Western Carolina 15, Morgan State 1
Western Carolina 15, Maryland Eastern Shore 7
CARY, N.C. - Western Carolina softball swept opening day action at the Lady Eagle Invitational, hosted by NC Central, defeating Morgan State 15-1 and Maryland Eastern Shore 15-7.
The Catamounts opened the season with a 15-1 win over Morgan State in the opening game of the Lady Eagle Classic. The game was called after five innings.
Freshman right fielder Amelia Griffin began the contest with a lead-off single through the left side and promptly stole the first base of her career. She scored the first run of the game thanks to an RBI single by sophomore Robyn Burnette.
After holding Morgan State scoreless in the bottom half of the first, Western Carolina exploded for seven runs in both the second and third innings. Griffin led the Catamounts going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI, and was one of five players to record multiple hits in the game.
Freshman Makenzi McAteer was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI and freshman Morgan Wyatt was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI. Burnette and Jordan Fulton each had a pair of hits as well.
Western Carolina posted most of their runs via singles as Griffin and Burnette were the only Catamount players to have extra base hits both with doubles.
Junior lefty hurler Katie King was on the mound for the Catamounts and tossed four scoreless innings before giving up a run in the bottom of the fifth. She allowed nine hits, one run and had two strikeouts.
In the second game, Western Carolina used an eight run sixth inning to secure the win over Maryland Eastern Shore. The game was tied at seven, after five innings, when junior college transfer Erin Foster began the Catamount rally. She singled through the left side and advanced to third thanks to a double by Wyatt. The bases were loaded for WCU when Shemekia Scotton was hit by a pitch.
Western Carolina took the lead when Amber Steinhardt hit a three RBI single, plating Foster, Wyatt and Scotton. Steinhardt advanced to second off a Maryland Eastern Shore error. In the scoring frenzy, Burnette also picked up an RBI and sophomore Haley Pace hit a two RBI triple.
The game was scoreless for two innings before Western Carolina got on the board first. Foster began the two out rally with a single and Wyatt followed with a single. Scotton hit an RBI single for the first run of the game. Fulton added two more runs to the frame with a two RBI single scoring Wyatt and Scotton.
Bekah Burkett got the starting nod on the mound and after two scoreless innings, allowed four runs in the bottom of the third to afford Maryland Eastern Shore to take a 4-3 lead.
Western Carolina came back with three runs in the top of the four for a 6-4 advantage. Maryland Eastern Shore answered with two runs to knot the game at six.
The Catamounts battled back to again reclaim the lead with one run in the top of the fifth. It was another two out rally, as Kelly Braman hit a two-out single to keep WCU alive. McAteer drew a walk and Griffin singled to load the bases. Braman scored, to give WCU a 7-6 lead, off an RBI single by Burnette.
Maryland Eastern Shore tied the game again, at seven, in the bottom of the sixth.
Burkett was replaced by Steinhardt on the mound after two and half innings. She allowed four runs on five hits. Steinhardt went three and half innings, allowing three runs on one hit and struck out three. Steinhard also picked up her first win of the season.
Western Carolina completes acting at the Lady Eagle Invitational on Sunday playing host North Carolina Central at 10 a.m. and repeating a game with Maryland Eastern Shore at noon.
Elon 4, Youngstown State 3
Elon 4, Kent State 3
ELON, N.C. - The Elon University softball team opened its 2011 campaign in dramatic fashion Saturday with two walk-off wins to defeat both Youngstown State and Kent State, 4-3, at East Field in games three and four of the Phoenix Leadoff Classic. The Phoenix is now 2-0 on the season, while the Penguins of YSU are 0-2 and the Golden Flashes of KSU sit at 1-1.
Game 1
After two innings of great pitching on both sides, the Penguins got on the board first in the third inning after Kristina Rendle reached after being hit by a pitch. YSU then strung together a two-out rally, with back-to-back singles by Vicky Rumph and Kim Klonowski, to score Rendle on a close play at the plate. But Elon hurler Erin O'Shea managed to limit the Penguins to only the one run after striking out Kristen Philen to end the inning and leaving three on base.
In the fourth inning, the Phoenix got its offense rolling for the first time of the season. After senior Caitlin McGowan singled up the middle, senior Emerald Graham belted a two-run home run deep over the fence in left center to bring home freshman Lauren Snead, who came in to pinch run for McGowan. The two-run shot gave Elon a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth inning.
The bottom of the fifth began with senior Hannah Shelton singling up the middle and then advancing to second on a wild pitch. After Shelton eventually reached third, McGowan hit a double down the right field line to score her senior teammate and give Elon a 3-1 lead.
Youngstown State fought back in the sixth when it loaded the bases with just one out. Rendle singled through the right side bringing home Philen to close the gap to one run. Jordan Ingalls then tied the game off a sacrifice fly to left. But once again, with the bases loaded, the Phoenix were able to escape any further damage and went into the sixth the score tied, 3-3.
Elon set itself up perfectly after a strong defensive performance in the top of the seventh by sending all three Penguin batters back to the bench. With Elon needing just one run to take the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Penguins put the winning run on base after Shelton singled to left field and then moved to second off a sacrifice by sophomore Tomeka Watson. Shelton then stole third and put the Phoenix in scoring position. Both senior Jackie Gonzalez and McGowan were walked giving Graham a chance to win the game with the bases loaded and only one out. Graham managed to get the ball in the air to right field for the sacrifice fly to score Shelton for her third RBI of the game and giving Elon its first victory of the season, 4-3
O'Shea escaped damage all afternoon by leaving 10 runners on base and stranding the Penguins with bases loaded twice. O'Shea went the distance for Elon in game one, yielding just three runs on seven hits, while fanning five Penguins.
Game 2
The second game of the day did not start off well for the Phoenix after the Golden Flashes broke through in the first off a three-run homer to left by Mary Holt giving Kent State the early 3-0 lead.
McGowan doubled to lead off the fourth, her second of the game, and junior Kaitlyn Piazzola followed it up with an infield single to put runners on the corners for the Phoenix. However, Elon could not punch any runs across the plate, leaving the score at a 3-0 deficit.
Kent State looked to extend its lead in the fifth after loading the bases with no outs. But senior Lauren Taylor was able to get the Phoenix out of the inning without any damage forcing a double play and a groundout to leave all three runners on base.
Elon was able to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth after a groundout to the shortstop by Gonzalez scored Shelton, who walked earlier in the inning. Watson then scored off an infield single by Graham to make it a one-run game, 3-2.
In the sixth, senior Pam DelPizzo put Snead, a pinch runner for O'Shea, in scoring position off a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Lauren Oldham brought home Snead, the tying run, on a single to center and then a throwing error by Kent State's center fielder.
With the score tied at 3-3, Elon was able to escape the top of the seventh with runners on the corners and to give itself a chance to walk off with a win, once again, in the bottom of the seventh.
The Phoenix loaded the bases quickly on three straight singles by Gonzalez, McGowan and Graham. With one down, O'Shea lined out to the pitcher who attempted to throw out Gonzalez at third. But the throw sailed over the head of the third baseman Jessica Carmichael and allowed Gonzalez to cross the plate with the game-winning run, giving Elon another 4-3 walk-off win.
Elon wraps up the Phoenix Leadoff Classic tomorrow afternoon at East Field against Kent State at 1:15 p.m. and Youngstown State at 3:30 p.m.
UNCG 13, St. John's 3
Florida State 13, UNCG 3
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - UNCG's softball team earned a split on day two at the Seminole Kick Off Classic, downing St. John's in the early game, 13-3, before falling to No. 23 Florida State in the late game by the same score. Both games ended in 5 innings.
UNCG (2-2) trailed 3-2 entering the fourth inning against St. John's (1-2), but rapped out nine hits and took advantage of three errors to score 11 runs and put the game out of reach. The Spartans nearly batted around twice in the frame, sending 17 batters to plate. Aisha Figueroa and Alex Emeterio had two hits each, while every member of the lineup reached base at least once via hit or walk.
The game against St. John's got off to a rough start, with the Red Storm scoring all three of its runs in the top of the first. Chrissy Montez hit an RBI single, Kristi Cady had an RBI triple and Myriah Rodgers rapped out an RBI double, all in consecutive at-bats off starter Alex Emeterio.
UNCG got a run back in the bottom of the second on Katelyn Bedwell's RBI double and added another run in the third when Figueroa scored on a wild pitch.
Raeanne Hanks (1-1) picked up the win with 4 innings of scoreless relief.
Aleshia Link (0-1) took the loss, allowing seven runs, only one of them earned, in 2/3 of an inning of work.
Emeterio finished 3-for-3 with a walk in the contest, while Figueroa, Bedwell and Kaitlin Merkt had two hits each.
After finishing pool play as the second seed in the four-team tournament, UNCG squared off the with third-seeded Florida State in the nightcap.
The Seminoles, who were no-hit by Cory Mattson on Friday in the tournament's first game, wasted little time getting their first hit off Mattson on Saturday, as Tiffani Brown led off the game with a bunt single.
FSU (2-2) didn't score in the inning but got to Mattson (1-1) in the second, batting around to knock her from the game. The Seminoles pounded out seven hits in the frame and left the bases loaded. Robin Ahrberg and Jen Lapicki each had two-RBI hits in the inning.
The Spartans got a run back in the bottom half when Merkt led off with her first home run of the season. The blast was the 24th of her career, moving her into a tie for third in school history with Kelly Allen (2004-06).
Lapicki had a bases-clearing double in the top of the third inning to make it an 11-1 contest, and Brown had a two-run home run in the top of the fourth to make it 13-1.
UNCG rounded out the scoring in the bottom of fourth, starting with pinch-hitter Katie Stripling getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the Spartans' second run of the game. Figueroa followed with an RBI single to plate pinch-hitter Kayla Hensley, who reached via single.
The Spartans threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, getting three straight singles from Merkt, Eileen Horsmon and Bedwell, but a fielder's choice ended the inning and the game.
Figueroa, Merkt and Horsmon had two hits each for the Spartans, while Brown, Lapicki, Shayla Jackson and Courtney Senas had two-hit games for FSU. Lapicki had five RBI.
Morgan Bullock (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 innings.
Mattson took the loss, allowing eight earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Hanks worked 1 1/3, allowing three runs, and Josie Felix finished out the game allowing two runs on two hits in 2 innings.
UNCG returns to action Sunday in the consolation game of the tournament, where it will take on St. John's at 10 a.m.
Georgia Southern 7, Mercer 5
Radford 7, Georgia Southern 0
STATESBORO, Ga. - On Tuesday, Megen Smith was named Southern Conference Preseason Player of the Year. On Saturday, she began her senior campaign for Georgia Southern Softball by hitting two home runs, including in her first at bat of the season. Smith went two for three and drove in four runs in the opener as Georgia Southern won 7-5 in its season opener.
Georgia Southern jumped out to a two-run lead on Mercer in the first inning in Georgia Southern's season opener on back-to-back home runs by Smith and Mackenzie Williams. The Eagles would extend their lead to three in the bottom half of the second inning on a Hanna Ennis double that drove in Kelly Burnett.
Mercer would cut the deficit to one run after an Allison Jones single in the third brought in Anna Johnson and Lilli Luke doubled to right field to score Sara Stukes in the fourth inning. Smith extended the Eagles' slim one-run lead to four with her three-run blast to right center field allowing Marie Fogle and Jorie Walker to cross the plate.
Mercer would respond in the top of the sixth inning with three runs of its own. Mercer opened the sixth inning with back-to-back doubles. Amanda Santa Maria's double down the line with one out brought the Bears to within two runs. Santa Maria would score on a fielder's choice to end the Bears' scoring in the sixth inning. Georgia Southern would tack on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Andrea Tarashuk doubled down the left field line for the 7-5 final score.
Freshman Allie Miles picked up the win in her Eagle debut, pitching two innings and striking out two. Southern Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year Brianna Streetmon earned her first save of the season after pitching one and two- thirds innings, striking out one and giving up no hits.
In the nightcap of the first day of the SpringHill Suites Eagle Classic, Radford jumped out early on Georgia Southern scoring one run in the first inning and two in the second. Radford extended the lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning thanks in part to a two-run home run by Nichole Beall. Georgia Southern's offense was stymied by dazzling pitching from Radford's Chelsea Kelley and Stephaine Dameron, which limiting the Eagles to two hits.
Georgia Southern's lone bright spot was freshman pitcher Sarah Purvis, who pitched three and one-third innings, allowing no hits and striking out six. Purvis also struck out the side in the fifth inning.
South Carolina 5, Furman 1
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Two South Carolina pitchers combined to limit Furman to a one run on four hits as the Gamecocks topped the Paladins, 5-1, in Softball action Saturday morning at the Palmetto State Showdown at Beckham Field.
Ashley Chastain (1-0) tossed four innings of one-run softball to earn her first win of the season and April Borchardt held Furman hitless over three innings of relief to earn the save for the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks (2-0) opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top half of the first. A walk, error and single loaded the bases before Molly Brossart delivered a sacrifice fly to put South Carolina on the board and Kelley Dillon followed with an RBI single.
Furman (0-3) answered with its lone run in the bottom of the first. Stephanie Field singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch to put the Paladins on the board.
Kaitlin Westfall upped the South Carolina lead to 4-1 with a two-run blast in the third inning and Brossart capped the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the fifth.
Dillon, Westfall, Lauren Lackey and Lauren Mendes each collected two hits for the Gamecocks who pounded out 10 for the game. Westfall totaled a triple, homer and two RBI.
Lauren Collier (0-1) took the loss for Furman allowing five runs, three earned, on nine hits in five innings of work. The freshman walked two and struck out two.
Furman concludes play in the Palmetto State Showdown on Sunday morning when it faces Charleston Southern at 10:30 a.m. at Beckham Field.
Florida Atlantic 3, Chattanooga 1
Georgia Tech 6, Chattanooga 1
CLERMONT, Fla. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team is still trying to find its rhythm for the 2011 season dropping contests to Florida Atlantic (1-3), 3-1, and Georgia Tech (4-0), 6-1 on Saturday at Dot Richardson's National Collegiate Softball Invitational in Clermont, Fla. One bright spot for the Lady Mocs was the pitching of junior Michelle Fuzzard, who threw a complete game four hitter against the Owls.
The game against the Yellow Jackets was closer than Friday's as Chattanooga (1-3) cut the lead to 3-1 in the fifth and had an opportunity in the sixth for more runs before Georgia Tech piled on three in the seventh.
Chattanooga completes the three-day event tomorrow against Fordham with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Live statistics and audio is available on the schedule page at GoMocs.com.
Game One: Florida Atlantic 3, Chattanooga 1
Fuzzard threw a complete game four hitter for Chattanooga, but Florida Atlantic erased a 1-0 Lady Mocs lead with a three-run homer by Rose Gressley with two outs in the sixth.
The Huntington Beach, Calif., native was comfortable in the circle for the Lady Mocs striking out three in her first pitching performance since coming off a knee injury last season. The pitching for the Owls was up to the task and Taylor Fawbush threw a complete game four hitter as well fanning two.
Recording singles for Chattanooga was senior third baseman Tiffany Baker, sophomore Kasey Tydingco and senior Lauren Flores. Freshman Kaiti Dutton recorded her first collegiate hit in the sixth.
In the first, Florida Atlantic was threatening with two runners on, but a double play turned by junior shortstop Jessica Traxler retired the side.
The Lady Mocs would break through in the second as Tydingco started the inning with a single into right field. Dutton reached on a throwing error by the third baseman that sent Tydingco to third.
With no outs and runners on the corners, head coach Frank Reed called for a squeeze play by Flores, who laid down a bunt to the third baseman. The throw was high as Tydingco slide under the tag applied by thee catcher. A double play would end the Lady Mocs threat as Stiles hit a pitch up the middle that was caught by the pitcher.
Florida Atlantic broke through in the sixth by putting pressure on Fuzzard after two quick outs. Brittany Walker drew a walk and Kerri Croney singled into left field. That set the stage for the heroics by Gressley, who was mobbed at the plate by her teammates following a home run over the fence in center.
The Lady Mocs were unable to mount rallies in the sixth or the seventh as the Dutton single was the only runner on base.
Game Two: Georgia Tech 6, Chattanooga 1
Chattanooga was held to four hits in its second meeting against Georgia Tech, who won by the same 6-1 score in both contests. Junior Jessica Traxler had a career game going 3-for-3 in the contest, a bright spot for the Lady Mocs.
In the circle, senior Nikki Waters started the contest giving up three runs thru the first three before gaining confidence and shutting the Yellow Jackets down in the fourth and fifth. She finished the contest with five strikeouts before classman Kandice Irwin got the final two outs in the sixth.
There was a different feeling from the start, than the contest played the night before, as Georgia Tech opened with back-to-back doubles from Kelsi Weseman and Ashlyn Rudnik in the first. It then struck with a two-run shot by Weseman in the third to the opposite field in left center.
The Lady Mocs were kept at one hit till the fifth, when Traxler beat out an infield single and Tydingco advanced to second after a walk. A sacrifice by Dutton set the table for a big inning for Chattanooga with two runners in scoring position.
Coach Reed went to his bench with a freshman due up and inserted junior Vivian Morimoto, who hit a fly ball to center for her first Division I RBI for Chattanooga as Traxler darted for third. The inning ended as Poteat laid down a great bunt, but the Georgia Tech second baseman made a great play in covering the bag at third.
After Waters struckout the side, a new pitcher in Lindsey Anderson came in for Georgia Tech. Senior outfielder Lyndsey Stiles drew a walk and advanced to second on a groundout. The Hisxon, Tenn., native then stole third with two out setting the stage for junior Tiffany Baker, who hit a rocket up the middle the Anderson was able to get a glove on it and make the catch on the liner.
The Yellow Jackets were able to put a three on the scoreboard started off on a homerun by Hope Rush as Georgia Tech took a commanding 6-1 lead.
The Lady Mocs would go down in the seventh following singles by Traxler and freshman Natalie Powers.
For Georgia Tech, Anderson picked up the victory throwing five innings and striking out seven, while Adkins picked up the save throwing two innings and fanning three.
San Jose State 4, Appalachian State 3
Nevada 4, Appalachian State 2
TEMPE, Ariz.- Appalachian State University softball (0-5) fell short in both of its bids to secure its first win of the season, falling to San Jose State, 4-3, and to Nevada, 4-2 on Saturday afternoon on the third day of the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
The Mountaineer offense that had only produced three hits in three games heading into today's games wasted no time coming alive and jumping on the Spartans.
Senior Katie Boyd got things going for Appalachian by getting a leadoff double to centerfield. Junior Megan Rembielak looked at a strike three, but sophomore Meghan Smith picked the team up by belting a homerun to centerfield, securing the teams' first runs of the young season.
SJSU answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame when Britney Helm singled to start the inning and BranDee Garcia doubled Helm in to tally the Spartans' first run of the game. B. Garcia advanced to third on a groundout by Breanna Lopez and Jessica Garcia singled right back up the middle to bring home B. Garcia to knot up the game at two runs apiece at the end of the first inning.
Sophomore Allie Cashion got called out on strikes, but senior Hannah Dow singled through the left side of the field in the Mountaineers' next at bat to get things going. Senior Sarah Rappe reached on a fielders' choice, getting out Dow out second base. Rappe, who led the Southern Conference in stolen bases, then picked up stolen bases number one and two of the season, but her and sophomore Hyaley Grabner, who walked her way on, was left stranded on the base path to end the Mountaineer frame.
Sophomore Frannie Seader came to the mound in relief of starting pitcher junior Caitlin Wainright to start the second inning and started off rocky. Annica Wolfe homered off Seader, but Seader settled in and got the next three batters out with ease.
The Spartans tacked on one more run in the third to bring the game to 4-2, but the Apps did not go away.
Dow collected her second hit of the game by taking a low fastball for a ride over the left field breakaway fence, moving the Black and Gold one run away from tying things up.
San Jose scattered four more hits throughout the rest of the game, but eventually closed the door on the Mountaineers, winning the game 4-3.
In the second game of the day, the Apps continued its hot hitting from the first game and again scored the game's first run. Rappe bunted her way on to start the second and once on the bases, swiped two more bases to give her four total for the day and scored on a throwing error by Nevada's catcher Chelsea Venable.
The Wolfpack pieced together back-to-back innings of tallying two runs in the fourth and fifth innings, moving the score of the game to 4-1.
But the Mountaineers mounted another rally. Rembielak bunted her way onto the base path to kick off the sixth inning for the Mountaineers. Smith flew out to right field in ASU's next at bat. Senior Morgan Price came into to pinch hit for junior Michelle Lighton, but grounded out to Wolfpack first baseman Lauren Lastrapes for the second out of the inning, moving over Rembielak to second base. Rappe reached base again on a Nevada fielding error and immediately started causing problems for the Wolfpack defense.
Rappe caused the defense to attempt to pick the speedster off at second, allowing Rembielak to notch another ASU run.
The Mountaineers were not able to get any closer, dropping the game, 4-2.
Appalachian returns to action tomorrow afternoon, taking on Texas Tech at 11:30 a.m. (ET) in its tournament finale at the Tempe Sports Complex.
South Alabama 10, Samford 3
UAB 7, Samford 3
VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team dropped its doubleheader on day two of the All-Alabama Classic Saturday to South Alabama, 10-3, and UAB, 7-3 at Liberty Park. The Bulldogs fall to 0-3 on the season.
Aaren Fisher and Robyn Harmon led the Bulldogs against South Alabama. Fisher went 2-for-3 at the plate with one run while Harmon was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Amanda Jordan, Alex Adams and Whitney Terry each posted a hit for the Bulldogs while Jordan and Kayla Shaffer scored a run and Adams had an RBI.
Kayla Burris (0-1) started the game for Samford, pitching 6.1 innings and giving up 10 runs on 12 hits. She recorded four strikeouts and walked four batters. Nicole Bobrowski closed out the game, earning the final two outs and giving up just one hit.
Four players had two hits for the Jaguars while five had a hit as well. Meghan Collins and Brittany Fowler led USA, each going 2-for-3 with two runs. Fowler also had two of the Jaguars' 10 RBI, along with Britany Campbell and Haley Hopkins who also tallied two RBI each. Hopkins and Christin Crocker each went 2-for-5 at the plate.
Campbell (1-0) pitched acomplete game, giving up three unearned runs on seven hits while striking out seven batters and walking one.
It was a back and forth affair as each team scored three runs in the first two innings. The score remained tied through the fourth inning but South Alabama tacked on a run in the fifth and a run in the sixth to take a 5-3 lead. Then the Jaguars opened up the bats and added five runs in the top of the seventh to take the game, 10-3.
South Alabama scored right out of the gate as Hopkins hit a home run with two outs in the top of the first inning, but Samford answered back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Jordan got Fisher in scoring position with a deep single before Fisher scored while Adams reached base on an error. Jordan advanced to third on a single by Terry before scoring on a passed ball.
The Jaguars opened the second inning with a home run by Fowler followed by a double by Richards. With a 3-2 lead, USA had several more opportunities to score but left three stranded to end the inning. In the bottom of the second inning, Harmon homered with a runner on base to tie the score at three runs apiece.
USA broke the tie in the fifth inning after Crocker singled to bring Campbell in from third base. The Jaguars added another run to the board in the sixth inning when Stevens homered to center field before notching five runs on six hits in the top of the seventh to take the game, 10-3.
Against the Blazers, Shaffer led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while also scoring a run. Fisher, Adams and Frates also posted a hit for the Bulldogs. Adams scored a run while Frates tallied two RBI on a home run.
Harmon (0-2) pitched a complete game, giving up two earned runs on eight hits. She also struck out three batters while walking three.
Kayla Orr, Hailey Glynn and Sallie Van Kirk posted two runs for the Blazers while Kristen McGrath and Erica Sisson each had a hit. Van Kirk led UAB, going 2-for-2 at the plate with RBI and scoring two runs.
Amber Torres (1-0) started in the circle for UAB, pitching four complete innings and giving up just two earned runs on three hits. She struck out three batters and walked two. Alisha Smith pitched the final three innings, giving up one run on two hits and recording four strikeouts.
It was the bottom of the second inning before anyone got on the board. Van Kirk hit a double with runners on first and third and advanced to third on the throw, scoring Glynn and McGrath.
Samford answered back in the top of the fourth inning when Frates rattled off her first career home run with Adams on second to tie the score at two. In the bottom of the inning, UAB tacked on three runs to take a 5-2 lead. In the top of the fifth, Shaffer scored from third base on an error by the shortstop to cut the UAB lead to two. However, the Blazers added two more in the bottom of the sixth and held Samford scoreless in the top of the seventh to take the win.
Samford will close out tournament play Sunday with an 11 a.m. match versus Alabama State, and a 1:30 p.m. matchup with Auburn.