Furman 8, Elon 5
Elon 4, Furman 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. - After dropping game one of a doubleheader, 8-5, on Wednesday afternoon, April 27, the Elon softball team bounced back in game two to claim a 4-1 victory over the Furman Paladins to split on the opening day of a key Southern Conference series at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, S.C.
The Phoenix now sits at 24-21 overall and 9-11 in the Southern Conference, while Furman moves to 15-29 (7-13 SoCon) following the split.
Game One
The Phoenix could not recover from a six-run first inning from the Paladins, as starter Lauren Taylor was pulled after the first five batters of the game reached base safely via hit or walk to put Elon down early.
Elon limited Furman to a 6-2 lead in the top of the fourth after Camille Hill recorded a one-out single that scored Kaitlyn Piazzolla and Jackie Gonzalez reached on a fielder's choice that plated Pam DelPizzo.
But the Paladins reclaimed a six-run edge in the bottom half of the fourth after Jessie Homesly ripped a two-run double down the right field line to put Elon down, 8-2.
The Phoenix rallied in the top of the seventh to pull within three runs after DelPizzo came up big with a three-run double over the head of Furman right fielder Nikki Legg to make it an 8-5 game. But that was as close as Elon would come, as the Paladins' Kayla Suskauer managed to get out of the inning without any further damage to preserve the complete-game win.
DelPizzo finished game one 1-for-2 with two walks, one double and three RBI, while Hill and Emerald Graham both went 2-for-4 for the Phoenix.
Kari Pervell pitched six strong innings in relief of Taylor, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks. Taylor drops to 12-9 on the year after taking the loss for Elon.
Suskauer earned the victory for Furman to improve to 10-12 on the year after going seven innings and giving up five runs on nine hits and five walks.
Game Two
The Paladins put the first run of game two on the board in the bottom of the second inning after Katie Michaels hit a two-out RBI single to center to put runners on the corners and give Furman a 1-0 lead. Elon starter Erin O'Shea managed to get out of the inning without any further damage after inducing an inning-ending groundout to short.
The Phoenix more than capitalized on a Furman throwing error by Suskauer in the top of the third to score four runs and take a 4-1 advantage. Following the throwing error that would have ended the inning and kept Elon scoreless, but instead scored one, the Phoenix plated three additional runs on an RBI single to center from Graham and a two-run double to right center from Piazzolla to take the lead.
Tomeka Watson put the Phoenix in scoring position in the top of the fifth inning to give her team momentum after roping a two-out line drive to the gap in left center for a double. But Elon could not push Watson across the plate and it remained a 4-1 game.
Furman put runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff hit batter, single and fielder's choice at first gave the Paladins a chance to cut into Elon's three-run lead. But O'Shea buckled down and retired the next two batters via strikeout and groundout to keep it a 4-1 game.
The Phoenix threatened in the top of the sixth after Piazzolla leadoff double to center and an infield single from Hill put two runners on with no outs. But the Paladins managed to escape the inning without any runs crossing the plate to keep it a 4-1 game after Piazzolla was caught stealing at third base and a pair of pop outs.
But O'Shea would keep the Paladins in check for the remainder of the contest to preserve the win and the day-one split for the Phoenix. O'Shea went the distance for the Phoenix to improve to 9-10 on the year, giving up one run on five hits and two walks, while fanning seven Paladins.
Watson led Elon at the plate after going 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Piazzolla and Hill each tallied two hits for the Phoenix in the win.
Tomorrow's rubbermatch is set for 1 p.m. at Pepsi Stadium.
UNCG 11, North Carolina A&T 3
UNCG 11, North Carolina A&T 3
GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG swept a doubleheader from crosstown rival North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, taking both games by 11-3 scores.
In game one, UNCG (21-27) exploded for eight runs in the top of the second inning to put the contest out of reach early. The Spartans sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame, rapping out seven hits and taking advantage of two Aggie errors to blow the game open.
April Langley had a two-run single in the inning, while Alex Emeterio had a two-run triple. Kaitlin Merkt added an RBI single and Jordan Jewett hit an RBI triple, while another run scored an error and Jewett came in on a wild pitch.
The Spartans tacked on two more runs the following inning, with Aisha Figueroa scoring on another error and Merkt adding an RBI double.
North Carolina A&T (7-29) broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fourth, as Juanita Jernigan blasted a home run to center to make it a 10-1. UNCG got the run back on Merkt's third RBI hit of the game in the top of the fifth, but the Aggies would score twice more in the fifth on Ryanne Hill's two-run single. That was not enough to take the mercy rule out of effect, however, as the Spartans' eight-run bulge ended the game early.
Emeterio finished a home run short of the cycle in game one, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Merkt was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Langley and Katelyn Bedwell had two hits each in the contest. Hill was 2-for-3 to lead N.C. A&T.
Cory Mattson (11-12) scored her career-best 11th win of the season, allowing three runs on four hits, striking out five. Her counterpart, Hope Fletcher (6-12) allowed 11 runs on 14 hits in five innings.
Game two was much closer than the final score indicated, as the contest was tied at 3 going into the fifth inning before UNCG scored eight unanswered runs in the final two frames.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead on Jewett's RBI double and her steal of home in the second, but A&T answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to take its first lead of the day.
Dominique Gillard got the Aggies on the board with an RBI single, while Tiffany Macklin followed with a single through the right side to knock in Sabrina Edmonds with the tying run. A&T would take its only lead of the afternoon with some head's up base-running, as Gillard took off for home when UNCG had to throw down to first on Dominique Smith's strikeout. First baseman Eileen Horsmon's throw home beat Gillard to the plate, but Gillard slide in around the tag for the steal and the lead.
UNCG got a run back the following inning, as Langley scored from second on a sacrifice and throwing error to tie the contest at 3.
That's where the score would stay until the fifth, when UNCG would push across five runs to blow the game open. Singles from Langley and Figueroa got things started, and back-to-back walks to Emeterio and Merkt scored the Spartans' first run of the frame. Jewett followed with a sacrifice fly, while two more runs came on in a three-base throwing error by the Aggies. Katie Stripling added an RBI groundout to make it 8-3.
UNCG put the run rule into effect the following inning, with Kayla Hensley reaching on a leadoff single and eventually scoring on Merkt's sac fly to left. Langley was also able to score on the play on another A&T error, and Heather Robb's RBI single made it an eight-run spread.
Langley, Jewett and Horsmon had two hits each to lead UNCG, while Macklin and Detavia Kenan had two hits apiece for the Aggies.
Raeanne Hanks (5-3) picked up the win with 4 2/3 innings of relief. She allowed just three hits and a walk, striking out four. Tranea Jones (1-13) allowed 11 runs - just four earned - on 10 hits and four walks for the Aggies.
The Spartans return to action this weekend when they wrap up the home portion of the schedule against Samford for a three-game Southern Conference set. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by a Senior Day contest at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Spartans will honor seniors Merkt, Langley, Stripling, Hensley and Kristen Gabel prior to the contest.