Western Carolina 10, South Carolina State 1
Western Carolina 5, South Carolina State 0
ORANGEBURG, S.C. - Western Carolina softball improved to 6-0, the best start in school history, with an 11-1, 5-0 doubleheader sweep of South Carolina State (0-6) Wednesday at Hillcrest Field.
The Catamounts didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard, in the first game of the doubleheader, scoring three runs in the first. With one out, sophomores Robyn Burnette and Haley Pace hit back-to-back singles and Burnette scored when junior Erin Foster reached on a South Carolina State error. The second Bulldog error of the inning allowed Pace to score after she stole third. Kelly Braman hit an RBI double to plate Foster for the third run of the inning.
In the second inning, Jordan Fulton opened the inning with a double, but was thrown out at third after Makenzi McAteer reached base on a fielder's choice. McAteer eventually scored the lone run of the inning when Burnette ground out.
The Catamounts exploded for five runs in the top of the third inning to help secure a shortened, five inning game. The inning began with a single by Foster followed by a homerun by Braman, her second of the season. Amber Steinhardt scored off a Bulldog error after picking up a single and Burnette notched her second and third RBI of the inning with a double.
Western Carolina capped of its scoring in the top of the fourth inning. Back-to-back singles by Braman and Steinhardt set up an RBI single by Shemekia Scotton scoring Braman.
Steinhardt got the call to the mound in game one. She tossed three innings of a no-hitter, with three strikeouts, before being replaced by Megan Taylor in the fourth and fifth inning. Taylor ended the game allowing one run on two hits and also struck out three. Steinhardt improves to 3-0 on the season.
Junior lefty hurler Katie King threw her second shutout of the season, improving to 3-0 on the season, in game two of the doubleheader with South Carolina State. King went five innings allowing just three hits and had a season-high five strikeouts. She was relieved by Bekah Burkett in the sixth inning. Burkette completed the game allowing two Bulldog hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Western Carolina scored two runs in the top of the second inning. The Catamounts opened the second with runners on first and second with a single by Foster and Braman getting hit by a pitch. A double steal by Foster and Braman put the duo in scoring position, moving them to second and third. Steinhardt hit and RBI single, scoring Foster, for the first run of the inning. McAteer picked up an RBI, with a grounder to the shortstop, allowing Braman to score.
The third inning was scoreless for both teams, but Western Carolina struck again in the fourth inning scoring two more runs. Braman and Morgan Wyatt led off with a pair of singles, and after Steinhardt hit into a fielder's choice, Braman was called out at third. McAteer struck again with another RBI, hitting a single to score Wyatte. King got into the scoring mix when her single to left field scored Steinhardt.
Pace closed out the scoring for Western Carolina when she hit an RBI single in the fifth inning scoring Burkett.
Braman led the Catamounts in the doubleheader with four hits, three RBI, three runs scored, and a homerun.
Fulton is looking to break a record in the upcoming games. She is currently tied for first place in the Catamount record books for stolen bases in a career with 19.
Western Carolina returns to action this weekend competing in the Tiger Invitational held at Auburn University. The Catamounts open the tournament facing Western Illinois at 8 p.m. Friday.
Georgia Southern 2, Georgia State 1
Georgia State 3, Georgia Southern 2
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Southern (3-3) split a twilight doubleheader with Georgia State at Bob Heck Field on Wednesday, February 16th as the Eagles took game one 2-1 and dropped game two 3-2. In the opener, the Eagles scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning on a Megen Smith single to left field that plated Kelly Burnett who had doubled earlier in the frame.
Georgia Southern perfectly executed a hit-and-run in the second inning of game one to open the scoring. With one out and following a Jorie Walker walk, Alexa Lewis tripled down the right field line to allow Walker to score from first base. Lewis also shined defensively for the Eagles, making several diving catches and robbing a sure extra-base hit on the warning track in left field.
Southern Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year Brianna Streetmon pitched a complete game, giving up an unearned run, eight hits and striking out three Panther batters. She improved her record to 2-1 and lowered her team-leading ERA to 2.28.
A play-at-the-plate in game two with the Panthers was the deciding factor as Georgia State held on to down the Eagles, 3-2. With one out in the top of the sixth inning and trailing by three runs, Tabby Douberley hit a double to left field to score Marie Fogle. Mackenzie Williams was sent home on the play and the relay from Panthers' Paige Nowacki caught Williams at the plate for the second out. Douberley was stranded at second as the Panthers retired the side and held on for the win.
Georgia State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on a single by Carrie Williams that brought Nowacki and Audrey Mason in to score. The Panthers extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning on Mason's home run to left field. Georgia State threatened again in the fifth inning when freshman pitcher Allie Miles entered the game, inheriting a bases-loaded jam with one out. Miles worked the Eagles out of the jam by striking out Nowacki and Mason. In all, Miles would retire the first four batters she faced, striking out the first three.
Georgia Southern returns to action this weekend to take part in Florida State's Garnet and Gold Tournament. Georgia Southern will face Florida State, Middle Tennessee State and Kentucky in pool play before beginning bracket games on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles begin the tournament on Friday at 10 a.m. with the Wildcats and return for the afternoon game with the Seminoles at 2:30 p.m.