College of Charleston 7, Western Carolina 0
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The College of Charleston softball team won its Southern Conference over Western Carolina series with a 7-0 win in Sunday afternoon's rubber game at the Catamount Softball complex.
Stephanie Saylors threw her third consecutive complete-game shutout and struck out three hitters without surrendering a walk.
Kelsey Hodgson and Allison Pedigo were both 2-for-3 in the game. Hodgson scored a run and picked up an RBI and Pedigo drove in two runs while Hope Klicker, Mackenzie Maples and Kristy Giragosian each added an RBI.
After a scoreless first inning, Amanda Lonergan was hit by a pitch to start the second inning and the Cougars executed a pair of sacrifice bunts - one of which the Catamounts committed an error on - to put runners on second and third with one out. Klicker brought Lonergan to the plate with her sacrifice fly to deep center which put CofC up 1-0.
The Cougars were able to add to their lead in the fourth with singles by Hodgson and Giragosian to put runners on the corners. Maples then singled back up the middle to plate one run before Pedigo doubled to the fence in right center to clear the bases and put CofC up 4-0.
The Catamounts' most threatening situation came in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs but Lizzy Vaughn and Hodgson both fielded ground balls cleanly from shortstop and third base, respectively, and fired home to record two quick outs. Saylors sat the next hitter down on strikes to get out of the jam cleanly.
The Cougars followed suit by loading the bases in the top of the seventh with a single and two consecutive walks but were much more opportunistic than WCU. Two more walks plated runs and a third run scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Giragosian which deflected off the glove of the third baseman directly to the shortstop whose momentum on the play took her to third base for the force out.
The Cougars are off during the mid-week and return to action when they host Appalachian State in another SoCon series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 31 and single-game finale on Sunday, April 1. The action at Patriots Point is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on both days.
UNCG 2, Furman 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. – UNCG led 2-0 after three innings and rode a strong pitching performance by Cory Mattson to a 2-1 win over Furman on Sunday to avoid a series sweep and snap a three-game losing streak.
Mattson (9-11) allowed just one run, scattering six hits and just one walk. She struck out three.
The Spartans (12-21, 4-5 Southern Conference) got on the board in the top of the first inning, with Eileen Horsmon hitting a two-out RBI single to knock in Aubrey Baldwin, who reached on a single earlier in the frame.
UNCG made it 2-0 in the third, with Ashey Reetz reaching on an error to lead off and Aisha Figueroa following with a single through the left side. A Baldwin sacrifice advanced both runners, and Alex Emeterio lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Reetz with what would prove to be the winning run.
After Furman’s Nikki Legg lined into a double play with a runner on third to end the third inning, the Paladins (12-18, 3-6 SoCon) got a run back in the fourth. Taylor Jenkins led off with a double to center field, and after moving up on a wild pitch, she came in on a Lauren Collier groundout to cut the Spartans’ lead in half.
The Paladins got their leadoff batter on base to start the fifth, but after a sacrifice moved her to second, Mattson induced a pair of groundouts to end the inning. Furman got a two-out walk and a single by Collier in the sixth but Mattson got another grounder to end that threat.
The Paladins had one last shot in the seventh inning, getting a one-out single from Sarah Eidt before Hannah Pace was hit by a pitch, but Mattson got a strikeout and a flyout to end the game.
UNCG had a couple of chances to add some insurance late but couldn’t cash in. In the sixth, Emterio drew a one-out walk and Horsmon followed with a single. One out later, Emeterio was erased at third on a fielder’s choice to end the inning and strand a pair of Spartans.
UNCG had a runner reach third in the seventh inning, but Dominique Madruga, who singled to lead off the inning, was stranded there, as well.
Horsmon was 2-for-3 to lead UNCG at the plate, while Eidt was 2-for-2 to pace Furman.
The Paladins’ Lakyn Shull (5-6) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk in seven innings.
UNCG returns to action next weekend when heads to Birmingham, Ala., for a three-game SoCon set at Samford.
Chattanooga 16, Appalachian State 4 (5 innings)
BOONE, N.C. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team completed a marathon game that started Saturday and was completed Sunday, which included several record setting performances in a 16-4 five-inning victory at Appalachian State. Senior designated player Michelle Fuzzard had a career game driving in a school-best nine runs on two home runs, a double and a walk at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.
The nine RBI by Fuzzard was the most by a Lady Mocs since Jada Pescatore had seven on March 23, 2002. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native also became the Southern Conference's all-time RBI leader with 191 passing Amanda Cone, College of Charleston (2001-04) with 184.
Chattanooga improved to 17-11 overall and 4-0 in the SoCon, while Appalachian State fell to 12-14 and 3-4 in league play. The teams played through two rain delays of 60 and 80 minutes on Saturday before deciding at 5:30 p.m., to resume the contest on Sunday.
As a team, Chattanooga blasted six home runs during the contest, tying a single-game high of six last set at Samford on April 10, 2001. Connecting on those blasts were senior shortstop Jessica Traxler freshman third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts, while freshman Nicole Osterman and Fuzzard had two round trippers each.
Registering three hits along with Fuzzard was sophomore outfielder Stephanie Rieck , who scored two runs and one RBI, as Chattanooga posted 16 base knocks during the game.
Junior second baseman Sara Poteat, junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco, Osterman and Roberts each had multi-hit games.
Notching the win in the circle was freshman pitcher Taylor Deason , who struckout two, improving to 12-5 on the campaign.
The Chattanooga offense started quickly as Poteat beat-out an infield single to short prior to freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis drawing a walk. Fuzzard stepped up and clocked her first homer of the game off the football indoor training facility in right center. The three RBI provided the Huntington Beach, Calif., native with 185 during her career, which put her in sole possession of first place on the SoCon all-time RBI chart.
The big bats came out in the second as Traxler and Roberts started it off with back-to-back lined shots that cleared the fence in left, chasing starter Caroline Wainwright. A single by Rieck up the middle continued the frame before Fuzzard connected on her second home run of the contest, 7-0. It was her second career multi-home run game, which last occurred on Feb. 19, 2012 against Eastern Illinois.
The Mountaineers struck for two runs in the second as Whitlock singled up the middle with two runners in scoring position to plate one, then a fielder's choice off the bat of Pierce brought home the second, 7-2.
Leading off the third was Osterman with a blast to right center that cleared the netting protecting the football indoor facility. Roberts singled to the shortstop and Rieck used a sacrifice bunt to move her to second following a 60-minute rain delay.
Once again, Fuzzard came through with a bases clearing double off the 12-foot tall fence in straight-away center, increasing her single-game RBI total to eight. She came around to score as Tydingco singled to center, 12-2.
Following a quick inning for Deason, Osterman reached on an error by a fielding mistake by the shortstop and took second on a wild pitch. A brief five-minute hail delay ensued before a clutch two-out single up the middle by Rieck extended the Lady Mocs lead to 13-2.
Poteat reached on an infield single before Willis was plunked by a pitch to load the bases. With Fuzzard facing a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded, the rain along with hail came in full force as the teams were forced from the field at 5:30 p.m. and agreed to return the following day.
The first pitch on Sunday at 12:52 p.m., to Fuzzard was in the dirt as she drew a walk and brought home a run. Another walk issued to Tydingco put the Lady Mocs up 15-2 before the Mountaineers recorded the final out of the frame.
Deason made quick work of Appalachian State in the bottom-half as Osterman led off the fifth with a home run to left. It was her first career multi-home run game and the fourth round tripper this season.
Appalachian State plated two runs as Dani Heichen started off the frame with a double and scored on a Warnock double to the same location two batters later. An error allowed the second run to score before Deason retired the side and ended the contest at 16-4.
Trio of hurlers, Caitlin and Caroline Wainwright and Caroline Williams, combined to strikeout three batters. Warnock and Heichen each had multi-hit games for Appalachian State.
The Lady Mocs are back on the road next weekend with a series at Georgia Southern, starting Saturday at 1 p.m.
Georgia Southern 9, Kennesaw State 0
KENNESAW, Ga. – Georgia Southern Softball jumped all over Kennesaw State early, posting four runs in the first inning, en route to a 9-0 win on Sunday afternoon. The victory improves the Eagles to 20-10 and hands the Owls their first three-game series sweep in program history.
The Eagles needed just five pitches to get on the board as junior Alexa Lewis crushed a leadoff home run to open the game. Her third career home run and second in as many days sailed over the fence in right field to give Georgia Southern an early 1-0 advantage in the first inning.
Later in the frame after a hit by Hanna Ennis, a walk to Marie Fogle put runners on base for Mackenzie Williams. The Eagle cleanup hitter ripped her fourth home run of the season and first since March 5th over the fence in right. The four runs in the first inning is the biggest haul for the Eagles in the first frame this season.
Lewis added two more runs in the fourth when her two-out single got through the right side of the infield to score two runners and post a 6-0 advantage through the middle of the fourth inning.
Georgia Southern tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning, taking advantage of a dropped infield fly that was altered by the blustery conditions. Tyler Sampson scored on the play to give GSU a 7-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh, GSU added two more runs with the first coming via a bases loaded walk to pinch hitter Breigh Findlay. The second crossed on Fogle’s RBI groundout to second. The out left Fogle at 0-for-3 on the day, snapping her eight-game hit streak.
Starting pitcher Sarah Purvis scattered five hits and didn’t allow a run in six innings of work to improve to 10-5 in the circle this season. Freshman Marla Thompson worked the final inning to close out the Georgia Southern victory and the third combined shutout of the season for the Eagles.
Georgia Southern makes the trip to Athens on Wednesday night for a contest against Georgia No.11 Lady Bulldogs. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. from Jack Turner Stadium. Next weekend, the Eagles host Chattanooga for a pivotal conference series from Eagle Field.
Samford 6, Elon 2 (9 innings)
ELON, N.C. ---- A four-run rally in the top of the ninth helped lift Samford (8-23, 2-7 SoCon) softball over Elon (17-7, 6-3 SoCon) Sunday, 6-2, as the Bulldogs took their first conference series of the season. The game was played over three hours after the original start time due to poor field conditions caused by severe overnight storms. When teams commenced play, they did so at an alternate site, Burlington Springwood Park.
Shelby Scott started the game for Samford, pitching 4.0 innings before Misha Aldridge (5-11) entered in relief in the bottom of the fifth, allowing the tying run to score but ultimately holding the Phoenix offense, pitching 5.0 innings to earn the win. Julianne Surane led the team at the plate, going 2-4 with two RBI, with Abby Adams scoring a pair as well. Erin O’Shea (10-4) took the loss for Elon, with her and Carleigh Nester earning a pair of hits each.
With two runners in scoring position and two out in the top of the third, Adams laced an opposite-field double to right center, bringing home both runners to give the Bulldogs the early 2-0 lead. The Phoenix cut Samford’s lead in half in the bottom of the fourth, as Danielle Lafferty hit a solo home run to make the score 2-1.
With the one-run lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, Aldridge came in relief for Scott, as she ended the day with 4.0 innings pitched and only one earned run on four hits. Aldridge kept the Phoenix scoreless in the fifth but with one out in the top of the sixth, they tied the game up at 2-2 with a groundout to the right side that scored the runner from third.
The teams ended seven innings with the score tied, forcing extra innings. Both teams were scoreless in the eighth but Samford put up four runs in the ninth to pull ahead 6-2. Arica Dykes led things off when, with two runners in scoring position and two outs, she beat out an infield single to the shortstop, earning the RBI single to put Samford up 3-2. Julianne Surane followed that with a clutch double to shallow right field, scoring two more to advance the Bulldogs’ lead to 5-2. Surane moved over to third on a wild pitch and an error by the shortstop off a Madison Dickey hit scored Surane, making it 6-2 Bulldogs.
Samford returns home for a mid-week double header on Tuesday, March 27 at 5 p.m. as they welcome the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.