Appalachian State 12, NC Central 1
Appalachian State 6, NC Central 1
DURHAM, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball put on a hitting clinic with a combined 27 hits in a doubleheader rout over N.C. Central, 12-1 and 6-1, on Saturday at Thomas Brooks Park.
The Mountaineers (4-4) tallied 14 hits in game one and 13 in the nightcap and had nine players with two or more hits in the pair of contests. Freshman Caroline Rogers led the squad with five hits and four RBIs, while senior Megan Rembielak went 6-for-8 with three runs. ASU's pitching staff held the Eagles (1-7) to nine total hits.
Appalachian didn't waste any time in game one as Rembielak earned a bunt single and scored on a RBI single from Allie Cashion. Rogers singled up the middle to score Cashion and give ASU a 3-0 lead through the first inning.
Cashion tallied her second RBI of the game on a single to first and Rogers recorded her third RBI of the game on a double to left center to score Cashion and Meghan Smith to increase the Apps lead to 6-0 in the third-inning.
Appalachian added six more runs in the fourth to seal the contest. Sarah Warnock recorded a pair of RBIs, while Rembielak, Rogers and Brittany Pierce tabbed an RBI apiece to give ASU a 12-0 advantage.
Senior Caitlin Wainwright earned her second win of the season, and only allowed three hits on 4.1 innings pitched with three strikeouts.
The Black and Gold continued their hitting display with 13 base knocks in the nightcap. The Apps took a 3-0 lead in the third-inning when Smith knocked in a pair of runs on a single to right field. Caroline Williams singled to left to score Rembielak.
N.C. Central responded with a RBI single by Sarah Kaiser to cut its deficit to 3-1 in the fourth-inning.
Appalachian increased its lead in the sixth with a pair of RBIs from Rembielak.
ASU ended the day with a home run to left field by Smith to give the Mountaineers a 6-1 lead.
Freshman Caroline Wainwright scattered six hit in the complete-game victory and fanned three Eagle batters.
The Mountaineers continue their month long road trip at Columbia, S.C. at Gamecock Invitational on Feb. 24-26 and will square off with George Washington, South Carolina and Presbyterian.
College of Charleston 4, Kennesaw State 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston softball team downed previously-undefeated Kennesaw State by a 4-2 count in the second day of the College of Charleston Classic at Patriots Point on Saturday morning.
Freshman Hope Klicker picked up the win and moved to 2-0 on the season. Stephanie Saylors earned a save in pitching 2.2 innings in relief in which she struck out three hitters.
Amanda Lonergan put the Cougars on top in the second inning when she doubled to left center to plate Mackenzie Maples and Klicker to give the Cougars the early lead.
The Owls took one back in the fourth but the Cougars added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth via RBI singles by Klicker and Kelsey Hodgson, respectively.
The Cougars conclude the Classic with a pair of games on Sunday, weather permitting. CofC is slated to play Marshall at 2 p.m. and Charleston Southern at 4 p.m.
Bucknell 2, Elon 0
James Madison 7, Elon 4
ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team suffered its first losses of the season falling to Bucknell and James Madison in the second day of the Phoenix Softball Clash. The Phoenix (5-2) were shutout, 2-0, by the Bison (1-0), while the Dukes (2-0) took a 7-4 win from the maroon and gold in the second game
Game 1
After two scoreless innings, the Bison struck first, scoring one run in the top of the third. Caryn Connors scored the run as Collie Escobar reached base on an error by Elon third baseman Aly Quintana. Connors, a pinch runner for Mallory Lyons who reached on a double down the left field line, advanced to third on a ground out to the pitcher by Kristen Zahn.
Elon put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth, starting with a double to centerfield by Danielle Lafferty. Erin O’Shea, a pinch hitter for Lauren Oldham, singled up the middle to put runners on the corners for the Phoenix, but Alex MacLean managed to get Hill to ground out to end the inning and end the scoring opportunity for the maroon and gold.
Bucknell added another run in the sixth from Collie Escobar to make it a 2-0 lead. The designated player had singled to right field to reach and advanced to second on the throw. Escobar moved to third off a fly ball to centerfield and scored after Mary Horton singled to center.
Caitlin O’Shea (1-1) took her first loss of the year after going five innings and giving up five hits and two unearned runs. MacLean (1-0) earned the Bison win, allowing only three hits and striking out five.
Game 2
Johanna Spencer scored Elon’s first run of the game in the second against JMU when Morgan Wright reached on an error by Caitlen Manning. Spencer had doubled to centerfield to reach and advanced third on a groundout by Lafferty.
The Dukes took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third off a two run single to centerfield by Sarah Mooney. Mooney scored Caitlin Sandy and Morgan Heath, who had reached on a double and walk, respectively.
After singling to center and stealing second to start the bottom of the third, Tomeka Watson advanced to third off sacrifice bunt by Carleigh Nester. E. O’Shea pushed Watson across the plate with a single to right field to tie the game for the Phoenix, 2-2.
A two-run homer to left field by Ashley Burnham gave the Dukes a 4-2 edge in the top of the fourth inning. However, the Phoenix answered once again with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Kaitlyn Piazzolla was walked by JMU’s Heather Kiefer to lead things off before E. O’Shea took her second offering from Kiefer and sent it over the fence at centerfield for a two run homerun to tie the game, 4-4.
JMU regained the lead, 5-4, the next inning off a single to center by Heath that scored Manning. Manning had reached base at the beginning of the inning off an error by Lafferty.
Two more runs came in the top of the seventh for the Dukes off a two-run single to center by Haley Johnson. Elon was not able to overcome the 7-4 deficit in the bottom of the inning and recorded just its second loss of the year.
E. O’Shea took her first loss of the year (3-1) after going 6.1 innings of work and giving up six earned runs off six hits, while also striking out six batters. The win went to JMU’s Brittany Jeans who pitched three innings after replacing Kiefer and only allowing one hit.
Watson went 4-for-4 at the plate against the Dukes scoring one run, while E. O’Shea picked up two hits in four at bats with one run scored and three RBI.
Elon will play in the final day of the Phoenix Softball Clash, facing Bucknell and James Madison again. The Phoenix will play the Bison at 11:45 a.m. and the Dukes at 2 p.m.
Furman 2, Gardner-Webb 2
Furman 6, Gardner-Webb 1
Greenville, S.C. – Furman pitchers limited Gardner-Webb to one earned run over 15 innings en route to a 3-2, 6-1 doubleheader sweep of the Bulldogs in non-conference softball action on Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
In game one, Furman freshman Lakyn Shull tossed eight innings allowing just two unearned runs on two hits to claim her first collegiate victory.
Shull (1-0) and Bulldog hurler Jessica Childers each held the opposition scoreless through seven innings before Gardner-Webb opened the scoring in the top of the eighth inning. Taylar Pridgen, who started the frame on second due to the international tiebreaker rule, scored the game's first run when Lindsea Hutchinson's sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown wide of first base. Melinda Dulkowski singled to right field to plate Hutchinson and give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth with one out and a runner on third, senior Alex Bimonte lined a single down the left field line to score Nikki Legg and trim the margin to 2-1. Jessie Homesley drew a base on balls and runners moved to second and third on a throwing error by the Gardner-Webb catcher on a failed pick off attempt. After a walk to Shull loaded the bases, pinch hitter Lauren Collier drilled the first pitch from Childers into the left-center field gap to drive in two runs and give the Paladins a 3-2 victory.
Shull issued just one walk and fanned one batter in the complete-game effort while Childers allowed two earned runs on four hits in 7.1 innings of work.
In game two, Furman posted a five-run third inning and senior Hannah Bradley tossed a complete-game allowing only one run to earn the victory.
Trailing 1-0, freshman Ambree Muller opened the Furman half of the third inning with a double to right-center and scored on freshman Taylor Jenkins' one-out single through the left side to knot the game at 1-1. Collier reached safely on a fielder's choice and the Paladins loaded the bases on a single by Homesley. Hope Smith reached on an error to drive in the go-ahead run and Stephanie Spain worked a walk to force in the third run of the frame. Bimonte upped the lead to 4-1 with an RBI infield single and Muller drew a bases loaded walk to push across the fifth run before reliever Jessica Milligan retired the side.
Bradley (1-0) struck out six batters and walk just one to secure her first win of the season. Jenkins and Homesley each collected a pair of hits to pace the Paladin offense.
Gardner-Webb (2-2) starter Cindy Boomhower (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits. Samantha Meenaghan recorded two hits and scored a run for the Bulldogs.
Furman (2-5) continues its six-game homestand on Monday when it hosts Oakland University for a doubleheader at Pepsi Stadium. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m.
No. 21 Louisville 5, UNCG 4
GREENVILLE, N.C. – UNCG held a 4-1 lead after three innings but saw No. 21 Louisville rally for four late runs to take a 5-4 win at East Carolina's Pirate Clash on Saturday.
The Spartans (1-7) seemed poised to hand the undefeated Cardinals (9-0) their first loss of the season, jumping on Louisville early. Louisville is ranked No. 21 in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and No. 23 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll.
The Cardinals got a first-inning run on Taner Fowler's RBI groundout, but UNCG quickly answered with two in the second. After a two-out walk from Toni MacReynolds and a single by Tatiana Alcala, sophomore shortstop Aisha Figueroa laced a triple to left field to put the Spartans on top.
The following inning, Alex Emeterio and Eileen Horsmon led off with consecutive doubles to increase the lead. One out later, Heather Robb hit an RBI single through the left side to score Horsmon and make it 4-1.
UNCG pitcher Erica Navarette worked around a leadoff error in the bottom half of the frame, inducing a flyout before Kately Bedwell threw out Kristin Austin trying to steal second. Navarette then got another flyout to end the frame.
The Cardinals got to Navarette in the fifth, with Jordan Trimble and Jennifer Esteban leading off with infield singles and Austin roping a double to score Trimble and knock Navarette from the contest.
Reliever Cory Mattson got a groundout before Fowler's RBI fielder's choice pulled Louisville within a run. After a walk and a strikeout, Mattson induced another fielder's choice to end the inning with the Spartans still on top.
Dominique Madruga was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth, but Chelsea Leonard and Tori Collins combined to strike out the side after that as the Spartans were unable to take on an insurance run.
Down to their last six outs, the Cardinals reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Trimble's one-out homer tied the contest at 4 before Esteban popped up for the second out.
Austin tripled to the gap in left center, followed by a Katie Keller walk to put runners on the corners. Fowler came through yet again, dumping a single into right to bring in Austin with the go-ahead run.
Now it was the Spartans who were down to their last three outs, with the heart of the order coming to the plate. Collins, now in line for the win, retired the side in order as the Cardinals escaped with the win.
Emeterio finished 2-for-4 for the Spartans. Trimble was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Cardinals, while Fowler was 1-for-4 with three RBI.
Mattson (1-3) took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in two innings. Navarette was charged with three runs on six hits in four innings.
Collins (5-0) struck out four in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Starter Caralisa Connell avoided the loss despite allowing four runs on six hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings. Leonard worked a scoreless 2 2/3 innings, striking out four.
The Spartans conclude play at the Pirate Clash on Sunday. UNCG will take on Virginia at 11 a.m. and Hofstra at 1 p.m.
Wisconsin 3, Georgia Southern 2
Georgia Southern 2, Drake 0
TAMPA, Fla. - The pitchers were the stars of the show as Georgia Southern Softball earned a split on Saturday at the USF Invitational. The Eagles opened the day with an extra innings loss to Wisconsin, 3-2, but responded in the second game of the day to defeat Drake, 2-0 on a two-hitter by Brooke Red.
-- GAME ONE (GSU 2, WISCONSIN 3) --
Georgia Southern's starting pitcher Sarah Purvis held Wisconsin to just two hits in the first six innings, but in the top of the seventh the Badgers strung together a walk and a single to chase Purvis from the game. The Badgers would use a sacrifice fly to score a run and take a 1-0 lead with the Eagles coming to bat in the bottom of the seventh.
Mackenzie Williams opened the bottom of the seventh with her first home run of the season to left center. The bomb tied the game and 1-1 and forced the second extra inning game of the season for Georgia Southern.
Wisconsin scored two runs in the eighth, the first coming via a bunt and a sacrifice fly. An error later in the inning allowed a second run to score to give the Badgers a 3-2 lead.
The Eagles opened the inning with a runner on second base, who scored on a double by Alexa Lewis. A pair of strikeouts to close the inning stranded runners on second and third as the Eagles dropped the final result, 3-2.
-- GAME TWO (GSU 2, Drake 0) --
In the second game of the day, freshman Brooke Red tossed a two hitter to earn her second-consecutive victory in the circle over the Drake Bulldogs. The Eagle freshman carried her no hitter bid into the fifth frame, recording two outs before a Bulldog batter doubled down the left field line. Only one other runner reached base, that coming with a single to the shortstop. Red struck out three batters in the outing as well.
Georgia Southern posted all the offense it needed in the fourth inning when an Andrea Tarashuk double, her sixth of the season plated Hanna Ennis. The Eagles doubled their advantage later in the frame when Tabby Douberley grounded out to send Tarashuk, who reached third on a wild pitch, home for the second run of the game.
The Eagles wrap-up the USF Invitational on Sunday afternoon against USF at 1 p.m.
Chattanooga 13, IUPUI 7
Georgia State 5, Chattanooga 1
ATLANTA, Ga. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team opened the Georgia State Panther Invitational with a 13-7 victory after six innings over IUPUI (3-2) before falling to Georgia State (5-2), 5-1, on Saturday. Senior Jessica Traxler blasted two two-run home runs against the Jaguars, setting a new career high, while Chattanooga (4-3) recorded 13 hits.
The Lady Mocs used the long ball, offensively in game one, as freshman outfielder Nicole Osterman and senior catcher Vivian Morimoto each notched their first home runs of the season along with Traxler.
Freshman pitcher Taylor Deason earned her third win of the year, tossing 2.1 innings of relief and fanning three against IUPUI. The starter for Chattanooga was senior Michelle Fuzzard, who went 3.1 innings, allowing one earned and three unearned runs while striking out one.
In game two, Deason took her first loss of the season for the Lady Mocs, logging five innings with three strikeouts, but gave up four earned runs. Fuzzard completed the game, tossing two scoreless innings and yielding just one hit.
Five Lady Mocs scattered hits against the Panthers in the second game, including a RBI single by Fuzzard, who moved past former Lady Moc Tiffany Baker on the UTC all-time RBI charts with her 164th, and a double by sophomore center fielder Kaiti Dutton.
Chattanooga's defense committed four errors in the first game, but bounced back without an error against Georgia State, the first time this season.
Chattanooga will play at 12:15 p.m. Sunday after Georgia State and Eastern Illinois play a make-up game originally scheduled for Saturday. Links to live stats and free audio can be found on the softball schedule page.
North Dakota State 3, Western Carolina 2
Mercer 12, Western Carolina 4 (6 innings)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -Western Carolina softball (3-5) dropped a pair of games in day two of the Seminole Classic 2. The Catamounts fell to North Dakota State 3-2 and lost to Mercer, in six innings, 12-4.
It was a tight game against North Dakota State, who earlier in the day was just edged by Florida State, 2-1; a Seminole team that defeated Western Carolina 9-1, in five innings, on Friday.
Western Carolina took the early lead, scoring two runs in the fourth inning, after three scoreless innings by both teams. Amelia Griffin led off the inning with a single and promptly stole second. Griffin was pushed over to third on a sacrifice bunt by Haley Pace. The Catamounts scored their first run of the game on a triple RBI by Erin Foster which also earned her the No. 1 spot for triples in the WCU record books with four. Foster scored the second run of the inning on an RBI ground out by Shemekia Scotton.
After tossing four scoreless innings the Catamounts' senior lefty hurler Katie Kinggave gave up her first run of the game, to North Dakota State, with one run in the bottom of the fifth. In the top of the sixth, the Bison's Amanda Grable hit a lead-off homerun to tie the game at two.
Grable's homerun knocked King out of the game and she was replaced by Bekah Burkett. King ended the game with a no decision, giving up two runs on five hits. Eventually, Burkett would take the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season, when she gave up the winning run when Jamie Gay hit an RBI single.
Western Carolina had just four hits in the game, but for the second straight game, the Catamounts finished a game error free.
Mercer jumped on Western Carolina early to start the Catamounts second game of the day. The Bears slugged it out against WCU starting pitcher Amber Steinhardt who gave up four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Trailing 4-0, the Catamounts cut the Mercer lead to one run, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. With one out, designated player Robyn Burnette started things off with a single to centerfield. Megan Taylor walked, putting runners at first and second. Freshman Heather Chastain’s ground out moved Burnette to third and pinch runner Alex Church, subbing in for Taylor to second. Megan Crowe drew a walk, loading the bases with Catamounts. When an illegal pitch was called, Burnette went home for WCU's first run of the game. Sophomore Jordan Fulton’s single to centerfield sent Church and Crowe home, but the Catamounts failed to continue the inning when Fulton was thrown out at third.
In the second inning, Mercer tacked on an additional run to lead 5-3.
Again, Western Carolina trimmed the Mercer lead to one run, scoring in the top of the third inning. Griffin led off the inning with a single and Pace followed with a double, placing runs on second and third. Burnette hit a ground out RBI to score Griffin, to put the score at 5-4 Mercer.
Steinhardt was replaced by freshman Jordan Garrett after two innings of work. Garrett threw three scoreless innings, holding Mercer at bay, but the Catamounts couldn't back her up and put together any offense.
The failure to capitalize, as Garrett held Mercer at bay, came back to haunt the Catamounts in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Bears scored seven runs in the sixth to go up by eight runs and cut the game short by one inning.
Steinhardt takes the loss and falls to 0-1. Griffin and Burnette each had a pair of hits in the game.
Western Carolina will turn around and get a second chance with Mercer on Sunday. The two teams will meet again at 11 a.m. Sunday in the final day of the Seminole Classic 2.