Furman 6, Oakland 1
Furman 6, Oakland 2
Greenville, S.C. – Sophomore Lauren Collier fanned nine batters in a complete-game victory in game one and belted two home runs in game two to lead Furman to a 6-1, 6-2 doubleheader sweep of Oakland University in non-conference softball action on Monday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
With the sweep, Furman extended its winning streak to four games and improved to 4-5 on the season. Oakland dropped to 0-2.
Collier (1-3), a native of Maineville, Ohio, limited the Grizzlies to just a single run on four hits to earn her first victory of the season in game one. The right-hander struck out nine Oakland batters without issuing a walk in seven innings of work to notch her second complete game of the season.
Furman took the early lead with single runs in each of the first two innings. Collier lined a single through the right side to score Nikki Legg in the first before Natalie Clemmons’ base hit to right field plated Stephanie Spain an inning later.
In the fourth, Hannah Pace was hit by a pitch to start the frame, Clemmons reached on a bunt single and Ambree Muller delivered a base hit to load the bases with no outs. Legg’s groundout to second base scored the third Paladin run of the afternoon and Clemmons raced home on a passed ball to put Furman ahead 4-0 after four innings.
Furman added two more runs with a two-out rally in the sixth inning as Legg reached base with a bunt single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double over the centerfielder’s head off of the bat of Taylor Jenkins. Collier followed with a single to left-center to score Jenkins and up the Paladin lead to 6-0.
Megan McQueen drove in the lone run of the game for Oakland in the top of the seventh to spoil the shutout bid by Collier. Brittany Doyle (0-1) allowed six runs on 10 hits in six innings to suffer the loss for the Grizzlies.
Collier went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI in game one while Clemmons collected two hits and Legg scored two runs for the Paladins.
Furman continued its offensive attack in game two as the Paladins registered 10 hits, four for extra bases, in a 6-2 triumph.
After Oakland plated an unearned run in the top half of the first inning, Furman got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Lakyn Shull walked, Hope Smith singled and Clemmons drew a base on balls to load the bases. With two outs, Legg drilled a single to center field to score two runs and put the Paladins ahead, 2-1. Collier doubled the lead in the bottom of the third by leading off the frame with a towering solo homer down the left field line.
Oakland mounted a rally in the top of the sixth inning. Leah DiCristofaro reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second with two outs on a passed ball. Shannon Cleveland lined a two-out single up the middle to trim the lead to 3-2 and chase Paladin starer Shelby Parker. Reliever Lakyn Shull got Dani Dulberg to groundout to second base to end the threat with the tying run on second.
Furman put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth. Legg beat the throw from the catcher for a bunt single and Jenkins reached on an error. Collier followed by crushing a three-run homer to left-centerfield that cleared the Pepsi Stadium scoreboard and gave the Paladins a 6-2 lead.
Shull, who picked up her first career save, worked around two singles in the seventh to finish the game. Parker (1-1) earned her first collegiate victory in the circle after holding the Grizzlies to a pair of unearned runs on six hits in 5.2 innings of work. She walked just one batter and fanned four.
Collier, who clubbed her second and third homers of the season, finished 2-for-4 with four RBI while Legg and Jessie Homesley also collected two hits apiece.
Katie Moy (0-1) allowed five earned runs on 10 hits in six innings to absorb the loss for Oakland.
Furman is idle until February 29, when it concludes a six-game homestand with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against USC Upstate at Pepsi Stadium.