UNCG 7, Furman 3
Furman 8, UNCG 4
Greensboro, N.C. - Senior Morgan Hughey belted a second-inning grand slam to power Furman to an 8-4 victory over UNC Greensboro in game two of a Southern Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday as the Paladins earned a split with the Spartans. UNCG downed Furman 7-3 in game one.
Hughey, a native of Gaffney, S.C., staked Furman to a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first with an RBI single. After the Paladins opened the top of the third with three consecutive singles and a run scoring fielder's choice, the second baseman hammered a Spartan pitch over the left-center field fence for her third homer of the season to give Furman a 5-0 cushion.
Hughey, who managed two hits in the opening game of the twinbill, went 2-for-3 with five RBIs to ignite Furman's 11-hit attack. Stephanie Field, Jessie Homesley and Emily Boyer each added a pair of hits for the Paladins who improved to 11-15 overall and 5-3 in SoCon play.
Sophomore Kayla Suskauer (6-4) limited UNCG to three earned runs on six hits over seven innings to hold the Spartans (12-15, 3-2 SoCon) at bay and claim her sixth victory of the 2011 season. The Tampa, Fla., product fanned three batters and issued four walks in the complete-game effort.
UNCG's Josie Felix (4-5) suffered the loss allowing six runs on eight hits in three innings of work. She walked one batter and did not record a strikeout. Eileen Horsmon notched a solo homer for the Spartans while Alex Emeterio added a an RBI triple.
In game one, UNC Greensboro scored seven runs on nine hits, including homers by Kristen Gabel and Horsmon, to top the Paladins 7-3.
Horsmon blasted her first of two homers on the afternoon in the second inning to put UNCG in front and Gabel answered a Paladin run in the top of the third with a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame to put the Spartans ahead 3-1.
Furman pulled even in the top of the fourth as Hannah Pace scored on a wild pitch and Stephanie Spain crossed the plate on Field's RBI single, but UNCG rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Katelyn Bedwell tripled and scored on a Horsmon single to give the Spartans the lead. Horsmon scored on a wild pitch and Gabel capped the rally with an RBI single to push the margin to 6-3.
Cory Mattson earned the victory for UNCG to improve to 6-9 on the season. She limited the Paladins to three runs on seven hits over seven innings. Horsmon went 3-for-3 with three RBIs while Gabel went 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Furman freshman Lauren Collier (5-11) absorbed the loss allowing seven runs on nine hits in six innings. Hughey, Spain and Field tallied two hits apiece for the Paladins.
Furman and UNCG are scheduled to play the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
College of Charleston 3, Georgia Southern 0
Georgia Southern 4, College of Charleston 3
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston softball team split its Saturday afternoon Southern Conference doubleheader with Georgia Southern at Patriots Point. The Cougars claimed a 3-0 victory in the first game but fell in the nightcap, 4-3.
Alexa Datko threw a complete-game no hitter in the opening game to snap the Eagles' five-game winning streak. The no hitter marked the first time Georgia Southern couldn't muster a hit since Tiffany McDonald threw a no hitter against the Eagles while pitching for Florida State on March 26, 2008.
In the second game, a three-run, seventh-inning Georgia Southern rally downed the Cougars and prevented the sweep, however.
After the split, CofC moves to 19-11 (3-5 SoCon) while Georgia Southern moves to 16-18 (6-2 SoCon). The teams play the third game of the series on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. which has been moved up from the originally scheduled start time.
In the opener, Kristi Woodall snagged all three Cougar RBIs with her fourth-inning three-run home run. Woodall was 2-for-2 in the game.
Katie Forbes was 3-for-3 in the second game with two RBIs.
Carly Corthell picked up a hit in both games to extend her hitting streak to seven straight games and 22 out of CofC's last 23 games with at least one hit.
GAME ONE: CofC: 3, Georgia Southern: 0
Datko brought her best stuff to the opener and dealt seven innings of no-hit softball as the Cougars handed the Eagles just their second SoCon loss of the year. Datko walked three and struck out eight in the contest.
The Cougars managed the only runs they needed to take the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs already recorded, Amanda Lonergan drew a walk and Kelsey Hodgson was hit with a pitch to extend the inning to Woodall who capitalized with a three-run shot over the fence in right center.
GAME TWO: CofC: 3, Georgia Southern: 4
The Cougars looked to have the second game as well until Georgia Southern's three-run, seventh-inning rally declined CofC the sweep.
The Cougars gained an early lead when a pair of infield singles and an Eagle throwing error put Lizzy Vaughn on third base with one out. Katie Nutaitis executed a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Vaughn and put CofC up, 1-0.
CofC padded the lead in the second when Woodall and Hillary Stringer drew walks and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Forbes then singled back up the middle to score both runs, moving CofC ahead 3-0.
The Eagles finally managed their first hit as well as run of the afternoon in the fourth inning when Marie Fogle led off with a single to left field and Hanna Ennis doubled to the gap in the left centerfield to score Fogle from first.
Starting pitcher Stephanie Saylors regained her dominance over the fifth and sixth innings to shut down the Eagles but Georgia Southern sparked a go-ahead rally in the seventh.
Mackenzie Williams led the inning off with a double to right center followed by two singles and another double from Tabby Douberley to quickly plate the tying and go-ahead runs. Jen Rosene entered the pitching circle and prevented any further damage but CofC couldn't muster any offense in the bottom half of the seventh to counter the surge.
As mentioned, the series conclusion has been moved up to 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 27 in order to stay ahead of predicted storm conditions. Following that game, the Cougars pause from SoCon play to face South Carolina State and No. 1 Alabama next week.
Samford 12, Western Carolina 5
Samford 4, Western Carolina 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Western Carolina softball (13-19, 0-8 Southern Conference) was swept by Samford (7-24, 4-4 SoCon) 12-5, 4-3 Saturday at Bulldog field.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Samford hit four homeruns to help propel the Bulldogs to a 12-5 win over Western Carolina. Samford hit three of its homeruns in the first thee innings of the contest to build a 5-0 lead.
Western Carolina spent the next two innings chipping away at the Bulldog lead to tie the game in the top of the fifth.
With one out, in the top of the fourth, freshman Kelly Braman hit a double to right field. Shemekia Scotton hit her second homerun of the season, a two RBI shot to centerfield, to put Western Carolina on the board.
The Catamounts tied the game, at five, in the top of the fifth. Jordan Fulton led off with a single past the pitcher. With two outs, Erin Foster drew a walk, placing runners at first and second. Braman hit her second double of the game, allowing Fulton to score. Scotton followed adding two more RBI to her total, with a double to right center scoring Foster and Braman.
Samford put the game out of reach inn the bottom of the fifth inning scoring seven runs. The Bulldog scoring frenzy was capped by a grand-slam by Aaren Fisher.
Katie King started the game for the Catamounts and went two innings. Bekah Burkett came into the game in the third inning and tossed two innings. Since the game was tied while Burkett was on the mound, and the Bulldogs took the lead while she was pitching, Burkett takes the loss and falls to 0-4. Amber Steinhardt finished the game closing out the final two innings.
Western Carolina scored first in the second game of the doubleheader. In the second inning, Morgan Wyatt drew a lead-off walk and scored thanks to an RBI single by Makenzi McAteer.
Wyatt hit a solo homerun, the first of her career, over the centerfield wall for Western Carolina's second run of the game in the fourth inning. Sarah Spencer drew a walk and McAteer followed with a single to put runners at first and second. Amelia Griffin ground out to the first baseman, allowing Spencer and McAteer to advance to second and third. Fulton reached on a Bulldog error and Spencer motored home for the second run of the inning.
Samford scored in the bottom of the fourth inning. A sacrifice fly by Whitney Terry scored pinch runner Madeline Baker for the Samford's first run of the game. The Bulldogs added a second run in the bottom of the fifth inning off an RBI single by designated player Alex Adams.
Western Carolina watched a scoring opportunity slip away in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Pace laced a double to centerfield and moved to third off a single by Braman, who moved to second on the play. Scotton struck out and Foster lined out to the shortstop for the final out.
Catamount starting pitcher King looked to have the game well in hand in the bottom of the seventh inning after sitting down the first two Bulldog batters. But Samford made Western Carolina pay for failing to capitalize on its scoring chances in the seventh inning.
King gave up back-to-back singles to place the tying and go ahead run on first and second. Amber Steinhardt came into the game to face Adams in a save opportunity. But it was Adams who proved to save the day for Samford, hitting a walk-off two RBI double to win the game for the Bulldogs.
King takes the loss and falls to 6-9 on the season. Braman and McAteer each had a pair of hits in the game.
Fulton added to her run and hit totals for her career. She currently has 87 hits and needs just two for ninth place. The run she scored in the first game gives her 50 in her career and ties her for ninth. She needs two runs to take over eight in the Catamount record books.
Western Carolina completes the series with Samford on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Chattanooga vs. Appalachian State, PPD
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.- Appalachian State University softball (11-14, 4-2 SoCon) will have to wait until tomorrow to get a shot at the Southern Conference leader-Chattanooga (19-7, 3-0 SoCon) due to heavy rain and thunderstorms that are blanketing the Chattanooga-area.
A doubleheader is scheduled for tomorrow beginning at noon.