Western Kentucky 11, Samford 1
Western Kentucky 5, Samford 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford (8-25) offense struggled to find a rhythm Tuesday night, as the Western Kentucky Lady Toppers (21-12) took two games from the Bulldogs, winning by scores of 11-1 and 5-1.
The Samford offense was limited to only six combined hits in both games, with Arica Dykes and Abby Adams each going 2-5 at the plate. Alex Adams and Madison Dickey accounted for both of Samford’s runs, coming off two solo home runs. The Lady Toppers were led by first baseman Ciara Garcia, who went 6-8 including two home runs in game two.
Game One: Western Kentucky 11, Samford 1 (6 Innings)
A seven-run sixth inning for the Lady Toppers gave them a large lead, which they held through the end of the inning to earn the six-inning, 11-1 victory in game one. Western Kentucky starter Mallorie Sulaski (2-1) only allowed two hits through 6.0 innings pitched. Misha Aldridge (5-12) stuck through the entire game in the circle for the Bulldogs, pitching the full 6.0 innings, allowing only four runs on 10 hits before the big sixth inning.
Western Kentucky plated two in the third inning, as an RBI single and a sacrifice fly made the score 2-0, and they tacked on two more in the fifth, courtesy of a two-run double to stretch the lead to 4-0. The top of the sixth was a long inning for the Bulldog defense, as Western Kentucky manufactured seven runs off five hits and an error to extend their lead to 11-0. In the bottom of the sixth, Dickey hit a one-out solo home run to avoid the shutout, but it would be the only run scored in the inning as the Bulldogs took the lopsided loss.
Game Two: Western Kentucky 5, Samford 1
While the Lady Toppers manufactured runs in game one, their runs in game two would come courtesy of the long ball, as two home runs accounted for three of the five runs in their 5-1 victory. The Samford offense struggled again in game two, totaling four hits with the one run coming off an Adams home run. Dykes led the team at the plate, going 2-3 batting in the nine-hole. Emily Rousseau (9-6) earned the win for Western Kentucky while Shelby Scott (1-4) takes the loss for Samford.
Samford would get on the board first, as Adams hit a leadoff home run in the second inning to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. The Lady Toppers would quickly tie it back up in the top of the third, as they answered with their own solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.
After the Lady Toppers sacrificed a runner over in the top of the fifth, Samford starter Scott was taken out of the game with Nicole Bobrowski coming in relief. On her first pitch, Garcia would hit her second home run of the game, a two-run homer that pushed them up 3-1. Western Kentucky added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, and a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh for the Bulldogs ended the game with a final score of 5-1.
Samford continues conference play this weekend as they host UNCG for a three-game series, beginning with a double header on Saturday, March 31 starting at 1 p.m.
No. 9 Tennessee 1, Furman 0
No. 9 Tennessee 8, Furman 0
Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee sisters duo of Ivy and Ellen Renfroe pitched the ninth-ranked Lady Vols to a 1-0, 8-0 doubleheader sweep of Furman in non-conference softball action on Tuesday evening at Lee Softball Stadium.
With the sweep, Furman dropped to 12-20 while Tennessee improved to 25-7.
Game 1
Ivy Renfroe tossed a one-hit shutout to outduel Furman's Hannah Bradley and lead the Lady Vols to a 1-0 victory in game one.
Renfroe fanned seven batters and issued just two walks, but sophomore Lauren Collier spoiled the junior's no-hit bid with a two-out single to left field in the seventh inning. With two runners on base, Renfro retired Emily Boyer to secure the victory and improve to 7-6 in the circle.
Bradley (4-6), a native of Marietta, Ga., limited the Lady Vols to just one run on three hits in six innings of work. She walked three batters and struck out one.
Tennessee manufactured the only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning as Raven Chavanne reached on a leadoff bunt, stole second and scored on Melissa Brown's two-out single up the middle.
Brown went 2-for-3 to pace the Lady Vols.
Game 2
In game two, Ellen Renfroe hurled a six-inning, no-hitter and the Lady Vols pounded out 10 hits en route to an 8-0 victory.
Lauren Gibson put the Lady Vols on the board with an RBI double in the third inning and Melissa Brown followed with an RBI single off of the centerfield wall to up the margin to 2-0. After a sacrifice fly increased the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning, Brown and Cat Hosfield delivered RBI doubles to give Tennessee a 5-0 lead through five innings.
The Lady Vols capitalized on an error, three walks and a passed ball to plate three unearned runs to end the game by mercy rule in the sixth inning.
Renfroe fanned eight batters and issued four walks while improving to 18-1 in the circle. Brown led Tennessee at the plate going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Freshman Shelby Parker, who allowed two runs on three hits in one inning of relief suffered the loss for the Paladins.
Furman returns to Southern Conference play on Saturday when it opens a three-game series at Western Carolina. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.