South Carolina 7, Appalachian State 4
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Appalachian State University softball's late rally falls short to South Carolina, 7-4, on Saturday afternoon at Beckham Field.
The Mountaineers (4-5) were led by freshmen Caroline Rogers and Dani Heichen as well as senior Michelle Lighton who all recorded a pair of hits. Lighton and Rogers each tallied two RBIs and registered a nine and three putouts respectively. Michelle Gorzelle’s seven-game hit streak ended, 0-for-2, as well as Appalachian's two-game winning streak.
The Gamecocks (8-3) got the scoring started in the second when Dana Hathorn led off with a double into the left-center gap. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Hathorn came home on an error by Rogers on a ball hit by Molly Brossart. With two outs, Milks drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Samie Garcia, and launched one over the right field wall to give USC a 4-0 lead.
The Apps finally broke through with two runs of their own in the top of the sixth inning, as a leadoff walk from Allie Cashion was followed by a home run by the third baseman Rogers to cut ASU's deficit to 4-2.
South Carolina answered back in the bottom half, as Brossart led off with a walk and freshman Olivia Lawrence followed with a single through the right side. Seniors Jackie Slawson and Sam Arbaugh came in to run for Hawkins and Lawrence, respectively. After a wild pitch advanced both runners, Milks laid down a squeeze bunt to score Slawson, and in trying to take second on the play, drew a throw to score Arbaugh. Garcia kept the inning going with a single and was driven in two batters later by Evan Childs to give the Gamecocks a 7-2 lead.
In the seventh, the Mountaineers tried to rally back with four-straight singles on two outs by Meghan Smith, Cashion, Rogers and Lighton. Lighton's single to right center scored Smith and Cashion to cut the USC's lead to 7-4. Gamecocks' Kierstyn White forced Lindsay Whitlock to foul out to the first baseman to end the game.
White allowed four earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out three in the win. Caitlin Wainwright (2-3) took the loss, giving up four earned runs on four hits and two walks in 1.2 innings. Caroline Wainwright followed her older sister, tossing 4.1 innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits and two walks.
The Mountaineers will wrap up their trip to South Carolina with contests versus George Washington at 12:30 p.m. and against Presbyterian at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Eastern Illinois 4, Samford 1
Mercer 6, Samford 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford softball had a tough opening day in the Samford Scramble on Saturday, falling 4-1 to Eastern Illinois and 6-2 to Mercer.
Samford (3-7) was barely out-hit by their opponents, 13-10, but left 13 runners on base. Madison Dickey and Shelby Scott both had multiple hits between the two games, as Scott went 2-4 and Dickey went 3-7. Rachel Bickert drew bases-loaded walks in both games to earn two RBI on the day. Abby Adams only went 1-5 at the plate for the day, but her one hit was a solo home run against Mercer.
In the third game of the afternoon, Mercer (4-7) defeated Eastern Illinois (3-2), 2-0.
Game One: Eastern Illinois 4 (3-1), Samford (3-6) 1
The Bulldogs were frustrated by the Panthers’ pitching the whole game, as Eastern Illinois only allowed three hits. Misha Aldridge pitched her sixth complete game, giving up six hits and two earned runs, but suffers another tough loss dropping her record to 1-5 this season. Stephanie Maday earned the win on the mound for Eastern Illinois, improving to 3-0 on the season.
Eastern Illinois put a pair of runs on the board in the first two innings. In the top of the first, a soft hit into right field found the perfect spot just out of the reach of second baseman Robyn Harmon, putting two batters on with one out. The following batter knocked in an RBI single up the middle to bring the runner from second home. In the second, Samford overthrew the putout attempt at first, allowing the batter to move to second and then to third on the ensuing groundout. The next batter hit a ground ball but the runner at third beat out the tag attempt at home plate, making the score 2-0 after the unearned run.
After two consecutive 1-2-3 innings, the Samford offense started to pressure Eastern Illinois in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff walk and a single put two runners on with nobody out and, two batters later, a walk would load the bases with one out. Kayla Shaffer hit a ground ball and Madeline Baker was tagged out at home on the fielder’s choice. With the bases loaded and two out, Bickert drew a walk to plate Caroline Seay from third. The threat was stopped at one run however, as a groundout ended the inning.
Eastern Illinois answered back in the top of the sixth, scoring two courtesy of a close play at home plate on a groundout and an unearned score on a passed ball. The 4-1 lead after 5.5 innings would prove final.
Game Two: Mercer 6 (3-7), Samford 2 (3-7)
After two scoreless innings, the Mercer offense came alive, scoring in three consecutive innings to earn their 6-2 victory. Dickey had a great day at the plate, earning a season-high three hits in four plate appearances batting in the leadoff spot. Robyn Harmon pitched a complete game but suffered her second-consecutive loss, moving to 2-2 on the season. Kassie Bailey earned the win for Mercer and is also 2-2 this year.
Mercer’s first three runs were all courtesy of the long ball, as a two-run homer in the third and a solo homer in the fourth put them up 3-0. The Bears would add three more in the fifth, as three RBI singles put them ahead 6-0 after 4.5 innings.
The Bulldogs prevented the shutout by scoring two in the bottom of the fifth. Adams hit her second home run of the season, a leadoff solo home run to make the score 6-1. With two out and two on, Shaffer would be hit by a pitch to load the bases for Bickert. Good patience at the plate proved fruitful again, as she drew a walk to bring home Arica Dykes from third. Neither team would score in the next two innings, making the 6-2 score final.
The Samford Scramble concludes tomorrow with three more games. Eastern Illinois and Mercer open the day at noon, with Samford versus Eastern Illinois to follow at 2:15 p.m. and Samford versus Mercer to conclude the day with a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.
Western Carolina 6, Utah Valley State 5
NC A&T 4, Western Carolina 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Western Carolina softball (5-7) split a pair of games in day two of action at the North Carolina A&T Softball Invitational. The Catamounts defeated Utah Valley 6-5 before falling to host NC A&T 4-2.
The game against Utah Valley was resumed on Saturday morning after the contest was halted in the second inning due to inclement weather on Friday afternoon. Western Carolina didn’t waste anytime when the game picked back up scoring the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning.
With one out, in the third, junior Jordan Fulton singled past the shortstop. Amelia Griffin followed with a single and both she and Fulton advanced to second and third on a Catamount groundout. Fulton scored on a Utah Valley wild pitch.
Kelly Braman’s homerun to left field, in the fourth inning, tacked on a pair of runs for Western Carolina. Braman’s long ball was a two RBI shot, as she homered after Shemekia Scotton led off the fourth with a walk.
Utah Valley got its first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning, making the score 3-1.
Braman struck again for the Catamounts in the bottom of the fifth inning. She hit a two RBI single to centerfield scoring Haley Pace and Erin Foster.
Utah Valley had a sixth inning, scoring three runs. Relief pitcher Jordan Garrett was credited with the Utah Valley runs in the sixth inning. Amber Steinhardt replaced Garrett in the sixth inning and her appearance would earn a save, her second this season.
Senior lefty pitcher Katie King started the game and went four innings allowing one run on six hits. Western Carolina never lost the lead, so King got the win, improving to 1-2 on the season.
Western Carolina added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Makenzi McAteer opened the inning with a double. Alex Church pinch ran for McAteer and scored on a Utah Valley passed ball.
Utah Valley would make things interesting in the top of the seventh, pulling within one run, 6-5. With two outs, Maddy Schulz hit a homerun to trim the Catamount lead. Steinhardt forced pinch hitter Jamie North to fly out to the shortstop to end the game.
Braman led Western Carolina going 2-for-3 with four RBI, a homerun and a run scored.
After opening the tournament 2-0, Western Carolina hit a bit of a snag against host North Carolina A&T. The Bulldogs got an early 2-0 lead, in the bottom of the first inning, courtesy of two Catamount errors.
Western Carolina would fail to score in the first five innings of the game. North Carolina A&T capitalized by building a 4-0 lead, with additional runs in second and fourth inning.
The Catamounts avoided a shutout by adding a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Western Carolina got base runners in the fifth inning after Amelia Griffin reached on a Bulldog error and Pace singled through the left side. Scotton hit a two RBI triple to right center to scored Griffin and Pace.
Garrett tossed the complete game and took the loss. She allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out four, falling to 4-3. Scotton had a pair of hits for the Catamounts.
Elon 4, George Washington 1
Elon 11, Presbyterian 5
COLUMBIA, S.C. – After three straight cancelled games, the Elon softball team got back on the field today, Feb. 25, with two wins in the Gamecock Invitational. The Phoenix (7-2) defeated George Washington (0-5) by a score of 4-1 and Presbyterian (2-5), 11-5, to end the day at Beckham Field.
Game 1
The Phoenix got things going right away by scoring two runs in the top of the first. After Camille Hill grounded out to Clauss to start the inning, Tomeka Watson singled down the left field line to put a runner on for Elon. Both Cyra Cottrell and Watson found themselves safe at second and third on a failed fielder’s choice as Carleigh Nester came to the plate. A walk to Nester loaded the bases for the Phoenix with just one out. Erin O’Shea sent Clauss’ first pitch to GWU shortstop Victoria Valos whose error let her reach and scored Watson and Cottrell, putting the maroon and gold up 2-0 early.
After E. O’Shea retired all three batters in order in the bottom of the first, Elon went back to work in the second inning. Danielle Lafferty singled to right field and Hill executed a bunt to third that moved Lafferty to second and left her safe at first. With a full count, Watson singled to right field to score both Lafferty and Hill to give the Phoenix a four-run advantage.
E. O’Shea pitched five hitless innings before a giving up a run on the bottom of the sixth. A single by Valos to center field scored Lauren Wilson who had reached on a walk and advanced to second on a throwing error by Elon third baseman Johanna Spencer.
Caitlin O’Shea relieved E. O’Shea in the bottom of the seventh and sent all three Colonials back to the dugout in order to end the game with a 4-1 victory.
E. O’Shea (4-1) went six full innings for the win, facing 24 batters and giving up one unearned run off one hit, while striking out five. C. O’Shea closed out the game by retiring all three batters she faced in the seventh, including one strikeout. The Colonials Kara Clauss (0-4) took the loss after pitching all seven innings and giving up four runs, two unearned, off six hits.
Both Watson and Hill went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored one run. Watson also record two RBI.
Game 2
After Watson reached on a fielder’s choice at the beginning of the first inning, both Nester and E. O’Shea were walked by Kensley Loudermelk to load the bases. Cottrell then reached on a fielder’s choice that advanced Nester and E. O’Shea but found Watson out at home. With two outs and the bases loaded, Aly Quintana received a walk, which walked home Nester for the first score of the game. On a full count, Lafferty then singled through the right side and then advanced to second on a throwing error by first baseman Mary Ellen Morris. The error scored Quintana, Cottrell and E. O’Shea, giving the Phoenix a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the second, Elon loaded the bases with only one out after Hill reached on a bunt, a single by Watson and walk to Nester. E. O’Shea got to first on a bunt that scored Hill after an error by PC’s Loudermelk. A wild pitch then brought home Watson to make it 6-0 for the Phoenix and moved E. O’Shea and Nester to second and third. Nester scored another run for Elon off a throwing error by Blue Hose shortstop Jill McLean, which put Quintana on first safely, giving the Phoenix a 7-0 lead.
The Blue Hose answered in the bottom of the inning with five runs. Lyndsey York reached with one out off a single to center, followed by Morris, who singled up the middle and moved York to second. Both runners advanced after a bunt by McLean that loaded the bases for PC. York scored off a groundout to second by Tera Powell for the first Blue Hose run of the day. Morris made it a 7-2 game, scoring an unearned run off a muffed throw to first by Cottrell in an attempt to get out Shelby Petik. With two on, Morgan Durham hit a home run to left field to score three more runs for the Blue Hose and cut the Phoenix lead to two, 7-5.
Morgan Wright started the third inning off for Elon by doubling to right field and then advanced to third off a ground out to third by Lauren Oldham. Wright was brought home off a single through the right side by Nester to put the maroon and gold up 8-5.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Phoenix put three more runs on the board in the top of the fifth. With two outs. Hill reached on a bunt and then stole second. Watson then reached on a fielding error by McLean, advancing Hill to third. Nester was then walked for the third time of the game to load the bases for E. O’Shea, who doubled to left field for three RBI to increase the Elon advantage to six, 11-5.
Elon starter Kari Pervell gave up only one hit and struck out four in the final three innings to preserve the 11-5 victory for the Phoenix over the Blue Hose. The junior now owns a 2-0 record on the season after allowing six hits and one earned run in the complete game. Loudermelk (1-1) took the loss, also pitching a complete game, allowing four earned runs off nine hits and striking out three.
Hill went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, while E. O’Shea’s one hit of the game gave her three RBI. Nester, who drew three walks in four at bats, also recorded one hit, one RBI and three runs.
Elon will play Presbyterian again tomorrow, Feb. 26, in the final game of the Gamecock Invitational at 5 p.m.
Utah 3, UNCG 1
UNCG 5, Drexel 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG split a pair of games at the Spartan Classic on Saturday, dropping a 3-1 decision to Utah and topping Drexel 5-1. Utah dropped Rider in Saturday’s first game, while Drexel topped the Broncs in the day’s last contest.
UNCG (2-8), the designated visiting team in both of its contests, took an early 1-0 lead on Utah (9-3) thanks to a solo home run from Katelyn Bedwell in the top of the second inning.
The Utes tied it an inning later, hitting three straight one-out singles before Joni Cook lifted a sacrifice fly deep to center field, with Ashley Reetz making a nice catch on the run.
Utah took the lead on a Kelsi Hoopiiaina sac fly in the fifth inning and Tia Palauni followed with a home run to left center for some insurance.
The Spartans, meanwhile, couldn’t get anything going against starter Generra Nielson after she settled in. UNCG got all three of its hits against her in the second inning, with Toni MacReynolds hitting a double and Reetz a bunt single with two outs after Bedwell’s homer. Nielson struck out the next batter to end the threat, and Reetz’s single would be UNCG’s last hit against Nielson.
Nielson (6-2) allowed just two walks the rest of the way, and UNCG’s only other base-runner came on an error in the fifth. Nielson struck out 16 on the afternoon, allowing just one run on the three hits and three walks.
UNCG starter Erica Navarette (0-4) allowed three runs on seven hits and didn’t walk a batter in 4 2/3 innings. Cory Mattson worked 1 1/3 innings of no-hit ball in relief.
Reetz turned in an all-around solid game, as she also threw out a runner at the plate to end the first inning.
Palauni was 3-for-3 to pace the Utes at the plate.
UNCG rebounded with a win its second game of the afternoon, pounding out 12 hits to top the Dragons (2-6).
Senior Alex Emeterio got the Spartans off on the right foot with a mammoth first-inning home run that landed in the sand volleyball court well beyond the right field fence.
UNCG made it 2-0 in the second when freshman Dominique Madruga belted a double down the right field line to score Bedwell, who reached on an error to lead off the inning.
Drexel got a run back in the fifth inning, with Sylvia Llamas drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring in Devon Metcalf.
The Spartans would add some crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh. After a one-out double by Emeterio, Bedwell hit a two-out RBI single. Heather Robb followed with a line drive home run out to left to make it 5-1.
Mattson worked around a one-out error to nail down the win, earning her first save of the season. She allowed two walks in 2 2/3 innings.
UNCG starter Josie Felix (1-1) turned in her best outing of the young season, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
She allowed two of those hits and one of the walks in the first inning but didn’t allow a run. She surrendered a double by Jenn Reading in the fourth inning, but Emeterio, UNCG’s right fielder, hosed Reading at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple after Reetz crashed off the fence trying to make the catch.
Emeterio, Bedwell, Madruga and MacReynolds had two hits each to lead UNCG.
The Spartan Classic concludes Sunday. Drexel will take on Utah at 10 a.m., followed by Rider (0-3) and Utah at 12 p.m. UNCG will face Rider at 2 p.m.
Chattanooga 6, East Tennessee State 1
Purdue 6, Chattanooga 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team opened the day with a 6-1 victory against East Tennessee State (2-10) on Saturday at the Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial before suffering a tough defeat to Purdue (8-0), 6-0. Senior pitcher and designated player Michelle Fuzzard and junior second baseman Sara Poteat were perfect against the Bucs, recording two and three hits, respectively, at Frost Stadium.
Leading the Lady Mocs in the circle against ETSU was freshman pitcher Taylor Deason, who tossed a complete game five hitter to improve to 5-2 on the year. A few familiar faces were in the opposing dugout with former Chattanooga assistant Brad Irwin (2005-09) in his second year as head coach long with his graduate assistant Tiffany Baker, who etched herself in the UTC all-time record book with 50 career home runs.
The offense against the Bucs was fueled by senior catcher Vivian Morimoto and Fuzzard, each driving in two runs during the first game. Junior first baseman Kasey Tydingoc added an RBI as well as Chattanooga tallied nine hits.
Receiving the starting nod against Purdue, who was receiving votes in both polls this week, was Fuzzard, and she threw five innings with two strikeout before Deason logged the final two frames.
The Lady Mocs were on the wrong side of an outstanding catch in left center by Maia Moncheck, who robbed freshman Nicole Osterman of extra bases with three runners on base in the bottom of the second. The play ended up being a double play that eliminated all the momentum Chattanoog had built
One area that Chattanooga will be looking to improve upon is the error category as the team committed four during the contest, two of them lead to the five-run third for the Boilermakers.
Chattanooga returns to action to conclude the Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial on Sunday with a 1:15 p.m., contest against Dayton. Fans can follow all the action from the 12-team tournament through the above link to the tournament page with live stats and video. The Voice of Lady Mocs Softball, Tyler Brown, has the play-by-play call on MocsVision, a subscription-based video package.
Game One: Chattanooga 5, East Tennessee State 0
The scoring began quickly in the first as Annie Martin singled up the middle to begin the contest. Following a fielder's choice, the Bucs took advantage of a Lady Mocs' mistake that allowed two runners to be put in scoring position. An RBI-groundout from Katie Wolf put the Bucs ahead, 1-0, before Deason induced another groundout to end the frame.
In the bottom-half, Poteat led off legging out a single to short before stealing second. A walk to Fuzzard on four pitches put two runners on before an illegal pitch moved the runners up 60 feet. After Morimoto was nailed by a pitch, Tydingco knotted the contest at one with a sacrifice fly to center.
Chattanooga's offense struck for two in the second in taking a 3-1 lead. Osterman drew a walk to start the inning. The Lady Mocs took advantage of failed sacrifice bunt attempt from junior shortstop Ninja Suetsugu to the pitcher, who overthrew the first baseman as the ball went down the right field line and allowed Osterman to take third. She scored three pitches later on a passed ball to put the Lady Mocs up 2-1.
A single up the middle by Poteat ignited a two-out rally by the Lady Mocs as Willis then beat-out an infield single to short. Fuzzard stepped to the plate and came through with a seeing-eye RBI single up that eluded the second baseman and shortstop, 3-1.
Both teams were quit until the fourth when sophomore outfielder Kaiti Dutton and Poteat connected on back-to-back singles, but Dutton was erased trying to advance to third. A Fuzzard double to left tacked on another run for Chattanooga, 4-1.
The contest remained close between the two squads heading into the sixth as Poteat drew a one-out walk and Fuzzard was walked, intentionally. Morimoto came through with a clutch two-RBI double, but would be out trying to take third, 6-1.
Shelby Morris tossed a complete game for the Bucs, notching two strikeouts, while Annie Martin put together a 3-for-3 performance.
Game Two: Purdue 6, Chattanooga 0
Each team went down quickly in the first, but Purdue stranded two runners in second following a single and error.
The Lady Mocs had an opportunity to draw first blood in the second as Morimoto and Tydingco were issued back-to-back lead-off walks. A single to right center by senior shortstop Jessica Traxler loaded the bases with no outs as head coach Fran Reed held Morimoto at third.
With the bases full, Osterman sent the fifth pitch she saw on a line towards the left-center gap. The left fielder Maia Moncheck had a great read on the ball and stretched out towards center field to make the spectacular diving catch. Scoring on the play was Morimoto, but the game changed when the run was taken off the scoreboard on an appeal because the runner left early. The hard liner, which more than likely, would have scooted on the grass to the fence in left center would have scored three.
The Lady Mocs were unable to recover from the double play as they stranded three.
With the momentum swung in its favor, Purdue's Andie Varsho hit a rocket that second baseman Poteat knocked down for a single. A mistake by the shortstop on what could have been a double-play ball put two runners on base with one out. Rains hits a pitch into shallow right center that sophomore Stephanie Rieck stretched out for, but is unable to come up with the catch to load the bases.
Then, the Boilermakers strung together four hits, breaking the game wide-open with a five-spot in the frame.
In the Chattanooga-half of the inning, Fuzzard singled to right center, but would be stranded.
The next stanza Osterman had a two-out single to left, but the Lady Mocs were unable to string together back-to-back hits.
Extending their lead was the Boilermakers in the fifth taking advantage of two Chattanooga mistakes and a single, 6-0.
Another two-out hit was recorded by freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis, who pulled a pitch down the right field line into the corner as the speedster ran around the bases for a triple.
The Lady Mocs added their final hit in the bottom of the seventh as Rieck singled into the hole between first and second.
In the circle for Purdue, Katie Hackney and Lexy Moore, who improved to 5-0, combined for the shutout, while registering four strikeouts. The Boilermakers were led by Varsho, Rains and Moncheck with two hits each. Danielle Fletcher and Moncheck each drove in two runners.
Georgia Southern 2, Kentucky 1 (8 innings)
Radford 6, Georgia Southern 4
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern Softball scored its biggest win of the season on Saturday afternoon against Kentucky, stunning the Wildcats 2-1 in eight innings at the 2012 Eagle Classic presented by SpringHill Suites of Statesboro. In the night cap, however, the Eagles dropped a 6-4 decision to Radford.
– Game 1 – GSU 2, Kentucky 1 (8) –
Georgia Southern took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on the heels of two Kentucky errors. Jorie Walker reached on an error by the Kentucky second baseman, moving to second on a wild pitch. Senior Marie Fogle grounded to short, but a high throw got away from the Wildcats, allowing Walker to score.
Kentucky’s starting pitcher kept the Eagles without a hit until the bottom of the sixth when Fogle dropped a bunt to the UK pitcher. Her spot on the bases, however, was erased later in the frame on a double play.
Starting pitcher Sarah Purvis kept the Wildcats without a run into the seventh inning. Kentucky worked an inning-opening single around for a run in the top of the frame and tie the game at 1-1
In the bottom of the inning, Kourtny Thomas laced a ball up the middle for a single with one out and reached second base on a walk by Tabby Douberley. They both advanced to second and third with two outs, bringing Alexa Lewis to the plate with two outs. The Eagles left fielder, however, popped up to second base as the game went to extra innings.
Kentucky went quietly in the top of the eighth despite advancing the international tiebreaker runner to third base. In the bottom of the frame, Lewis started on second base, reaching third on Fogle’s ground out. Mackenzie Williams came up aces, driving in the winning run for a thrilling 2-1 victory with a single through the left side.
Purvis handcuffed the Kentucky batters, scattering seven hits around the one run with six strikeouts in eight innings, her longest outing of the season. She moves to 4-3 on the year with the win. On the losing end was Kentucky’s Lauren Cumbess who allowed three Eagle hits and no earned runs. She struck out five and walked three.
– Game 2 – GSU 4, Radford 6 –
The Eagles, however, could not remain undefeated with a 6-4 loss at the hands of Radford. The Highlanders scored one in the first, getting to starting pitcher Brooke Red and putting an end to her 23.0 innings without allowing a run as Radford lifted a home run in the first.
Radford tacked on three more runs in the third before Georgia Southern got off the mark with a pair of runs off the bat of Andrea Tarashuk her hit through the right side plated two runs. Two innings later in the fifth, Thomas delivered her third home run of the season, a two-run bomb to tie the game at 4-4.
The Highlanders, however, scored two more in the sixth of two runs and three Georgia Southern errors. The Eagles were tagged with six on the night, a season-high. GSU could not answer in the final two trips to the plate, finishing the game with six-straight ground ball outs.
The Eagles close the 2012 Eagle Classic on Sunday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. game against North Florida. The final day of play begins at 9:30 a.m. with Albany facing Radford.
Virginia Tech 3, College of Charleston 1
Louisiana Monroe 5, College of Charleston 4
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston softball team suffered a pair of losses in the rain-adjusted second day of the CofC Cougar Classic at Patriots Point on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars fell, 3-1, to Virginia Tech and had a last-inning comeback fall just short in a 5-4 loss to Louisiana Monroe.
Stephanie Saylors and Hope Klicker were tagged with losses on the day and share a 3-1 record in the pitching circle. The Cougars fell to 6-3 on the season.
In the opener against the Hokies, CofC surrendered two runs in the third on a solo homerun by Logan Spaw and RBI single off the bat of Kelsey Mericka. In the fourth, the Hokies went up 3-0 on Spaw’s RBI sacrifice fly.
The Cougars chipped into the lead in the fifth with an RBI single by Lizzy Vaughn which took a tall hop off the first base bag and allowed Ashton Jarrett to score on the play. CofC could get no closer, however, and eventually dropped the 3-1 decision.
In the Louisiana Monroe game immediately afterwards, the Warhawks jumped to a 5-0 lead before the Cougars put two up in the fifth. Kristy Giragosian boarded with a hard-hit single through the left side before eventually scoring on a double steal. Later in the inning, Kelsey Hodgson picked up her team-high seventh RBI with a towering double into the gap in right center which scored Vaughn.
The Cougars almost came all the way back with a seventh-inning rally but were ultimately thwarted in the comeback effort. Jarrett and Vaughn both singled and Amanda Lonergan doubled to cut the lead to 5-4, the eventual final.
The Cougars wrap up play in the Classic with two more on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars will see Wagner at 1 p.m. and Middle Tennessee at 3 p.m.