but did not factor into the decision.