Elon 7, UNCG 0
ELON, N.C. - A balanced attack on offense and a brilliant performance in the circle from senior southpaw Lauren Taylor provided a fitting end to the home careers of six Elon University softball seniors on Sunday afternoon, May 8, at East Field, as the Phoenix shut out the UNCG Spartans for the third straight day en route to a 7-0 victory.
Elon finishes the regular season at 29-22 overall and 12-12 in Southern Conference play, while UNCG falls to 24-30 (10-14 SoCon). Elon ends the regular season with nine straight wins at East Field and heads into next week's SoCon Tournament riding a five-game winning streak.
Today marked the final home game for seniors Hannah Shelton, Jackie Gonzalez, Caitlin McGowan, Emerald Graham, Lauren Taylor and Pam DelPizzo.
Taylor improved to 13-9 on the season with the win today after going seven strong innings and giving up four hits and four walks, while fanning two Spartans. The complete game shutout is Taylor's fourth of the season.
Rookie Carleigh Nester had a stellar day at the plate in the win, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and a run scored.
Tomeka Watson and Kaitlyn Piazzolla both recorded two hits in the victory, while senior Emerald Graham drove in two runs for the Phoenix.
The Elon offense put two runs on the board in the first to take an early lead after Graham smacked on opposite-field double into the gap in right center to plate Nester and McGowan, who doubled and singled earlier in the inning.
UNCG put a runner in scoring position in the top of the second after a sacrifice bunt by Katelyn Bedwell pushed Kaitlin Merkt over to second base. But Taylor got out of the inning without any Spartans crossing the plate after inducing a pair of groundouts to McGowan at third.
Elon loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second after a pair of singles to right by Shelton and Nester and a walk to Gonzalez gave the Phoenix momentum. After McGowan hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Shelton at third, the Phoenix capitalized on a Spartans miscue later in the play after UNCG right fielder Jordan Jewett's throw home sailed over the head of Bedwell behind the plate, allowing Gonzalez to round third base and score to make it a 4-0 game.
Two UNCG miscues led to two more Elon runs in the bottom of the third to make it a 6-0 game. After singing to start the inning and eventually reaching third, Piazzolla took advantage of a Josie Felix wild pitch to the backstop and scored to give Elon a five-run edge. Later in the inning, Gonzalez reached first base on a fielding error by UNCG first baseman Eileen Horsmon, which allowed Shelton to cross the plate and make it a six-run game.
The Phoenix loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth looking to extend its six-run lead. Following a fielder's choice from DelPizzo that led to Elon's first out of the inning, Camille Hill scored from third on a wild pitch to make it a 7-0 game. But UNCG's Hanks managed to allow just the one run to cross the plate after getting a pair of groundouts to end the threat.
Elon has locked up the No. 5 seed in next week's SoCon Tournament in Statesboro, Ga., which begins on Wednesday, May 11. The Phoenix will play at 12 p.m. against fourth-seeded College of Charleston.
Chattanooga 14, Western Carolina 6
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior designated player Michelle Fuzzard drove in five runs on the day to become the Southern Conference's single-season RBI leader with 67 in a 14-6 victory after six innings against Western Carolina on Sunday at the Catamount Softball Complex. The 19 hits for Chattanooga was a season-best for the Lady Mocs, who totaled 39 runs on 51 hits in the three-game series at the Catamount Softball Complex.
A 10-run sixth inning ignited the offense as the Lady Mocs trailed 6-4 entering the frame. The long ball was utilized by Chattanooga as junior pinch hitter Jenni Martin, junior catcher Vivian Morimoto and Fuzzard connected to drive in eight of the runs in taking a 14-6 lead.
Freshman pitcher Caroline Curran earned her first career start in the regular season finale and lasted 1.2 innings with three strikeouts before being relieved by senior Kandice Irwin. Irwin notched the victory to improve to 12-3 on the year with five strikeouts.
The Catamounts scored the first two runs of the game on three hits. It could have been more as a ball squeaked past junior catcher Vivian Morimoto, but she was able to recover and toss the ball to Curran, who applied the tag at the plate.
Chattanooga flexed its offensive muscles in the second as senior right fielder Della Harrison drew a walk and junior shortstop Jessica Traxler singled through the left side. Freshman first baseman Stephanie Rieck executed a sacrifice bunt moving the runners into scoring position.
Driving in the first run of the game was senior left fielder Lauren Flores with a single just past the first baseman.
Responding in the bottom-half were the Catamounts as Haley Pace connected on a three-run homer to take a 5-4 lead. Notching singles before the blast were Sara Spencer and Jordan Fulton.
Erin Foster added to the Western Carolina lead by connected on a solo home run to left, 6-4.
In the fourth, Flores drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Stiles. Sophomore second baseman Sara Poteat singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw home as the catcher tagged out Flores for the second out of the frame.
The Lady Mocs loaded the bases in the fifth and were unable to cut into the Catamount two-run lead. Morimoto and Harrison connected on back-to-back singles and a two-out single to right by Reick filled the bases.
Starting off the 10-run sixth was Stiles with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Poteat. Fuzzard singled up the middle to come within one run of the Catamounts. A double to right center by Baker allowed for freshman pinch runner Layne Rainey to score after the shortstop muffed a throw from the outfield on the cutoff.
After freshman Kaiti Dutton was inserted as a pinch runner, Morimoto homered to left center as Chattanooga took its second lead of the game, 8-6. It was the sixth blast of the season for the Sao Paulo, Brazil native.
With the bases clear, back-to-back singles up the middle by Harrison and junior shortstop Jessica Traxler put a runner in scoring position. Head coach Frank Reed elected to go with pinch hitter Martin, who did not disappoint by drilling a pitch over the left field fence. It was her fourth career blast as the other three came in the East Ridge, Tenn., native's freshman season.
A single by Flores and walk drawn by Stiles put two runners in scoring position once again, then a fielder's choice provided the second out of the inning.
After Fuzzard was properly reentered into the game, the Huntington Beach, Calif., native put an exclamation point on the weekend with a three-run blast. It was the 13th of the season and 26th of Fuzzard's career to move her into second place all alone in the Lady Mocs all-time home run chart. Baker holds the Chattanooga and SoCon home run record with 47.
Western Carolina came close to adverting the run rule as Spencer singled to lead off the sixth. A failed sacrifice bunt attempt by Fulton allowed catcher Morimoto to throw out the lead runner at second, but Fulton was able to take second on a heads up play as no one was covering the bag. She advanced to third on a ground out to second. Irwin ended the game fielding her position with poise and throwing out the speedy runner at first.
The Lady Mocs head to Statesboro, Ga., for the double-elimination SoCon Tournament and begin play on Wednesday at 2 p.m., as the No. 1 seed.
Appalachian State 3, Furman 1
BOONE, N.C.- Appalachian State University softball (23-21, 14-6 SoCon) outlasted Furman (16-32, 8-14 SoCon) and defeated the Paladins, 3-1 in the first of three games at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium on Sunday afternoon in front of over 200 fans.
With the win, the Mountaineers tie the mark for most Southern Conference wins in a single season at 14. The tally was previously set in 2009. It is also the most SoCon wins notched in a first season by a first-year head coach in ASU history.
Appalachian scored all the runs it needed to secure the win in the first inning of the game. Senior Katie Boyd led off the game with a walk on four straight pitches. Junior Megan Rembielak laid down a bunt down the third base line and beat out the throw for a single. Sophomore Meghan Smith dropped a hit directly on the right field line, allowing Boyd to give ASU a 1-0 lead. In the first pitch of sophomore Allie Cashion's at bat, Smith scooted down to second base for her fifth stolen base of the season. Cashion looked at three more balls and took first base. Junior Michelle Lighton flew out to left field, bringing in Rembielak and tacking on one more run to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead. Senior Hannah Dow laced a shot into left field, plating Smith and allowing her to score the last run ASU needed to secure the victory.
Boyd walked in her second at bat in the second inning, but was thrown out at home on a Smith single down the left field line.
Furman avoided the shutout by scoring one run in the top of the fifth. Emily Boyer lead off the inning with a single back up the middle and was sacrificed over to second by Katie Michaels. Stephanie Field singled through the left side, bringing in Boyer and moved over to second base on the throw that attempted to get Boyer out at the plate. Field advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Jessie Homesley grounded out to third base to end the threat.
The Paladins threatened again in the top of the sixth with Morgan Hughey doubling to right field to begin the inning. Hannah Pace reached on a fielding error by Boyd after Stephanie Spain struck out looking, but Alex Bimonte lined out into a double play to end the inning.
Neither team would allow a baserunner from that point on and ASU held on for the 3-1 victory.
Junior Caitlin Wainright (6-5) picked up her sixth win of the season in her team-leading seventh complete game. Wainright struck out six and allowed one earned run off seven hits.
Kayla Suskauer was charged with the loss and moved to 11-15 on the season.
Smith led ASU with two hits, while Rembielak and Dow added one.
The Mountaineers and Paladins face each other tomorrow in a doubleheader at Sywassink/Lloyd beginning at 11 a.m.