Chattanooga 9, Southeastern Louisiana 0
MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team completed the South Alabama Mardi Gras Tournament undefeated after notching 15 hits in a 9-0 victory against Southeastern Louisiana (4-6). Junior pitcher Michelle Fuzzard was the star of the game recording the victory in the circle and added a 3-for-3 performance at the plate including a home run and four RBI.
In the circle, Fuzzard started and threw a perfect first three innings besides a walk along with two strikeouts for Chattanooga (7-3). Senior Kandice Irwin threw the next two frames and fanned three. The season debut for freshman Caroline Curran was in the sixth and she threw two innings and registered a strikeout. The pitching staff combined to two-hit the Lady Lions.
Offensively, senior outfielder Lyndsey Stiles was a threat all day on the bases, swiping two bags as she went 3-for-5, scored three runs and drove in another.
Fifteen players were given an opportunity during the Sunday matinee as head coach Frank Reed allowed some of the younger players some playing time during the final three frames. Freshman Chelsea Watson took over for senior Tiffany Baker and classmate Kaiti Dutton played right field, while junior Vivian Morimoto earned the start behind the plate.
Chattanooga began the first inning with a leadoff single by Stiles, who took no time in stealing second. Then, sophomore Sara Poteat laid down a sacrifice bunt that the third baseman threw down the right field line as Stiles came around to score.
With Poteat now on third, Fuzzard singled to left center as the Lady Mocs took a 2-0 lead. Sophomore first baseman Kasey Tydingco doubled into the left center gap as Fuzzard cruised into third. The Lady Mocs were unable to add to their lead as Southeastern Louisiana recorded the final two outs.
After Fuzzard retired the Lady Lions in order in the bottom of the first and second, she led off the third with a home run just to the left of center to put Chattanooga up, 3-0. Then, Baker beat out an infield single on slow roller to the shortstop. She advanced to third on consecutive ground outs and added another run on Morimoto's single down the right field line.
In the fourth, Flores started off with a single to left, then Stiles laid down a perfect bunt in front of the plate for an infield single. Poteat loaded the bases on a single through the right side.
With the bases full, Fuzzard delivered again with a single down the right field line scoring Flores and Stiles. Drawing a walk on the relief pitcher, Baker reloaded the bases and freshman Layne Rainey entered the contest for Fuzzard, but Chattanooga could not get the next hit that would break the game wide open.
The fourth inning was the beginning for Irwin, who retired the side with just one runner left on base.
Leading off the fifth, sophomore shortstop Jessica Traxler drew a walk and advanced to second on a ground out. Poteat drove her in with a double down the left field line as Chattanooga went on top, 7-0.
Irwin fanned two in the fifth and Dutton entered the game in right.
In the sixth, Curran, the southpaw, entered the contest in the circle for Chattanooga. It was her first appearance of the season.
For the Lady Mocs in the seventh, Morimoto singled up the middle, reached second on a ground out and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Stiles singled through the right side scoring Moimoto and stole her eighth base of the season before a Poteat triple into the gap in right center put the Lady Mocs up, 9-0.
For Curran in the bottom of the frame, she struck out a Lady Lion looking on a perfectly placed off speed pitch before a fly out ended the contest.
Kenna Terry and Elise Kittrell pitched for Southeastern Louisiana and combined to strikeout two. Tori Sheppard and Trish Bliss registered the only singles of the contest.
The Lady Mocs begin the Frost Classic on Friday with a doubleheader against Toledo and East Tennessee State starting at 2 p.m. Chattanooga also welcomes IUPUI, Northern Iowa, Northwestern (La.) State, UT Martin and Tennessee Tech to the Scenic City for the three-day event.
UNCG 5, Eastern Kentucky 2
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - UNCG got another two-hit game from redshirt senior Kaitlin Merkt and used a four-run sixth inning to down Eastern Kentucky 5-2 in the title game of the First Pitch Classic on Sunday.
The Spartans (6-4) went 4-1 over the course of the three-day tournament in taking the title. It was UNCG's first tournament title under coach Jennifer Herzig and came at Herzig's alma mater, Charlotte, which hosted the tourney.
The game was tied at 1 entering the bottom of the sixth but UNCG was about to take control. Senior Kristen Gabel and freshman Aisha Figueroa led off the inning with consecutive singles, and April Langley reached on an error to load the bases. Alex Emeterio and Merkt followed with consecutive RBI singles, while freshman Katelyn Bedwell lifted a sacrifice fly to right to knock in the third run of the inning. Emeterio was also able to score on the play, making it a 5-1 game heading into the seventh.
The Colonels (2-3) got a run back in the seventh, as Cheyanne Pounds knocked in Shannon McQueen with one out. UNCG starter Cory Mattson got the final two outs, however, locking up her second win of the season.
EKU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, as Diane Gallagher led off the game with a single and stole second. Cassi Gibson followed with a single of her own to bring in Gallagher with the first run of the game.
UNCG answered with a run in the second, with Heather Robb's double scoring Merkt, who led off the frame with a single.
Mattson (2-3) allowed two runs (one earned) on just four hits and three walks in 7 innings.
Kristin Perry (1-1) took the loss for the Colonels, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in 5 innings.
Merkt is off to a phenomenal start to the season, as she is 14-for-29 (.483) with six multi-hit games in UNCG's first 10 contests of the season. She was 7-for-14 at the First Pitch Classic.
UNCG returns to action next weekend when it hosts its annual Spartan Classic from Feb. 25-27. Kansas, Minnesota and Morehead State will join the Spartans in the four-team field.
Elon 4, Dayton 0
ELON, N.C. - Junior pitcher Erin O'Shea set the tone for the Elon University softball team on Sunday afternoon, Feb, 20, as her complete game two-hit shutout helped the Phoenix top the Dayton Flyers 4-0 at East Field. Winners of its last five games, Elon improved to 4-0 on the weekend in the Elon Invitational and to 7-1 on the season.
O'Shea (2-0) faced four over the minimum batters faced for the game and tallied seven strikeouts while walking two. The Flyers (1-3) were left to minimal scoring opportunities and only once did a runner reach second base.
After a quiet first inning, Elon came alive in the second after senior Emerald Graham led off the inning with a single up the middle, which was followed by an infield single from freshman Carleigh Nester that put a pair of runners on base. Once O'Shea then reached after a fielding miscue by the Flyers on a bunt to load the bases, senior Pam DelPizzo delivered and got the Phoenix on the board with a two-run single to right center to give her squad an early 2-0 advantage.
In the third inning, Nester came up to bat with senior Caitlin McGowan on first after a walk. Nester sent an RBI triple down the right field line that just stayed fair. McGowan scored on Nester's triple to make it a 3-0 game for the Phoenix.
Elon added its final run in the fourth using some small ball. Sophomore Tomeka Waston started the inning with a single up the middle and senior Jackie Gonzalez immediately laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Watson into scoring position. McGowan followed with a RBI single to center for a 4-0 advantage.
Nester was the only Elon player who had a multi-hit game with her 2-for-3 performance. DelPizzo finished 1-for-2 with two RBI after her big play for Elon in the second.
Dayton's Rachel Archer accounted for the only two Flyer hits of the game.
Elon goes on the road for the first time this season when it travels to Columbia, S.C., to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks for a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 26. The first game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m at Beckham Field.
College of Charleston 6, Towson 3
College of Charleston 3, Morehead State 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston softball team won its pair of games in the final day of the CofC Cougar Classic at Patriots Point on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars were dominant in a 6-3 victory over Towson in their opener and beat Morehead State, 3-2, in dramatic walk-off fashion in the tournament's final game.
CofC (4-3) finished the tournament with a 3-2 record and tied with several teams for the Classic's best record.
Alexa Datko and Stephanie Saylors both picked up wins in the pitching circle for the Cougars on the day.
GAME ONE: CofC: 6, Towson: 3
In the opening game, the Cougars trailed for most of the game until a five-run outburst in the fifth inning blew the game open. Datko went the distance to get the win and allowed two earned runs and struck out ten batters.
Towson (2-3) took an early lead in the game when Rachel Miller led the game off with a double to the left-field fence. The next batter, Andrea Stevenson, singled up the middle and Miller was able to score on a Cougar throwing error on the play. Miller advanced all the way to third on the error and scored on Sammi DiPompo's RBI sacrifice fly, putting Towson up 2-0.
The Cougars got one back in the bottom half of the first when Carly Corthell legged out a bunt single and stole second before Amanda Lonergan singled off the first-base bag to score Corthell.
The Tigers' 2-1 lead held until the Cougars rallied in the bottom of the fifth. Kelsey Hodgson led the inning off with a walk and Hillary Stringer reached base when Towson unsuccessfully tried to get an out at second on her sacrifice bunt. Corthell then got on with another bunt single to load the bases for Lizzy Vaughn whose RBI sacrifice fly plated the tying run. Next up, Kristi Woodall cleared the bases with a triple to right-center field to put CofC up, 4-2. Later, Katie Nutaitis doubled to right center to move two more runs across.
Towson plated a run in the top of the sixth but Datko (2-1) shut them down the rest of the way to preserve the win.
GAME TWO: CofC: 3, Morehead State: 2
The Cougars pulled out a win in the second game in dramatic fashion with a game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
The Eagles struck first in the first inning with a single and stolen base from Elizabeth Wagner and an RBI single from Amber Riddle.
The Cougars took a lead in the third inning with singles from Stringer and Woodall and a walk from Woodall to load the bases. Lonergan drew an RBI walk and Nutaitis grounded to shortstop to score another run, putting CofC on top, 2-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Sam Woodall singled and Kayla Ashbrook tripled to plate the game-tying run.
In the bottom of the seventh, Vaughn led off with a double to left center and Woodall moved her up to third with a ground ball. Vaughn was able to scurry home on a wild pitch to win the game for the Cougars.
Saylors (2-2) pitched seven innings allowing six hits and striking out 11.
The Cougars return to action when they host Charleston Southern in a non-conference doubleheader at Patriots Point on Tuesday, Feb. 22. The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
Middle Tennessee State 9, Georgia Southern 7 (12 innings)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Georgia Southern Softball dropped a heartbreaker to Middle Tennessee State 9-7 in 12 innings in the consolation game of Florida State's Garnet and Gold Tournament at JoAnne Graf Field. A 3-0 Eagle lead slipped away as the Blue Raiders posted seven unanswered runs in the middle innings. Georgia Southern rallied with four runs in the sixth to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Middle Tennessee posted two runs in the 12th inning to secure the win. Sunday's game was the Eagles' best offensive performance of the season in runs (7) and hits (16).
Georgia Southern (4-7) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as Marie Fogle homered in GSU's first at-bat of the game. The Eagles extended their lead in the second inning to 3-0 when Andrea Tarashuk singled to lead off the inning. Jorie Walker advanced Nicole Benton, who was pinch running for Tarashuk, to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Tabby Douberley earned a walk and Hanna Ennis singled to load the bases. Alexa Lewis brought Benton and Douberley home with an RBI single.
Middle Tennessee State would respond in the top of the third inning. A single by Kayla Toney scored two runs to get the Blue Raiders within one run. In the fourth inning, Middle Tennessee scored four runs to take its first lead of the game, 6-3. The Blue Raiders put another run on the board in the sixth when Kelsey Dortch scored on a single by Abel for the 7-3 MTSU lead.
With the bases loaded with Eagles and one out in the bottom of the sixth, Ennis smacked a double to left-center to put three runs on the board. Tarashuk had singled to left field to open the frame and Walker reached on an infield error. Douberley's hard single up the middle grazed the Blue Raiders' pitcher to stack the bases for Ennis. Fogle drove in Ennis for the tying run on a hot-shot down the left field line. GSU left Fogle stranded on second.
Middle Tennessee State reclaimed the lead in the 12th inning. Brittney Banania single with one out to start the Blue Raider rally. Nina Davenport singled to left field putting runners in scoring position. A single by Abel brought in the winning runs.
Shelby Morrill singled to lead off the bottom of the 12th inning and Walker followed with a bunt single. Douberley loaded the bases with a Texas-league single. With one out in the inning, Lewis flew out to center. A quick throw to second base retired Walker, who had wandered too far away from second, to end the game.
The 12-inning affair ties the Georgia Southern record for the longest in program history, with a 4-3 loss to Centenary in 1992 ranking as the only other game.
The Eagles will play again next weekend in the War Eagle Classic at Jane B. Moore Field on the campus of Auburn. Georgia Southern will face Marshall, Auburn, Belmont, Middle Tennessee State and Murray State in a pool play tournament. The tournament starts for GSU on Friday, Feb. 25th at 11 a.m. EST against Marshall.
Georgia State 3, Appalachian State 0
ATLANTA, Ga. - Despite outhitting Georgia State (5-4), Appalachian State University softball (1-8) fell to the Panthers, 3-0, on Sunday afternoon at Bob Heck Field. The win gave the Panthers' head coach Bob Heck his 700th career victory and the 800th victory for the GSU program.
The Panthers, who were the visiting team, put up two runs early in the game to set the pace. Jessica Clifton started off the top of the first inning with a single to center field. Whitney Phillips got on via a fielder's choice and Clifton advanced to second. Lauren Jones singled to shortstop and Phillips moved over to second base due to the first Mountaineer error of the game committed by senior shortstop McKenzie Phillips. Clifton plated the first Panther run on the play, putting GSU up 1-0. GSU base runners then stole both second and third base, putting Jones on second and Phillips on third. Paige Nowacki then continued the inning by singling to center field, allowing Phillips to score and Jones to move over to third. Emily Whitaker then helped out the Appalachian defense by hitting into a double play to end the inning.
In the Mountaineer half of the first inning, senior Katie Boyd walked to start the inning, but senior Sarah Rappe grounded out to the pitcher, moving Boyd over to second base. Sophomore Meghan Smith singled to right field, allowing Boyd to move over to third base. But the next two batters got out preventing ASU from scoring.
Appalachian picked up a hit and stolen base from M. Phillips in the second stanza, while shutting down the Panthers in the second and third innings.
ASU got two more hits in the third after Boyd and Rappe singled back-to-back in the bottom of the third, but the Mountaineers were not able to capitalize and left both runners stranded.
Nowacki doubled to center field to start the fourth, but sophomore Frannie Seader picked up two key strikeouts and a groundout to end the Panther assault.
Seader grounded out to third base to start the bottom of the fourth, but M. Phillips, who was hitless coming into today's game, tripled to center field. Junior Megan Rembielak and sophomore Hayley Grabner then both hit into fielder's choices loading up the bases for ASU. But Boyd and Rappe lined out to third base and center field, leaving three Mountaineers stranded.
The Panthers got one more hit in the fifth, but were not able to tack on anymore runs.
Smith garnered a leadoff double to left center field to start the Mountaineer fifth, forcing GSU to doing a pitching change. Sophomore Allie Cashion singled next to left field, allowing Smith to move over to third. Sophomore Sheridan Phillips was called upon to pinch hit for senior Hannah Dow and drew a walk, while Seader hit into another fielder's choice, allowing the Panthers to get the out at home. Two more groundouts forced ASU to leave the bases loaded and not get any runs across the plate.
In the GSU top of the sixth, Jones grounded out to M. Phillips at shortstop for the first out of the inning, but Norwacki followed up with a home run to left field to put the Panthers up, 3-0. Tiffany Bess and Whitaker grounded out to end the inning.
Appalachian got one more baserunner in the bottom of the sixth from a Rappe walk, but that was the last runner they would get on the base path for the remainder of the game, falling 3-0.
Seader notched the second complete game of her career, giving up six hits and three runs, while striking out four.
Smith and M. Phillips led the Mountaineers, offensively, combining for four of ASU's game-high seven hits.
The Mountaineers continue their tournament schedule as they head to Wilmington, N.C. to play in the Hughes Bros. Tires Seahawk Classic hosted by UNC Wilmington Feb. 25-26. First pitch for ASU is at 10 a.m. against Dayton.
Auburn 7, Western Carolina 2
AUBURN, Ala. - Western Carolina softball (7-3) closed out day three at the Tiger Invitational with a 7-2 loss to host Auburn (9-0) Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field.
Trailing by four, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Western Carolina avoided a shutout making things interesting in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Catamounts sliced the Tiger lead in half with a pair of runs.
Sophomore catcher Haley Pace led off the sixth inning with a double to center field. Catamount outfielder Jordan Fulton drew a walk and WCU had runners on first and second. Pace got into scoring position when she stole third and Fulton advanced to second. Western Carolina posted two runs on the board when freshman designated player Morgan Wyatt blasted a two RBI single to center field plating Pace and Fulton.
Auburn put three more runs on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning. Amber Steinhardt, who had come into the game in relief, gave up a single, an RBI triple and a two RBI homerun for three runs by the Tigers.
Junior lefty pitcher Katie King started the game on the mound for the Catamounts. She went 3.1 innings allowing three runs on five hits and struck out one. King took the loss in the game and falls to 3-3 on the season. Sophomore Bekkah Burkett relieved King and went 2.1 innings allowing one hit but had six walks. Steinhardt ended the game tossing 1.1 innings giving up four runs on five hits.
Catamount Kelly Braman broke up Auburn pitcher Jenee Loree's no-hitter in the second inning with a bunt single. It was Western Carolina's best scoring chance, of the game to that point, as Shemekia Scotton was hit by a pitch prior to Braman's at bat. With runners on second and third, after Braman stole second and Scotton moved to third, Western Carolina's chance was lost when Makenzi McAteer struck out and Amelia Griffin popped up to third base.
Loree was replaced by Angel Bunner in the third inning and Bunner got the win, improving to 3-0 on the season.
Braman ended the game 2-for-3 with a pair of bunt singles. Pace was 1-for-2 with a run scored, Wyatt was 1-of-3 with 2 RBI and Jordan Fulton had a run.
Western Carolina returns to action Friday, February 25 at the North Carolina A&T Invitational.
Troy 6, Samford 2
TROY, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team rounded out its first weekend on the road Sunday, falling to Troy by a score of 6-2 in a bonus game after the conclusion of the Quality Inn Classic. The Bulldogs went 1-4 on the weekend and fall to 2-8 on the season.
The Bulldogs started the weekend with a 1-0 win over Central Arkansas Friday afternoon before falling to Bradley, 10-2, Friday evening. On Saturday, Samford fell to North Florida, 3-2, and Troy, 4-1, to round out play in the Quality Inn Classic.
Redshirt freshman Brianna Chambers and true freshman Julianne Surane earned spots on the Quality Inn Classic All-Tournament Team after their performances this weekend.
Chambers led the Bulldogs in their game against North Florida, posting a 3-for-4 performance at the plate including a triple to lead off the game. Surane led Samford throughout the tournament, posting a .600 batting average. She started all four games, collecting six hits, a run and an RBI. She went 2-for-3 against Central Arkansas and batted in the winning run. She also went 2-for-2 against Troy on Saturday and 2-for-3 with a run against North Florida.
"I thought both Bri and Julianne hit the ball well this weekend," Samford head coach Stephanie VanBrakle said. "We just need to strive to be better."
In Sunday's game against Troy (7-3), Aaren Fisher led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. She also scored Samford's first run of the day. Six other players also had a hit for Samford including Kayla Shaffer who batted in Samford's second run of the day.
Nicole Bobrowski (1-2) started the game in the circle for the Bulldogs, giving up four runs on three hits in one inning of play. Kayla Burris pitched five complete innings of relief, giving up one earned run on five hits. She also recorded two strikeouts and allowed two walks.
Sarah Shields led the Trojans, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Five other Trojan players had a hit for Troy while Michelle Hewett and Taylor Smartt each plated two runs. Nikki Hollett and Ashley Adkins scored a run each and Hayden Gann went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Morgan Grove (4-0) earned the win, giving up just one run on seven hits in 3.2 innings of work. She recorded no strikeouts and allowed one walk. Haley Hutchins pitched the final 3.1 innings. She gave up one run on one hit, struck out one batter and allowed one walk.
Troy struck first, putting up three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Hewett hit a triple to lead off the order and plated the Trojans' first run when Smartt followed with a base hit. Gann popped up for the first out of the inning but Shields singled to bring Smartt home. With the bases load and one out, Bobrowski walked Jordan McAllister which also brought in the third run.
The Trojans extended their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Gann doubled with two runners on. Samford finally got on the board in the top of the third when Alex Adams hit a deep single to left field to bring Fisher all the way home from first base. However, Troy answered back in the bottom of the inning to move ahead, 6-1.
Samford plated another run in the top of the sixth inning when Shaffer doubled to center field with runners on second and third. However, Troy would hold Samford scoreless and would walk away with the 6-2 victory.
Samford will be back in action next weekend as it helps host the annual Magic City Classic. The Bulldogs will start tournament play at UAB, taking on Lipscomb Friday night before returning home on Saturday to play Indiana State and Alabama State. The Samford will round out tournament play with Radford on Sunday.