Appalachian State 4, Dayton 2
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Appalachian State University downs Dayton, 4-2, in the opening game of the Subway Spartan Classic Friday afternoon at Cyrill Stadium.
The Mountaineers (7-5) tallied five hits with no player recording more than one. The Flyers' (2-8) Alysha Isaacson was the only player to record a pair of hits. ASU extends its winning streak to three and have won five of the last six contests.
Appalachian struck first in the bottom of the first frame when freshman Caroline Rogers doubled to left field to score juniors Meghan Smith and Allie Cashion. Senior Michelle Lighton pelted her first home run of the season to left field to extend ASU's lead to 4-0.
In the fourth-inning, Dayton got on the board when Isaacson scored on a Brandy Brown ground out to Megan Rembielak. Lauren Nacke singled to short to score Kathleen Maloof and cut the Apps' lead to 4-2.
Apps' Caitlin Wainwright scattered five hits and only gave up 2 unearned runs with five strikeouts for her third complete-game on the year.
The Flyers' Kayla English allowed five hits, four runs and a walk in her second loss of the season.
The Mountaineers play Dayton again on Saturday at 1 p.m. and will face N.C. Central for the third time this season at 7 p.m. on the second day of the Subway Spartan Classic at Cyrill Stadium.
Furman 1, Alabama State 0
Furman 7, Rhode Island 3
Woodstock, Ga. -- Freshman Lakyn Shull tossed a six-hit shutout versus Alabama State and tossed four innings of relief against Rhode Island to lead Furman to a 1-0, 7-3 sweep on the opening day of the Buzz Classic on Friday at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex.
In Game one, Shull (3-1) scattered six hits and fanned seven Lady Hornet batters without issuing a walk to earn the victory.
Furman managed just three hits against Alabama State, but scored the only run it would need in the bottom of the second inning. Natalie Clemmons opened the frame with a line drive double to right-center, moved to third on Stephanie Spain’s groundout and scored when Emily Boyer lined a two-out single to right field.
Destyni Valencia (0-3) took the loss for the Lady Hornets despite giving up just one run on three hits in six innings. Brehanna Rodrigues went 3-for-3 at the plate for Alabama State (2-11).
In the second game of the afternoon, the Paladins pounded out 13 hits and plated seven runs to down the Rhode Island Rams 7-3.
The Paladins plated three runs in the top of the first off Rams starter Erika Szymanski. Nikki Legg and Taylor Jenkins opened the frame with singles and moved into scoring position on Spain’s sacrifice bunt. Jessie Homesley followed with a two-run single to right field to put the Paladins on the board and later scored on Clemmons two-out base hit.
Leading 3-1 in the top of the fourth, Hope Smith and Ambree Muller reached base to start the inning and scored on two-out, RBI singles from Jenkins and Spain. Rhode Island cut the lead to 5-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Hannah Pace delivered a pinch hit, RBI single in the top of the fifth to put the Paladins up 6-2.
Shull pitched out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings before Homesley, who reached on a double, scored on Pace’s double down the left field line to add an insurance run for Furman in the top of the seventh.
Jenkins, Homesley, Clemmons and Pace each collected a pair of hits to pace Furman’s 13-hit attack. Homesley went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI while Pace finished 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Shull allowed just one run on three hits in four innings of relief to secure her second win of the day. She issued two walks and did not record a strikeout in relief of Shelby Parker who allowed two runs on five hits in three-plus innings in the circle.
Szymanski (0-1), who gave up three runs on five hits in 1.1 innings of work, suffered the loss for Rhode Island (1-4).
Furman, now 6-7 on the season, faces Winthrop at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. Fans can follow live stats for both games at www.FurmanPaladins.com.
Elon 5, Kennesaw State 0
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Elon softball team made it four straight wins after earning a 5-0 victory of Kennesaw State today, March 2, in the Buzz Classic. The Phoenix improves to 9-2 on the season, while the Owls drop to 9-6.
Erin O’Shea (5-1) earned the shutout win for Elon, going six innings and giving up only three hits. The loss went to Jessica Cross (3-4) who allowed four runs, two unearned, off five hits.
Freshman Cyra Cottrell went 2-for-3 on the day and recorded two RBI. Carleigh Nester recorded one hit in two at bats, while scoring one run, earning one RBI and stealing two bases.
A leadoff single to left field by Morgan Wright got everything started for the Phoenix in the top of the third. Lauren Oldham then reached on a fielder’s choice as Charyssa Parent, a pinch runner for Wright, advanced to second safely on a throwing error by Cross. Camille Hill loaded the bases with a single down the left field line as Elon scored its first run after Tomeka Watson reached on a fielding error by KSU shortstop Carly Van Auken. With no outs, Nester singled down the right field line to score Oldham and leave the bases loaded. E. O’Shea singled to left center to push Hill across the plate for a 3-0 lead and advance Watson and Nester. After Cross came in to relieve Vickery, Cottrell drew a walk to bring home Watson for a 4-0 edge.
E. O’Shea and the rest of the defense retired all six batters in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, keeping off any threat from KSU. The Owls had their best chance to score in the sixth when Jensen Hackett reached on a bunt that was mishandled by Cottrell. After Cross was hit by a pitch, KSU had runners at first and second with two outs. E. O’Shea got Sharon Swanson to pop up to Wright at first base to end the inning, preserving the shutout.
The Phoenix added another run in the top of the seventh off an RBI by Cottrell. Nester drew a walk to start the inning, stole second and then advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt by Mackenzie Harrelson. A double to left center by Cottrell brought home Nester and increased the maroon and gold advantage to five.
Caitlin O’Shea relieved E. O’Shea in the bottom of the seventh, allowing only one hit and getting four of the final three batters to ground out to finalize Elon’s 5-0 victory.
Elon will continue play in the Buzz Classic with a game against Southeastern Louisiana at 1 p.m. and Georgia State at 4 p.m. tomorrow, March 3.
UT Martin 3, UNCG 2
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – Katelyn Bedwell celebrated her 20th birthday with three hits, including a two-run home run, but UNCG was swept Friday at the Buzz Classic, dropping a 3-2 game to UT Martin and an 8-3 decision to Jacksonville State.
Bedwell was 2-for-2 with the homer in UNCG’s first game of the day, against UT Martin. With the Spartans (3-10) trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Eileen Horsmon drew a two-out walk. Bedwell followed with her third homer in four games, drilling Chelsea Jones’ 1-0 offering out down the left field line to pull UNCG back within a run.
The Spartans would threaten for the walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh, with Horsmon and Bedwell again serving as the catalysts. Horsmon and Bedwell led off with back-to-back singles up the middle to put a pair of runners on with no one out, but Jones recovered to retire the next three batters in order to preserve the Skyhawk win.
UT Martin (9-7) built its lead by getting a Jenny Bain sacrifice fly in the first inning and tacking on a pair in the third. Kayla Wade knocked in a run with an RBI bunt single and Bain added another sac fly to make it a 3-0 spread early.
In addition to her two hits, Bedwell also threw out two base-runners trying to steal in the contest. With two hits each, she and Horsmon accounted for all four of UNCG’s hits in the game.
Wade and Becca Williams had two hits each to pace the Skyhawks.
Jones (7-2) picked up the win, allowing just the four hits and walking one. She struck out seven on the afternoon.
UNCG starter Josie Felix (1-2) took the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in two innings. Cory Mattson worked the final five innings, allowing no runs on five hits.
In the Spartans’ second game of the afternoon, the Gamecocks picked up just five hits but took advantage of five walks to take the win.
UNCG got out to an early 1-0 lead, with Aisha Figueroa scoring on a JSU error in the top of the first. The Gamecocks took the lead in the third, however, with Kaycee Cook hitting a two-run home run.
Jacksonville State (3-10) blew the game open in the fifth, taking advantage of four walks, a hit batter and two singles to score five runs and make it 7-1. Shelby Holley added a solo homer in the sixth to increase the Gamecocks’ advantage.
The Spartans got two runs back in the seventh, but it was not enough. Walks to Alex Emeterio and Aubrey Baldwin and a Figueroa bunt single loaded the bases with two outs, and Horsmon laced a double to left center to score Baldwin and Figueroa. JSU then brought in Sam Snow, its third pitcher of the day, and Snow needed just five pitches to induce a popup and end the game.
Figueroa, Emterio, Horsmon and Bedwell had one hit each for the Spartans, while Horsmon had three RBI.
Five different players accounted for JSU’s five hits.
Savanna Hennings (2-4) picked up the win, allowing one unearned run on two hits in six innings.
Erica Navarette (0-5) took the loss for UNCG, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits in four innings.
UNCG returns to action Saturday against Morehead State at 1 p.m. and Tennessee Tech at 4 p.m.
Chattanooga 10, Belmont 2 (5 innings)
Ole Miss 9, Chattanooga 6
OXFORD, Miss. - The Chattanooga softball team split a doubleheader to begin the Red and Blue Classic on Friday picking up a five-inning 10-2 victory over Belmont (1-12) before taking a 5-0 lead on Ole Miss (6-4) and having the Rebels score nine unanswered runs following a 90-minute rain delay in a 9-6 loss. Junior second baseman Sara Poteat went 6-for-6 on the day, while classmate Kasey Tydingco connected on her fifth homer of the season and drove in four.
Picking up the victory in the circle during the first game for Chattanooga (9-5) was senior Michelle Fuzzard, who tossed a complete-game three-hitter with three strikeouts.
Notching three hits along with Poteat against Belmont was Tydingco, who drove in three during the contest. Freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis drove in a team-high five runs in the doubleheader including a two-RBI triple against Ole Miss.
Registering three RBI against the Rebels was senior shortstop Jessica Traxler. The Chino Hills, Calif., native notched three hits in the game as well.
Suffering the loss for the Lady Mocs against Ole Miss was freshman pitcher Taylor Deason, who threw 4.1 innings and recorded two strikeouts.
Chattanooga resumes play on Saturday at 11 a.m., with a matchup against Troy. The four teams in the Red and Blue Classic are then seeded with the first contest between No. 1 and No. 4 at 3:30 p.m., followed by the No. 2 vs. No. 3 at 5:45 p.m.
Game One: Chattanooga 10, Belmont 2 (5 inn.)
The Bruins struck for the first run of the game taking advantage of a walk and two singles to take an early 1-0 lead.
Chattanooga responded with two in the second to take the lead as Poteat singled through the left side and took second on the throw to the infield. A double off the bat of Fuzzard knotted the contest at one as the ball one-hopped the fence in straight-away center. Tydingco laced a double off the fence in left to plate Fuzzard.
Another walk, this time issued to senior catcher Vivian Morimoto, filled the bases as Tydingco increased the lead to 6-1 with a two-RBI dingle down the right field line.
The third inning started off with a walk to Traxler and Roberts reaching on a throwing error by the pitcher to put runners on the corners. Sophomore outfielder Kaiti Dutton drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to right field. An infield single by Poteat loaded the bases before Roberts scored on a passed ball. Willis, then, registered a sac fly to put the Lady Mocs up 8-1.
Belmont added a run in the fourth as a walk and a RBI triple off the bat of Courtney Elrod cut the Lady Mocs lead to 9-2.
During the fourth, Morimoto drew a walk to start it off and Tydingco singled to right field to place a runner in scoring position. Sophomore pinch hitter Layne Rainey connected on a single to second, increasing the Chattanooga lead to 10-1.
The Bruins had three players notch hits as Elrod and Ashley Byers each drove in runs. Combining for three strikeouts in the circle for Belmont was Becca Gift, Mia Vierra and Katie Clancy.
Game Two: Ole Miss 9, Chattanooga 6
After Deason notched two strikeouts in the circle, Traxler led off the inning with a single up the middle. Roberts reached on a sacrifice bunt as the second baseman was unable to hold on to the ball thrown by the pitcher. Traxler, who moved up on the play, scored the first run of the contest on a wild pitch.
In the fourth inning, a two-out rally started as Rainey singled to the third baseman, swinging from the left side. Poteat put two runners on with a single to third and both runners advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch. A two-RBI triple by Willis to right center put the Lady Mocs up 3-0 in the contest.
Ole Miss rebounded in the bottom of the fifth to score seven runs and take a 7-0 lead. The highlights were a Cali Overbeck two-run double to right, a two-run home run by RT Contillo and a solo shot by Londen Ladner. Chattanooga appeared to have an opportunity to stop the bleeding as a muffed throw by the first baseman with one out kept the frame alive for the Rebels.
The Lady Mocs left two on base in six as Poteat singled to third and Fuzzard walked with two outs.
The Rebels tacked on two more runs on a single by Cantillo to bring their advantage to 9-5.
Leading off the seventh was Tydingco, who blasted her SoCon-leading fifth home run on a line shot over the fence in left center. Traxler was able to follow it up with a one-out single, but that would be it for Chattanooga in the contest.
The Ole Miss offense was led by Kendall Brunning, Amanda Hutcheson, Overbexk, Cantillo and Ladner with two hits each. Cantillo drove in a game-high three runs. Improving to 5-2 in the circle was Brunning, who registered six strikeouts.
Western Carolina 5, Rhode Island 0
Morehead State 3, Western Carolina 1
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – Western Carolina softball (6-9) split its first pair of games at the Buzz Classic Friday, falling to Morehead State 3-1 and then bouncing back to shut out Rhode Island 5-0.
Freshman hurler Jordan Garrett (4-4) earned the first shutout of her career, tossing a complete game against Rhode Island. She struck out a career-high 11 batters and only allowed four hits. Riding Garrett’s solid performance, the Catamounts also offered offensive support in the win.
After a scoreless first inning, the Catamounts jumped on top of Rhode Island with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Shemekia Scotton and Kelly Braman opened the inning drawing back-to-back walks off Rhode Island pitcher Sam Bedsoe. Junior third baseman Haley Pace got Western Carolina on the board with a two RBI double, scoring Scotton and Braman. Pace scored off an RBI double by Morgan Wyatt.
In the third inning, senior outfielder Erin Foster blasted her fourth homerun of the year to give the Catamounts a 4-0 lead. Western Carolina tacked on a fifth run in the fourth inning, this time a homerun from sophomore Braman.
Western Carolina had just five hits in the contest, but unlike the hits in the game against Moorehead State, these hits against Rhode Island were timely and beneficial. Pace accounted for two of the five hits the Catamounts strung together against Rhode Island.
Earlier in the day, Western Carolina battled with Morehead State, but was on the losing end against the Eagles, 3-1. Senior Catamount pitcher Katie King tossed 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and falls to 1-3 on the season.
The Eagles tallied the first run of the game in the first inning, as junior Adrena Anderson singled through the right side. Two batters later, sophomore Stephanie Etter garnered MSU’s only RBI of the game with a single to left field, scoring Anderson.
Morehead State added a second run in the fifth inning when junior Kayla Ashbrook doubled to right center field. Senior Kayla Brill then reached on a sacrifice bunt and an error by King, allowing Ashbrook to score.
Western Carolina scored a run in the top of the sixth inning. Scotton drew a walk to open the sixth and scored off an RBI single by Wyatt.
MSU registered its final run in the sixth inning with Etter recording her second single of the game through the middle. The sophomore then stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by junior Elizabeth Wagner. Junior Amber Riddle then reached on an error by, allowing Etter to score.
The Catamounts had its chances to tie or take the lead in the game, in the top of the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Robyn Burnette opened the inning with a single, and with one out, Amelia Griffin walked and Foster singled up the middle to load the bases. Scotton ground out into a fielder’s choice, and Burnette was out at home for the second out. Braman ground out for the third and final out to end the Catamount threat.
Western Carolina returns to action on Saturday, in the Buzz Classic, facing Jacksonville State at 4 p.m. and UT Martin at 6 p.m.
No. 15 Arizona 9College of Charleston 0
TUCSON, Ariz. - The College of Charleston softball team fell, 9-0, to No. 15 Arizona in the first of a three-game weekend series at Hillenbrand Stadium on Friday night.
The Wildcats proved deserving of their glamorous national ranking with 12 hits and solid pitching. Arizona came into the game batting .314 as a team with 24 home runs.
The Cougars will see Arizona again on Saturday afternoon with the teams squaring off at 6:30 p.m. The teams conclude the three-game set on Sunday, March 4 with a 3 p.m. finale.
Kristy Giragosian was the bright spot in the Cougar lineup and went 2-for-2 on the day with a double deep into the gap in right center.
Arizona's bats came to life in the bottom half of the second when Shelby Pendley dropped a double just out of the reach of a fully extended Chloe Fletcher. Chelsea Goodacre then sent her fourth home run of the season out of the yard with a towering shot to right field. After the Cougars got a ground ball out, Arizona sprung four straight hits - three of which were doubles - to plate three more runs and take a 5-0 lead into the third.
The Wildcats struck again in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases for Kristen Arriola who delivered her second home run of the season. Interestingly, Arriola's first home run was also a grand slam which came against the University of Alabama Birmingham on Feb. 17.
Kenzie Fowler went the distance for the Wildcats and remained unbeaten on the year and improved to 6-0.