Chattanooga 9, IUPUI 1
Chattanooga 10, Northern Iowa 3
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Senior third baseman Tiffany Baker led the Lady Mocs with two home runs going 4-for-4 in day two of the Frost Classic. Chattanooga is now 11-3 on the season after beating IUPUI, 9-1, in five innings and Northern Iowa, 10-3.
Senior pitcher Kandice Irwin got the decision in both contests to improve her record to 4-1 on the season. She combined to pitch seven innings, while striking out two and giving up only one unearned run in front of a crowd of 635 spectators that made their way to Warner Park for the tournament that ran on four fields.
Another home run was blasted by senior right fielder Della Harrison (Nashville, Tenn.) against the Jaguars. She tied junior Michelle Fuzzard with her fourth of the campaign.
After a 3-for-3 performance and three RBI against IUPUI, Fuzzard ended a streak of 11-consecutive at bats with a hit that dated back to the 4-3 win over UT Martin on Feb. 12. She drilled three home runs and had two doubles, two walks and 12 RBI during that stretch.
Senior left fielder Lauren Flores drove in four runs and picked up two hits during the doubleheader, while sophomore shortstop Jessica Traxler and Harrison crossed the plate four times.
The Lady Mocs are back in action on Sunday with a matchup against UT Martin at 11 a.m. to conclude the Frost Classic. Live stats and video or audio will be available for the game.
Game One: Chattanooga 9, IUPUI 1 (5)
Chattanooga notched a 9-1 victory against IUPUI on Saturday at the Frost Stadium led by sophomore second baseman Sara Poteat, who registered two hits and drove in three. Baker notched a two-run homer and Fuzzard went 3-for-3 against the Jaguars.
The Lady Mocs totaled 12 hits during the contest as junior shortstop Jessica Traxler, freshman Natalie Powers and Harrison registered multi-hit games.
Earning the start was senior pitcher Nikki Waters throwing 2.2 innings giving up a single hit before Irwin came on in relief with the bases loaded to compete the five inning contest.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Fuzzard just missed a home run off the yellow line at the top of the fence in right center. Baker had her back and connected on her second homer of the season off the scoreboard in left providing the Lady Mocs with a 2-0 lead.
In the third, the Jaguars threatened by loading the bases on Waters with two outs, but Irwin came in to retire the side on a ground out to Poteat.
Leading off the third was Harrison with a home run to right extending the Chattanooga lead to three.
After a walk to junior shortstop Jessica Traxler and a throwing mistake allowed for senior right fielder Lauren Flores to reach, senior center fielder Lyndsey Stiles manufactured a run with a sacrifice fly to center.
With a runner in scoring position and two outs, Poteat delivered a clutch RBI single that dropped in front of the right fielder down the right field line to put the Lady Mocs up 5-0.
IUPUI began the fourth with two slow rolling infield singles and a third bloop singe with one out loaded the bases. A groundball fielded by Irwin, who tossed it to Powers at the plate and she turned the double play to end the threat.
Two infield singles by Harrison and Traxler started a Lady Mocs rally in the fourth. With an RBI single up the middle, Powers added to the Lady Mocs advantage. The second sacrifice fly of the game for Chattanooga by Flores provided a 7-0 advantage on the Jaguars.
The Jaguars clawed back with one run in the fifth as two lead off singles put runners at the corners and Leah Prewitt knocked in the only one on a groundout to Baker. The inning ended on a ball lined to Traxler at short, who threw it across the diamond to get a would-be base stealer at first.
After a fly out by Harrison to the warning track in right center, Traxler put the Lady Mocs back in business with a single down the left field line, then Powers singled to left.
Now with two outs, Stiles drew a walk to load the bases and Poteat delivered a walk-off single that plated two as the run rule came into effect, 9-0.
Samantha Bumbaugh, Amy Raker and Nicole Natter tossed innings for the Jaguars during the contest. Six different IUPUI players notched base hits.
Game Two: Chattanooga 10, Northern Iowa 3
In the 10-3 victory over Northern Iowa, the Lady Mocs were in a battle for the first four innings with a two-run lead, but a five-run fifth lifted them to the win. Baker posted a 3-for-3 performance along with her second homer of the day and drove in one.
With three RBI, Flores went 2-for-2 and scored two runs, while junior catcher Vivian Morimoto notched a clutch two-RBI single for the Lady Mocs.
This time Fuzzard was handed the ball for Chattanooga to start things off, but ran into trouble in the third as Irwin once again pitched the Lady Mocs out of a bases loaded jam. Irwin finished the contests logging 4.2 innings and fanning two to improve to 4-1 on the season.
After shutting down UNI in the first, Fuzzard flew out in the bottom of the inning to end her streak of registering a hit in 11-straight at bats.
Erranne Daugharth began the second frame for Northern Iowa with a first pitch home run to left. It was the only time the Lady Mocs trailed on the weekend.
The Lady Mocs responded in the bottom-half as Baker, Tydingco and Harrison hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases. Morimoto put the Lady Mocs up 2-0 on a single through the right side and advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Harrison came around to score on a sacrifice by Flores.
Northern Iowa started off the third with two infield singles to short and a walk to fill the bases. Courtney Dunker singled up the middle driving in two runs, before Irwin came on to retire the side with two outstanding plays at third by Baker.
With a single out in the third, Chattanooga retook the lead on a Baker home run to dead center. It was the third of the season for the East Ridge, Tenn., native.
With two outs in the fourth, Flores doubled into the left field gap and scored on a bloop RBI single down the left field line to extend the advantage to two, 5-3.
In the fifth, Baker walked and was pinch ran for by freshman Layne Rainey. Following walks to Tydingco and Harrison, junior Jenni Martin pinch hit for Traxler and reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop, which allowed Tydingco and Harrison to score to increase the lead to 7-3.
After reentering the game for Martin, Traxler and Morimoto scored on a Flores, single who advanced to third on the throw to the plate. Flores then gave UTC a 10-3 lead after scoring on a wild pitch.
Northern Iowa was led at the plate by Hannah Borschel with two hits, Courtney Dunker with two RBI and Eranne Daugharthy with a home run. Jaye Hutchenson took the loss going four innings and striking out four Panthers.
Appalachian State 10, Gardner-Webb 0
Appalachian State 11, UNC Wilmington 3
WILMINGTON, N.C.- Appalachian State University softball (5-9) completed a sweep of the tournament field at the Seahawk Classic by run ruling Gardner-Webb, 10-0, in five innings and knocking off host-UNC Wilmington for the second time, 11-3.
ASU 10, Gardner-Webb 0
The Mountaineers were slow out of the gates in its first game of the morning by only collecting one hit through two innings, but turned it on in the third stanza.
Senior Sarah Rappe began the third by singling to shortstop to give ASU only its third base runner of the game. Senior Katie Boyd grounded out to third base, advancing Rappe and she continued her terror on the base path by stealing third, making the SoCon's steals leader from a year ago, a perfect eight-for-eight on the season. Junior Megan Rembielak bunted her way on in an attempt to squeeze Rappe home, but no movement was made. Rembielak stole second, giving the Apps runners on second and third. Sophomore Meghan Smith flew out to right field and allowed Rappe to plate the Mountaineers' and game's first run.
Sophomore Allie Cashion walked in the next at bat and senior Hannah Dow singled to right field, scoring Rembielak and allowing Cashion to make it to third, sparking the Runnin' Bulldogs to make a pitching change, bringing in Presley Wesson for Jessica Childers. Dow advanced to second on a pass ball and junior Michelle Lighton singled, moving over to second after GWU tried to throw out Cashion at the plate. With runners on second and third, the pitching troubles continued for Wesson as she threw another bad pitch causing Dow to score and Lighton to make the uncontested walk over to third.
Senior McKenzie Phillips walked in the next at bat and stole second with ease, but a fielding error allowed Lighton to plate Appalachian's fifth run of the inning. Sophomore Hayley Grabner continued the attack by singling to left field, but was caught trying to thieve second base to end the inning.
Despite getting two hits out of two of its three leadoff batters in the third, Gardner-Webb was not able to piece anything together to counter ASU's scoring in its half of the inning.
That did not stop the Mountaineers from not scoring anymore runs as the Black and Gold kept its foot on the gas, notching three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to end the game via the run rule.
The win gave junior Caitlin Wainright (1-2) her first victory of the season. The Greenville, N.C.-native only allowed four hits, three walks and struck out two in the complete-game performance.
Appalachian was led offensively by Lighton and Rappe, who tallied two hits apiece, in the shutout. Rappe also added another steal to her stat line, making her a perfect nine-for-nine on the season.
ASU 11, UNC Wilmington 3
ASU continued its strong offensive onslaught well into the second game against the tournament host.
Boyd notched a leadoff single to left field to begin the initial inning and Rembielak followed up by getting on due to a fielding miscue by UNCW third base Torres. Smith singled to right field in the next at bat, loading the bases full of Mountaineers. Cashion grounded out next, but was able to get a RBI with Boyd crossing home for the game's first run. Runners moved over via a pass ball, allowing Rembielak to score the second Appalachian run. Dow and Lighton went down in order afterward ending the first inning of play.
The Black and Gold added two more runs in its half of the second, despite not recording a hit, to go up 4-0.
Neither team would score in the third act, but ASU tagged three more runs to the scoreboard in its portion of the fourth.
Boyd walked to start the fourth and Rembielak garnered a hit to shortstop to put two runners on for Smith. Smith grounded out to first base, but Cashion came through with her third double of the season, plating Boyd and Rembielak. Cashion came around to score after a Dow single and Lighton fielder's choice.
The Seahawks would get its first and only runs of the game in the fifth frame on two hits and two Mountaineer mistakes.
In the bottom of the sixth with ASU on top 7-3, Rembielak earned a leadoff walk and Smith singled to first base to give Appalachian runners on first and second. Cashion notched her second free pass of the game to load the bases for the Apps. Dow came through with her second hit of the contest to center field, allowing Rembielak to become a Mountaineer run.
After Smith was forced out at home, sophomore Sheridan Phillips, who came in to pinch hit for Grabner, stepped up big with a three-RBI double to close the door on the game for the Seahawks.
Sophomore Frannie Seader picked up the victory after allowing three runs on seven hits, while adding two strikeouts and two walks.
Sophomore Louise Gibson finished up the game for Seader, but did not earn the save.
Smith and Dow led the ASU offense with two hits each, while Cashion and S. Phillips added four RBIs and three RBIs, respectively.
Appalachian returns to action on the diamond on Mar. 4-6, taking in four games at the Lipscomb Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. First pitch for the Mountaineers is on Friday against Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m.
Georgia Southern 11, Belmont 0
Georgia Southern 6, Middle Tennessee State 5
AUBURN, Ala. - Georgia Southern swept day two of the War Eagle Classic at Auburn University, easily dispatching Belmont 11-0 in five innings before rallying past Middle Tennessee State, 6-5, in the nightcap. Andrea Tarashuk and Tabby Douberley had career days for the Eagles (6-9) against the Belmont Bruins. Tarashuk tallied a career-best three hits and four RBI. Douberley tied her career best for hits (two) and set a career mark for RBI with four.
Tarashuk led off the second inning with a double off the top of the wall. Douberley tripled to plate pinch runner Nicole Benton and open the scoring against Belmont. Megen Smith singled in the next at bat to put runners on the corners. Later in the inning, Smith stole second base, but Douberley would get caught in a run-down. Smith wisely continued to round the bases as Douberley was tagged out. Belmont attempted to catch Smith at third base, but an errant throw allowed the senior to score to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Jorie Walker reached on a hit a hard single past the Belmont first baseman. Kelly Burnett then singled to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved them both into scoring position. Tarashuk delivered with a two- run double to left-center, extending the Eagles' lead to 4-0. Following a Douberley walk, Smith doubled to centerfield, to further Georgia Southern's lead to 5-0 after three innings.
Hanna Ennis reached base via a walk in the fourth inning and Breigh Findlay pinch ran for her. Bethany Crenshaw singled through the left side of the infield to advance Findlay and Walker posted an RBI to score Findlay off a hard single that caromed off the Bruins' pitcher. Burnett loaded up the bases with a walk and Tarashuk brought both Crenshaw and Walker home with a single up the middle. Douberley brought the final two runs of the game with her first home run as an Eagle.
After falling behind to 2-0 early to Middle Tennessee State in game two of the day, Georgia Southern rallied with two outs in the top of the fourth. Ennis singled to shallow right centerfield and Crenshaw singled up the middle to put runners on first and second base. Marie Fogle singled through the right side to score Benton, who was running for Ennis, and advance Crenshaw to third base.
For the second time on Saturday, with runners on the corners, the Eagles executed a delayed steal to perfection. Fogle went for second base and got caught in a run-down. Crenshaw scurried towards home plate while the infielders were distracted by Fogle. A collision at home plate between Crenshaw and the Middle Tennessee catcher, Natalie Ysais, caused the ball to pop free to give the Eagles their first lead, 3-2.
Middle Tennessee rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Nina Davenport tripled to left field scoring Kelsey Dortch. Kandra A Blue Raider single restored lead to 4-3. MTSU tacked another run on in the fifth inning when Dortch had an RBI double and widened the Blue Raider lead to 5-3.
In the top of the seventh inning, Georgia Southern came through in the clutch. With one out, Smith smashed the game-tying home run with Douberley on board thanks to her single. The long-ball tied the game at 5-5. Burnett doubled and advanced to third on a fly out by Mackenzie Williams. Ennis singled in the eventual game-winning run as the Eagles prevailed 6-5.
Freshman pitcher Allie Miles earned the win in both contests, improving to 3-4 on the season. She pitched a complete game against Belmont and allowed just one hit while striking out seven and walking just one. In the Middle Tennessee State game, she came on in relief of Brianna Streetmon. Miles pitched three and a third innings, and allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts.
Georgia Southern Softball concludes play in the War Eagle Classic at Auburn's Jane B. Moore Field Sunday, February 27th, against Murray State at 12:30 p.m.
Western Carolina 7, Rider 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (8-5) defeated Rider (0-3) 7-1 in day two action at the North Carolina A&T Invitational Saturday at the Aggie Softball Complex.
The Catamounts bounced back from a four-game losing skid to defeat the Broncos.
Junior left hurler Katie King tossed a complete game and improves to 4-3 on the season. She allowed one run, which wasn't earned, on five hits and struck out four.
The Catamounts had 12 hits against Rider. Western Carolina was paced by sophomore outfielder Jordan Fulton who was 3-of-4 and scored a run. Morgan Wyatt, Erin Foster and Kelly Braman each had two hits.
The game was scoreless for two innings before Western Carolina got on the board in the third inning. Back-to-back walks by Haley Pace and Makenzi McATeer were followed by Jordan Fulton's single to set up bases loaded with no outs for the Catamounts. Pace attempted to score but was thrown out at home when Amelia Griffin reached first on a fielder's choice. An RBI single by Wyatt plated McAteer for the first run of the inning. With two outs, Braman laced a shot to right field for two RBI scoring Griffin and Fulton.
Western Carolina came back in the fourth inning to score two more runs. Shemekia Scotton singled to lead off the inning and then stole second. McAteer's single RBI scored Scotton for the first run. Fulton hit a double pushing McAtter to third and McAteer scored off a wild pitch.
After tossing five scoreless innings, King was scored against by Rider in the sixth inning. Rider scored on a passed ball.
The Catamounts added two more runs in the seventh inning. Fulton and Griffin led off with bunt singles. Fulton was caught stealing third attempting to break the Catamount career stolen base record. Fulton currently has 19 in her career and needs just one. Wyatt hit a single RBI to centerfield to score Griffin. Erin Foster hit the second triple of her career, scoring Wyatt.
Western Carolina completes action in the North Carolina A&T Invitational on Sunday at 9 a.m. against IPFW.
South Carolina 2, Elon 0
Elon 8, South Carolina 1
COLUMBIA, S.C. - After eight straight home games, the Elon University softball team played in its first road contest of the season today, Feb. 26, in a doubleheader at South Carolina. The Phoenix split the series with the Gamecocks falling 2-0 in the first game before topping the Gamecocks, 8-1, the nightcap. Elon moves its record to 8-2 on the season, while South Carolina is now 9-4.
Game 1
After a relatively quiet three innings, South Carolina came alive in the fourth after compiling two runs off three hits. A one-out double to left center by Kelley Dillion put Jackie Slawson in as a pinch runner. Slawson would eventually make her way home off a wild pitch and then a throwing error by sophomore Camille Hill to put the Phoenix behind, 1-0. Samie Garcia's RBI single later in the inning gave South Carolina a 2-0 edge.
Elon attempted a comeback in the sixth after sophomore Tomeka Watson attempted to spark an Elon rally with a two-out single up the middle. But Elon would leave Watson stranded on base after South Carolina pitcher Audrey Broyles managed to get out of the inning without any damage after striking out Jackie Gonzalez to end the threat.
Senior Lauren Taylor (4-1) picked up her first loss of the season after going six innings in the circle and giving up two runs off four hits, striking out a pair of Gamecocks. Broyles (2-1) picked up the win and the shutout giving up just two hits, striking out six and walking no batters.
Elon's two hits in the game came off a single in the first by senior Caitlin McGowan and Watson's single in the sixth.
Game 2
The Phoenix came storming back in the second game against the Gamecocks scoring three runs off just one hit in the top of the first. Watson was walked to start off the game and then advanced to second off a bunt by Gonzalez. After USC starter Julie Sarratt hit McGowan to load the bases for senior Emerald Graham, the Southern Conference leader in runs batted in sent a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Watson and give her squad a 1-0 edge. An RBI single by junior Erin O'Shea scored Gonzalez to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead. Elon tacked on one more in the inning following a South Carolina pitching change to claim a 3-0 advantage.
The Gamecocks tried to answer quickly with two singles in the bottom of the first, but starting pitcher O'Shea got consecutive batters to fly out and pop up to get out of the inning and leave two Gamecocks stranded on base.
After Kaitlyn Piazzolla's leadoff double in the top of the third, junior Danielle Lafferty stepped up to the plate and sent the first offering over the left field fence for her first homer of the season to give Elon a commanding 5-0 lead.
After three and a half scoreless innings, Graham extended Elon's lead after her two-run double to right center gave the Phoenix a 7-0 lead. O'Shea would then reach on a fielding error that scored Graham and gave the Phoenix an 8-0 lead.
The Gamecocks managed to score a run in the seventh to make it a seven-run game, but Elon's offense and a solid effort in the circle from O'Shea proved to be too much for USC in game two.
O'Shea pitched all seven innings for the Phoenix in game two to earn the win, allowing one run on six hits and a walk to improve to 3-0 this season.
Watson recorded two hits in the game for the Phoenix extending her hitting streak to 10 games (one in every game this season). Graham finished the game with three RBI to improve her season total to an impressive 16.
The Elon softball team travels south to Florida next weekend to play in the Stetson Classic at Stetson University, March 4-6. The Phoenix takes on Tennessee State in its first game of the tournament on Friday, March 4, at 11 a.m.
Notre Dame 2, College of Charleston 0
College of Charleston 8, Marist 1
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston softball team split its pair of games in the CofC Cougar Classic at Patriots Point on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars fell in the opener to Notre Dame, 2-0, but bounced back to beat Marist, 8-1.
Alexa Datko was tagged with the loss against the Fighting Irish despite a complete-game, two-run performance in the circle.
Jen Rosene picked up the win against Marist by pitching 4.1 innings with one run allowed and three strikeouts. Stephanie Saylors pitched 1.2 innings perfectly and Kylie Day made her collegiate debut with a perfect seventh inning to close the game.
GAME ONE: Notre Dame: 2, CofC: 0
Notre Dame, who is favored to win the Big East and is receiving votes in the national poll, got a solid pitching performance from 2010 Big East Pitcher of the Year Jody Valdivia and kept the Cougars off the board.
The Fighting Irish picked up a run in the top of the second when Amy Buntin singled up the middle, advanced to second on a hit-by-pitch and stole third base before Laura Winter plated her with a sacrifice fly.
They tacked on one more in the third with a leadoff double by Alexa Maldonado and an RBI single from Heather Johnson.
After the third, Datko held Notre Dame to just two hits but the Cougars were unable to cut into the lead.
GAME TWO: CofC: 8, Marist 1
The Cougars stayed on the field after the Notre Dame loss to bounce back with a strong, all-around performance to easily get past Marist. Lizzy Vaughn led the way offensively by going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a triple.
The Cougars opened the offense early in the contest with a three-run first inning. Kristi Woodall led off with a walk before Carly Corthell was hit by a pitch and Katie Forbes loaded the bases with a bunt single. Marist hoped to work out of the jam when they picked up two quick outs but Courtney Clark delivered a two-RBI single followed by an RBI single from Vaughn.
Marist cut into the 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth with a pair of singles backed up by an RBI fielder's choice by Alyssa Zahka.
The Cougars stretched the lead again in the bottom half of the fifth with three consecutive singles to start off the inning by Corthell, Forbes and Amanda Lonergan. Vaughn tripled later in the inning with two outs to make the score 6-1.
In the sixth, Blakeney Sitton reached on a fielding error before Katie O'Brien doubled off the top of the left-field fence in her first plate appearance as a Cougar to score one run. The next batter, Katie Nutaitis, singled to score one more, making the score 8-1.
Day came in to pitch in the top of the seventh and put the Red Foxes down in order to preserve the win.
NEXT UP:
The Cougars conclude the CofC Cougar Classic with a game against Iowa State at approximately 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Indiana State 7, Samford 0
Samford 13, Alabama 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team split a pair of games Saturday on day two of the Magic City Classic at Bulldog Softball Field. The Bulldogs fell, 7-0, to Indiana State in the second game of the day before routing Alabama State, 13-0, in the fourth game of the day. Samford is now 3-10 on the season.
In the first game against Indiana State, the Sycamores got their first run off a solo home run by Bailey Wittenauer to lead off the second inning. The second run was scored when the batter, Stephanie Jonson, reached first base on an error. ISU put up three more runs in the third inning, starting with a score on a wild pitch. Then Alyssa Marcum homered to left field to increase the Sycamores' lead to 5-0.
In the fourth inning, Alex Baumgart batted in ISU's sixth run with one out while the Sycamores' seventh run came in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly.
Kayla Burris (2-5) took the loss for the Bulldogs, giving up five earned runs on nine hits in six complete innings of work. She struck out two batters and allowed no walks.
Marcum led the Sycamores with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, two runs and two RBI. Wittenauer went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI while four other ISU players tallied a hit as well.
Lindsey Beisser (2-1) recorded 10 strikeouts and gave up just one hit in a complete seven-inning appearance in the circle.
In the second game of the day, Samford jumped out to a quick lead against Alabama State after Kayla Shaffer led off the first inning with a walk then stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on Julianne Surane's sacrifice fly.
The Bulldogs then put up five more runs in the second inning, starting with a single by Lakan Smith to bring in Regan Bates from third. Smith then scored while Burris reached on an error at first base, and later Adams singled to score Burris from third and Shaffer from second. The Bulldogs led 6-0 going into the third inning.
Samford added three more runs in the third inning when Smith doubled with two runners on and one out. The hit scored Bates and then Smith scored on an error by the third baseman. Shaffer then singled to score Fisher from third.
Two RBI singles in the inning fourth put Samford up 11-0 in the fourth inning, and Adams's two-run homer in the fifth inning extended the Bulldogs' lead to 13-0. The home run was Adams' first of the season and the team's fifth.
Burris' no-hitter was erased when Breeya Wright got a base hit to lead off the fifth inning but Samford quickly recorded three outs and walked away with their third victory of the season.
Bates went 2-for-2 with two runs while Smith was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Adams went 2-for-4 with a run and four RBI while five other Bulldogs also tallied a hit.
Burris earned her second win of the season, giving up just one hit while recording five strikeouts and allowing only one walk in five innings.
Stephanie Hernandez (3-8) took the loss, giving up eight earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out one batter and walked three. She also had three hit batsmen.
In other action at Bulldog Field Saturday, Eastern Illinois defeated Alabama State, 14-1, in the 10 a.m. game. In the 3 p.m. game, Lipscomb defeated Radford, 3-1, and St. Louis upended Radford, 1-0, in a eight-inning pitcher's duel, in the 8 p.m. game.
Samford closes out play in the Magic City Classic Sunday at 2 p.m., against Radford at Bulldog Field. Stephen F. Austin and Eastern Illinois start things off at 9 a.m., followed by St. Louis and Lipscomb at 11:30 a.m.
Minnesota 1, UNCG 0
Minnesota 8, UNCG 6
GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG saw seventh-inning rallies far short twice Saturday as it dropped a pair of close games to Minnesota at the Spartan Classic, falling 1-0 in the first game and 8-6 in the second contest.
The Spartans (6-8) will now play in the tournament's consolation game at 11 a.m. Sunday against Morehead State (4-9), which suffered a pair of mercy-rule setbacks to Kansas (13-1) on Saturday. Minnesota (7-6) will take on the Jayhawks for the Spartan Classic title at 1 p.m.
In UNCG's first game Saturday, starter Josie Felix was locked in a pitchers' duel with the Golden Gophers' Sara Moulton, with Minnesota scratching across the lone run of the game in the sixth inning.
Kari Dorle got the rally going for the Gophers with a one-out single up the middle, and after Jessie Hathaway's bunt single put runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Natalie Neal singled up the middle to bring in pinch-runner Kristin Coonrod. Felix escaped further damage with a strikeout and a lineout, but that was the only run Minnesota would need.
The Spartans had their chances in the seventh, as Kaitlin Merkt reached on an error to lead off the frame. Jordan Jewett followed with a flyout to deep center, and pinch-runner Ashley Reetz, who tagged up the move to second, was called out for leaving first base early to seemingly kill the rally.
Down to its last out, UNCG sent pinch-hitter Ally Johnson to the plate, and Johnson reached on another Minnesota error to give the Spartans new life once more. Moulton got out of the jam, however, getting Katelyn Bedwell to ground out to third to end the game.
Alex Emeterio had UNCG's lone hit of the contest, a double to the gap in left center in the first inning. Moulton then retired the next 12 in order before Bedwell reached on an error in the fifth. A Kristin Gabel walk gave UNCG multiple base-runners for the first time on the afternoon, but Moulton got a grounder to end the inning.
Felix (2-2) took the loss despite a solid performance, allowing one run on seven hits and a walk. She struck out a career-high five.
Moulton (6-4) allowed one hit and one walk and struck out eight.
Game two against the Gophers again saw UNCG stage a late-inning rally, but it once again fell short.
Trailing 8-3 going into the seventh, the Spartans seized the momentum with three runs and threatened for more. April Langley's leadoff double was followed by Gabel's RBI single to right, and a walk to Reetz and an Aisha Figueroa single up the middle loaded the bases with no one out to chase Alissa Koch.
Jewett followed with a sacrifice fly deep down the left field line to score Gabel, and Emeterio's grounder scored Reetz to make it an 8-6 affair. Moulton nailed down her first collegiate save with a strikeout looking to end the threat, however, sending the Gophers to Sunday's title game.
Figueroa, Emeterio, Bedwell, Langley and Gabel had two hits each as UNCG matched its season high with 12 hits in the game.
Aubrey Davis was 3-for-5 with two runs for Minnesota, while Dannie Skrove was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Cory Mattson (2-5) took the loss, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and eight walks in 6 innings. Koch (1-2) picked up the win with 4 1/3 innings of relief of Moulton, allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out seven.
Moulton, who started the game, earned the save after re-entering in the seventh. She allowed three runs on four hits and five walks in 2 2/3 innings.