College of Charleston 4, Wagner 0
Middle Tennessee 4, College of Charleston 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - College of Charleston junior pitcher Stephanie Saylors tossed her first career perfect game against Wagner in the Cougars’ first game of the final day of the CofC Cougar Classic at Patriots Point on Sunday afternoon. CofC later fell to Middle Tennessee in the Classic finale.
Saylors silenced the Seahawks’ bats with a shutdown performance which kept Wagner off the base paths. She struck out four hitters on the day. Carly Corthell preserved the perfect outing when – as Wagner was down to its final out – Kelsey Parker sent a drive out to deep right center but Corthell tracked the ball to the warning track and made the squeeze as she crashed into the fence.
The Cougars provided Saylors with ample run support by tacking on a run in each of the first four innings.
CofC started things immediately with a leadoff triple by Lizzy Vaughn which was backed up by Amanda Lonergan’s RBI double.
In the second, Mackenzie Maples sent a one-out single to right center and scored later in the inning with an RBI single from Vaughn.
The Cougars continued building their lead when Kelsey Hodgson led off with a solo homerun to left center. The shot was her third of the year.
The Cougars added their fourth in the fourth inning after Ashton Jarrett singled and scored by an RBI by Lonergan.
CofC met with Middle Tennessee in the final game of the Classic and fell victim to the hot bats of the Blue Raiders. The game was a pitchers’ duel with CofC starting pitcher Hope Klicker limiting MTSU to two base runners through the first four innings. The Raiders came alive in the fifth, however, when they scored the first run of the game with Nina Dever’s RBI double.
MTSU hung three more up on the Cougars in the sixth through four hits and a Cougar fielding error.
CofC came back in the bottom half of the sixth when they loaded the bases and Maples delivered a two-RBI to left center.
CofC outhit MTSU by a 9-7 count but was doomed by leaving seven runners stranded on the bases.
The Cougars stay at home for a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader against South Carolina State at Patriots Point before heading out west for a three-game series at the University of Arizona.
UNCG 9, Rider 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Katelyn Bedwell hit her second home run in as many days and UNCG used a five-run third inning to cruise to a comfortable 9-1 win over Rider in six innings on Sunday in the final game of the Spartan Classic.
UNCG (3-8) jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back. Aisha Figueroa led off the game with a triple to right center and Tatiana Alcala lined out to right for a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0 just two batters in.
The Spartans blew it open in the third. With two on and one out, Bedwell drilled Rider pitcher Kelsey Krisch’s offering out to left to make it 4-0. Heather Robb followed with a double, Dominique Madruga singled and Toni MacReynolds brought in Robb with an RBI single. After a walk to Aubrey Baldwin, Figueroa knocked in Madruga with a groundout to second.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson, meanwhile, was on cruise control. After allowing a walk and an infield single in the first, she retired the next 10 batters before Alyssa Paul singled up the middle off Figueroa’s glove. Allysen Breeden followed with a double to the gap in right center, bringing in Paul to break up the shutout. Mattson walked the next batter but got a strikeout and a popup to end the inning.
The Spartans added two more runs in the fifth inning. Baldwin came in on Alex Emeterio’s RBI fielder’s choice and Alcala scored on Eileen Horsmon’s RBI single.
UNCG put the game in run-rule territory in the top of the sixth, with Alcala drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring in Madruga.
Figueroa, Horsmon and Madruga finished with two hits each for UNCG, while Alcala turned in an unusual line, going 0-for-1 with a run, two RBI and three walks.
Breeden had two hits to pace Rider (0-5).
Mattson improved to 2-3 on the season, allowing just one run on four hits and four walks in six innings. Krisch (0-2) took the loss, allowing six earned on six hits and eight walks in four innings. Krysti Maronski was tagged for three runs on three hits and two walks in two innings.
UNCG returns to action next weekend at the Buzz Classic in Woodstock, Ga. The Spartans will face UT Martin at 12 p.m. Friday, followed by a contest against Jacksonville State at 2:30 p.m.
North Florida 4, Georgia Southern 1
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern softball fell, 4-1, to North Florida in the final of the 2012 Eagle Classic presented by SpringHill Suites of Statesboro. The offenses logged 17 total hits in the contest to close the tournament in which Georgia Southern took a thrilling victory over Kentucky.
Kentucky won the 2012 Eagle Classic with a 3-1 overall record. Georgia Southern dropped to 3-2 in the tournament with the loss to the UNF. Marie Fogle and Sarah Purvis each earned All-Tournament team honors for the Eagles.
North Florida drew first blood in the second frame, stringing together three-straight singles to load the bases with two outs. A throwing error by sophomore Kourtny Thomas converted the would-be third out of the inning into two unearned runs for UNF and a 2-0 Osprey lead.
The Eagles answered in the bottom of the third, scoring a run on Mackenzie Williams’ RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1. The Eagles extended the frame by benefiting from a UNF throwing error that put Marie Fogle on first base.
UNF struck two-out lightning again in the fourth, producing a single with a runner on second to extend the advantage to 3-1. An RBI double in the fifth scored UNF’s fourth run of the evening as the Osprey’s tallied eight hits in the first five innings of the game.
In the bottom of the frame, the Eagles strung together two hits to up their total to seven en route to loading the bases with two outs. A strikeout, however, ended the Eagle threat with two innings left to play.
Sophomore Shelby Morrill opened the sixth with a triple to right field. She, however, would stay on third base as the Eagles could not drive in the run. Morrill’s triple was the first triple for an Eagle batter this season. It capped a 3-for-3 day at the plate for the Eagle designated player.
Georgia Southern travels to Tennessee for a midweek doubleheader against the Volunteers on Wednesday night. The Eagles return home for a non-conference doubleheader versus LaSalle starting from 3 p.m. at the friendly confines of Eagle Field.
Chattanooga 19, Dayton 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial wrapped up on Sunday as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team put on a hitting clinic notching 18 base knocks including eight extra-base hits on their way to setting a Frost Stadium record with 19 runs scored in a shutout of Dayton. Six Lady Mocs notched multi-hit and multi-RBI games led by junior first baseman Kasey Tydinco with a 3-for-3 performance including a three-run homer and four RBI.
Along with Tydingco, senior catcher Vivian Morimoto tallied three hits, while sophomore second baseman Sara Poteat, freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis, senior designated player Michelle Fuzzard and freshman third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts each had two hits. Each starter for Chattanooga had a hit on the day and the six team doubles tied a program-best that was last achieved on Feb. 23, 2005 against Tennessee St.
Roberts drove in three runs followed by Willis, Fuzzard, Morimoto and junior shortstop Ninija Suetsugu, who each plated two runs. The Lady Mocs totaled 16 RBI, which tied the program’s single-game high.
Freshman pitcher Taylor Deason tossed her first collegiate complete-game three-hit shutout to improve to 6-2 on the season. She notched five strikeouts without a walk.
Looking at the record book, the 19 runs were the most scored in the 11 seasons that head coach Frank Reed has guided the program. The only time a Chattanooga team has scored more runs was in a doubleheader sweep on Alabama State on Feb. 20, 1997 with wins of 25-0 and 22-0. The last Lady Mocs team to score 18 or more runs came in an 18-0 victory at Austin Peay on April 18, 2001.
Chattanooga began the first with Poteat beating out an infield single to second. Following a fielder’s choice and walk, Morimoto doubled into the gap in left center scoring two. Tydingco singled up the middle to put runners on the corners before Osterman connected on a double to right center, 3-0. A Roberts RBI-single down the left field line and alert base running to move to second allowed for two runners in scoring position.
Ending the scoring for the Lady Mocs in the frame was a Suetsugu single up with middle that scored two. Chattanooga made a statement in the first with six runs after having some tough luck against Purdue the previous night.
Coach Reed kept the offense going in the second as Willis started off the frame with a double to left center. Fuzzard singled her home with a ball through the right side followed by a Morimoto single to center.
The lone long ball then came off the bat of Tydingco as the three-run blast carried over the fence in right, 10-0. It was the fourth of the season for the Fairfield, Calif., native, who leads the team, and second on the weekend.
In the third, a lead-off double by Dutton to left center continued the hit parade as she advanced to third on a wild pitch. Poteat was walked and immediately swiped second, and Fuzzard was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Coming through in the difficult situation was Morimoto with a single to center that got past the outfielder to the fence and cleared the bases. Runners were put on the corners after a walk to Tydingco and Roberts dove them home with a double to right center, 15-0.
The Flyers attempted to make a two-out rally during the fourth as Brandy Brown doubled to right center. A hit by pitch and single through the right side by Alysha Issacson loaded the bases, but Deason was able to induce a groundout to third to end the frame.
Sophomore outfielder Layne Rainey started the fourth by reaching on an error and Poteat hit a base knock through the right side. Two runs scored on a double to right by Wills. Fuzzard followed it up with a lined shot to the fence and a RBI double, 18-0. Driving home the 19th run of the game was Tydingco on a single to right field.
Dayton was led offensively by Iasaacson with two hits, while Sarah Wedel, Kayla English and Sydney Cicchetti combined the circle for four strikeouts.
Chattanooga heads to Oxford, Miss., for the Red and Blue Classic on Friday with a doubleheader against Belmont and host Ole Miss scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. The Lady Mocs face Troy at 10 a.m. on Saturday before a double-elimination bracket is setup amongst the four teams.
Appalachian State 8, George Washington 2
Appalachian State 6, Presbyterian 5
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Appalachian State University softball wrapped up its weekend at the Gamecock Invitational with a pair of victories versus George Washington, 8-2, and Presbyterian, 6-5, on Sunday at Beckham Field.
The Mountaineers (6-5) were led by juniors Meghan Smith and Allie Cashion with a combined 10 hits, seven RBIs and five runs and earned all-tournament recognition. Smith batted a team-high 6-for-8 for the day adding three RBIs and three runs, while Cashion tallied four hits and four RBIs. Freshman Caroline Wainwright earned ASU's two wins with 10.2 innings in the circle and nine strikeouts.
Appalachian started off the day with five-straight singles against George Washington (0-8). Megan Rembielak scored the team's first run on a Smith single up the middle. Cashion added two more runs on a base knock to right field and gave ASU 4-0 lead when she stole home. Senior Lindsay Whitlock ended the Apps first frame with a RBI single to the pitcher to extend ASU's lead to 5-0.
The Mountaineers continued their offensive in the second-inning with three runs. Smith doubled to right center to score Rembielak. Whitlock increased ASU's lead to 8-0 on a RBI double to left field.
The Colonials got on the board in the third frame when Autumn Taylor homered to left center to score Samantha Dos Santos to cut into the Black and Gold's lead, 8-2.
Wainright fanned a career-high eight GW batters and scattered seven hit in the complete game victory.
George Washington's Courtney Martin gave up five runs and five hits without recording an out.
In Appalachian's final game in Columbia versus Presbyterian (2-6) the Apps led off first-inning with three runs. Smith recorded her third RBI of the day, while Cashion doubled to center field to score Sarah Warnock and Smith to give the Apps a 3-0 lead.
Rembielak led off the second frame with single to the shortstop, stole second and eventually scored on a passed ball to extend ASU's advantage to 4-0.
The Blue Hose's Morgan Durham recorded PC's second hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Courtney Lawton sacrifice flied to center to score Durham and get PC on the board, 4-1. Mary Ellen Morris doubled to right field to score Cat Tarvin. Padgett Harrington earned a two-out pinch hit walk help Presbyterian cut their deficit to 4-3.
The Mountaineers responded on the fifth when Whitlock led the inning off with a double to left field. Dani Heichen singled to left and stole second to put a two Mountaineers in scoring position. Whitlock scored on a wild pitch and Heichen crossed the plate on a throwing error by the catcher to give ASU a 6-3 lead.
Presbyterian rallied in the bottom of seventh with a pair of hits to start off the inning. Erin Taylor doubled to right center to score Durham and Jill McLean and put the
Blue Hose a run down, 6-5. The Mountaineers ended PC's late rally with a game ending double play.
Caitlin Wainwright started for ASU with 3.1 innings of work and gave up three runs on four hits. Caroline Wainright closed out the game to earn her fourth win of the season.
The Mountaineers head to Spartanburg, S.C. on March 2-4 for the Subway Spartan Classic where they will play a pair of games against Dayton and N.C. Central and end their weekend trip versus host USC Upstate.
Youngstown State 11, Western Carolina 3
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Western Carolina softball (5-8) dropped its final game at the North Carolina A&T Softball Invitational 11-3 to Youngstown State Sunday.
The Catamounts placed two players on the NC A&T Softball Invitational All-Tournament Team. Senior Erin Foster and junior Shemekia Scotton were named all-tournament. Scotton had a .667 batting average, in the four games, with six hits, three runs scored, five RBI and a double, triple and a homerun. Foster carded a .308 hitting average with four hits, three runs, two RBI and two homeruns.
In the final game of the tournament, Youngstown State benefitted from a huge five run fourth inning to put the game in the game against Western Carolina. The Penguins built an eight run lead, scoring a single run in the sixth inning, to shorten the game.
After starting Catamount pitcher Amber Steinhardt gave up a single run in the bottom of the first inning, the Catamounts got it back and one more in the top of the third inning. Steinhardt tossed a complete inning, giving up one run and two hits, before being replaced by freshman Jordan Garrett.
Western Carolina took a short-lived lead in the top of the third inning. A pair of RBI doubles by Shemekia Scotton and Kelly Braman gave the Catamounts a 2-1 lead.
Youngstown State would come back in the bottom of the third inning to re-take the lead with a pair of runs. In the ensuing innings Youngstown State would score in the next three innings.
Garrett, who gave up the winning runs against Youngstown State, took the loss in the game for the Catamounts. She falls to 3-4 on the season.
Scotton had three of Western Carolina’s six hits in the game, going 3-for-3. She also had two RBI and scored a run.
Western Carolina will be back in action on March 2 competing in the Buzz Classic hosted by Georgia Tech. The Catamounts open the tournament at noon on Friday against Moorehead State.
Elon 3, Presbyterian 0
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Elon softball team defeated Presbyterian, 2-1, for the third time in nine days in the final game of the Gamecock Invitational today, Feb. 26. The Phoenix went a perfect 3-0 in the tournament and is now 8-2 on the season, while the Blue Hose are 2-7.
Tomeka Watson (1-0) picked up her first win for the maroon and gold after going six innings, giving up four hits and one unearned run. Leslie Hensley (1-3) took the loss, pitching six innings for the Blue Hose and allowing two earned runs off two hits.
Watson and Camille Hill both went 1-for-3 at the plate for and scored Elon’s two runs.
The Phoenix didn’t waste time getting on the scoreboard, scoring both runs in the bottom of the first. Hill singled to the shortstop to lead things off and then moved to third on a single to right field by Watson. Watson then stole second to put two runners in scoring position with only one out. Kaitlyn Piazzolla pushed Hill across the plate for a score, while reaching on a fielder’s choice and then stealing second. With Watson on third and Piazzolla on second, a sacrifice fly to left field by Cyra Cottrell scored Watson and put Elon up 2-0.
After five scoreless innings, the Blue Hose got on the board in the top of the seventh. Hayley Bonner, a pinch runner for Erin Taylor, scored PC’s first and only run of the game off a single to right field by Padgett Harrington. Taylor reached on a fielding error by Elon third baseman Johanna Spencer, while Bonner advanced to second after a walk and to third on a wild pitch. Presbyterian’s comeback attempt fell short after Erin O’Shea relieved Watson and struck out the next two batters and got the final out to pop up to second.
Elon will compete next in Georgia Tech’s Buzz Classic in Woodstock, Ga. The Phoenix will face Kennesaw State on Friday, March 2, at 5 p.m.
Eastern Illinois 3, Samford 1
Mercer 7, Samford 4 (8 innings)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball squad let two more games get away from them in the closing day of the Samford Scramble on Sunday, as they fell to Eastern Illinois, 3-1, and then fell to Mercer, 7-4, in extra innings.
Samford drops to 3-9 on the season, as they have lost the last five games in a row. Eastern Illinois moves to 4-3 after the weekend and Mercer is now 4-7. The Bulldog offense struggled to find a rhythm Sunday, as they were out-hit 17-9 and struck out 14 times between the two games. Early inning deficits put the Bulldogs in a tough spot, as both Eastern Illinois and Mercer jumped ahead 3-0 before Samford could answer back in later innings.
Alex Adams, Caroline Seay and Robyn Harmon all had multiple hits on the day, with Adams earning three of the team’s five RBI. Rachel Bickert had a great day defensively, earning starts at second and first base with 16 putouts and five assists with no errors.
In the opening game of the day, Mercer defeated Eastern Illinois, 9-6, in eight innings.
Game One: Eastern Illinois 3 (4-3), Samford 1 (3-8)
An early lead by the Panthers would prove the difference in the game, as both offenses were limited by strong pitching. Robyn Harmon pitched a complete game on the mound for Samford, only allowing five hits and three earned runs with no walks, but takes the loss to move to 2-3 on the season. Eastern Illinois’ Hanna Mennenga earned the win with a five-hit complete game, striking out six and allowing only one run.
Alex Adams got the start at first base and went 2-2 at the plate, including an RBI single to center field in the fifth inning. Harmon, Seay and Abby Adams also had one hit each on the day.
The Eastern Illinois offense went up 3-0 early, plating three in the top of the first. With one out, a groundout to the first basemen would be enough to bring home a run from third, advancing a runner to second in the process. A single would put runners at the corners and the ensuing deep double would clear the bases, bringing in both runners to give the Panthers the early 3-0 edge.
In the following 3.0 innings, the team’s would only combine for three hits as offense was at a premium. The Bulldogs would finally break into the run column in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, shortstop Abby Adams roped an opposite field double to right center which Alex Adams followed up with a single to center field to bring the runner home from second.
The pitchers’ duel would continue until the end of the game, as the remaining 3.0 innings only saw one hit for either team, making the final score 3-1 in favor of the visiting Panthers.
Game Two: Mercer 7 (4-7), Samford 4 (3-9) - 8 Innings
Samford found itself in an early three-run deficit again against Mercer, but the Bulldogs managed to come back and tie it, forcing extra innings. However, the Bears offense came alive in the extra frame, outscoring the Bulldogs 4-1. Samford managed to limit the damage in regulation, as the Bears left seven runners on base in the first seven innings.
Nicole Bobrowski came in relief for starting pitcher Misha Aldridge in the fifth inning, as Bobrowski pitched 3.2 innings and took her first loss of the season, moving to 0-1. Aldridge pitched 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and three walks but only three runs, two earned. Bobrowski pitched well out of the bullpen but the late-game outburst gives her a tough loss.
Offensively, Samford converted on all four of their hits, scoring four and only leaving four on base. Alex Adams earned two RBI batting out of the three-hole as the designated player, while Bickert accounted for two of Samford’s four runs.
Mercer jumped ahead to an early 3-0 lead, scoring three in the first two innings. In the first, an error in right field on a single advanced the leadoff batter all the way to third and another single would bring her home as an unearned run. In the second, with two outs and two runners in scoring position, a single down the left field line would bring both runners home.
Samford didn’t waste much time coming back, as the Bulldogs would tie the game up with a three-run rally in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second and two outs, Madison Dickey put a single into right-center, bringing in Seay from second and moving Bickert to third. Alex Adams popped up to left field, seemingly ending the rally, but the Mercer outfielder dropped the ball allowing Bickert and Dickey to cross the plate on the error.
The score would remain tied through the seventh, forcing extra innings. With a runner placed on second base to start the inning because of extra-inning rules, the first batter for the Bears would be hit by a pitch, putting two on with nobody out. Two batters later, a bobbled ball at shortstop would result in an error and an unearned run with runners at first and second. Mercer followed that up with a long three-run homer, putting the Bears ahead 7-3 after the first half of the eighth.
With one on and two out in the bottom of the eighth, Samford was down to their last hitter. Harmon looked to start a rally, pulling a double down the right field line to score Bickert from second and bring Samford within three runs. However, Harmon looked to advance to third on the long hit, but was tagged out at third off a good cutoff throw by Mercer.
The Bulldogs begin a six-game road trip on Wednesday, Feb. 29, as Samford takes on in-state rival Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala. at 5 p.m.