Georgia Southern 2, College of Charleston 1 (10)
Georgia Southern 4, College of Charleston 1
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern Softball opened its weekend series with College of Charleston with a pair of victories at Eagle Field. In the opener, Sarah Purvis went the distance for a three-hit victory, while Hanna Ennis posted a walk-off single with one out in the bottom of the 10th to earn the 2-1 win. In the second game, Allie Miles tossed her second-straight complete game in conference play Eagles (27-14, 13-1 SoCon) behind four runs off five hits including a two-RBI double by Shelby Morrill. The Eagles close the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. against College of Charleston (28-15, 11-6 SoCon) in the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game.
-GAME ONE-
Purvis opened the day in the circle with eight strikeouts in the first three innings with a pop out being the only other out. In the top of the fourth, Carly Corthell lifted a leadoff home run down the left field line to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Marie Fogle broke up Charleston’s no-hitter bid with a two-out liner up the middle. A walk to the next batter, Mackenzie Williams put a pair of runners on base, but neither would advance as a strikeout ended the inning.
An inning later, Kourtny Thomas brought the teams level with her sixth home run of the season and her first since a round-tripper against Mercer on March 14th. The homer tied the game at 1-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Alexa Lewis opened the inning with a laced single up the middle, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Ennis. The Cougars intentionally walked Fogle to put runners on first and second for Williams who also earned a walk to load the bases. Charleston’s Stephanie Saylors, however, settled down with a strikeout and induced a two-out fly out to strand three Eagles in the sixth.
The game went through two innings of standard extra inning play before the international tiebreaker rule was brought into effect in the 10th inning. Charleston’s runner in the 10th was stranded at third thanks to a pair of foul outs to the catcher. In the bottom of the frame the Eagles moved the runner on second over with a sacrifice bunt by Lewis. The next batter, Ennis, laced a single through the left side to win the game, 2-1 for the Eagles.
Purvis finished the afternoon with 15 strikeouts in 10 innings of work, making her only the third Eagle to record 15+ strikeouts twice in her career. She was also two short of the school record of 17 strikeouts in a game. She allowed just three hits for her fourth-straight start where she allowed three hits or less. It was her 14th win of the season and seventh in league play.
-GAME TWO-
Ennis continued to deliver clutch hits in game two when her fourth inning double to the gap in left scored Lewis from second to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. The lead went to 2-0 later in the inning when Williams ripped a double to the gap in right, bringing in pinch runner Breanna McLendon in from third.
The Cougars, however, sliced into the Eagle advantage with a leadoff home run to start the fifth inning. It was the first home run conceded by Miles in her last five appearances, dating back to March 10th.
In the sixth inning, the Eagles touched Hope Klicker for two more runs, both unearned, on a double by Morrill. A two out fielding error by the Cougars opened the door for back-to-back hits which extended the lead to 4-1.
In the seventh, Miles worked around two hits to dismiss the Cougars and earn her third win of the season and her second-straight league complete game victory. She allowed just the one run off six hits while striking out six Charleston batters.
The Eagles close the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. with the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game. Georgia Southern will don special pink jerseys for the game. The shirts can be purchased at Eagle Field for $15 each. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.
Furman 8, Samford 3
Samford 4, Furman 2
Greenville, S.C. – Furman exploded for five runs in the fourth inning of game one en route to an 8-3 victory and doubleheader split with Samford in Southern Conference softball action on Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. The Bulldogs rallied from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 4-2 triumph in game two.
Game 1
In game one, freshman Natalie Clemmons ignited a five-run fourth inning with a leadoff home run as Furman (16-28, 5-12 SoCon) erased a 1-0 deficit and cruised to an 8-3 win over Samford (10-30, 4-10 SoCon).
Clemmons hammered a 2-0 pitch over the center field fence to knot the game at 1-1 before Sarah Eidt was hit by a pitch and Lauren Collier looped a single to right-center. With nobody out, Eidt raced home when a failed pickoff attempt at first sailed into right field.
After a ground out and strikeout had the Bulldogs an out away from working out of trouble, Taylor Jenkins and Ambre Muller recorded back-to-back RBI singles to put Furman in front 4-1. Nikki Legg was plunked by a pitch and Jessie Homesley capped the five-run outburst with an RBI single to plate Muller and give the Paladins a 5-1 cushion.
Leading 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Furman added to its advantage with three more runs. Jenkins and Muller reached on one-out singles and scored on Legg’s two-run single up the middle off Bulldog starter Shelby Scott. Homesley followed with a base hit to center field to drive in Legg with the final run of the game.
Jenkins, Muller and Homesley each collected a pair of hits in the Paladin victory while Legg and Homesley each drove in two runs.
Freshman lakyn Shull improved to 6-9 in the circle allowing just three runs on 12 hits in seven innings of work. The New Port Richey, Fla., native fanned five Samford batters without issuing a walk in the complete-game effort.
Scott (2-6) took the loss for Samford after surrendering eight runs on nine hits in six innings. She walked three while striking out four Paladins. Madison Dickey paced the Bulldogs 12-hit attack going 3-for-4.
Game 2
In game two, Samford pitching limited Furman to four hits and the Bulldogs rallied from a 2-0 deficit to down the Paladins 4-2.
Samford’s Robyn Harmon delivered an RBI single to put the Bulldogs on the board in the top of the fourth inning and capped a three-run, fifth-inning rally with an RBI single to help her team claim its fourth league win of the season.
Bulldog starter Nicole Bobrowski and reliever Misha Aldridge combined to retire 16 of the final 18 Paladin batters without a allowing a hit over the final five innings to secure the Samford triumph. Bobrowski (1-4) worked four innings allowing two runs on two hits to earn the victory while Aldridge tossed three perfect innings and fanned three batters to pick up her second save of the season.
Clemmons put Furman in front with her second homer of the day, a solo shot to left field, in the bottom of the first inning. Lauren Collier opened the second inning with a double to left-center and scored the Paladins’ second run of the game on Alexis Galinski’s double to center field.
Samford took the lead in the fifth inning on consecutive two-out, RBI hits from Dickey, Alex Adams and Harmon off of Furman starter Shelby Parker (4-4). The Paladin freshman took the loss allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings or work.
The rubber game of the three-game series between Furman and Samford is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Elon 8, Appalachian State 0
Elon 7, Appalachian State 4
ELON, N.C. – Two brilliant performances in the circle from Erin O’Shea coupled with an offensive outburst lifted the Elon softball team to a pair of wins over the Appalachian State Mountaineers on Saturday, April 14, at East Field. The Phoenix claimed an 8-0 win in game one before closing out ASU 7-4 in game two.
O’Shea picked up both wins for the Phoenix in the circle to improve to 12-7 on the year. She also helped her own cause at the plate, collecting two hits, including her fourth home run of the season, to go along with one run and three RBI.
Elon improves to 19-13 on the year and 8-6 in Southern Conference play with the victories, while the Mountaineers drop to 16-19 (6-9 SoCon) with the losses.
Game One
Six runs in the bottom of the second proved to be the difference for Elon in the series opener. O’Shea led off the inning with a solo shot to left to make it a 2-0 game. From there, the Phoenix exploded for five more runs, which included a pair of two-run base hits from Lauren Oldham and Grace Eng, to make it a 7-0 game.
O’Shea kept the ASU offense in check from that point forward, going five innings and allowing just two hits while fanning five in the win.
Sophomore Carleigh Nester led off the game with an opposite field solo home run, her first of the season, to give Elon an early 1-0 lead. Nester finished 1-for-1 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Oldham finished game one 1-for-2 with a run scored and three RBI, while Eng drove in two runs for the Phoenix in the win.
Caitlin Wainright took the loss for the Mountaineers, lasting just one and a third innings, giving up seven runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks.
Game Two
After ASU scored two in the top of the first, the Phoenix posted a three-run bottom half of the inning to take a one-run lead.
Tomeka Watson pushed the Phoenix’s lead to four runs after connecting on a three-run home run deep over the center field fence to make it a 6-2 game. Watson finished game two 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base.
The Mountaineers threatened in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with no outs for Meghan Smith. Following Smith’s pop out to Ali Ford at second base, Allie Cashion ripped a two-run single through the left side to pull ASU within two, 6-4. But Elon reliever Chelsea White managed to get out of the inning without any further damage, holding the Mountaineers to a pair of runs to preserve the two-run advantage.
Following a leadoff double down the left field line from Danielle Lafferty in the bottom half of the fifth, the Phoenix added another run to take a 7-4 lead after a Nester single up the middle scored pinch runner Charyssa Parent from third. Elon loaded the bases later in the inning, but could not extend its lead.
Kari Pervell pitched the final one and two-thirds in the circle for Elon to earn the save, her first of the season.
Nester finished game two 3-for-3 at the dish with one run and one RBI. The Kernersville, N.C., native is now batting .411 on the year.
Oldham went 1-for-4 with two runs scored in game two, while Camille Hill finished 1-for-1 with an RBI.
Elon looks for the series sweep versus Appalachian State tomorrow at 1 p.m. at East Field.
Chattanooga 4, Western Carolina 1
Chattanooga 10, Western Carolina 2 (5)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team promoted breast cancer awareness on Saturday afternoon at Frost Stadium and registered victories of 4-1 and 10-2 after five innings against Western Carolina. Lady Mocs head coach Frank Reed, now in his 11th season guiding the program, achieved his 900th career win (476 at Chattanooga State, 424 at Chattanooga) in game one.
Chattanooga has seen contributions from its entire lineup as it improved to 27-15 overall and 10-2 in the Southern Conference, and the bottom third and top two hitters stepped up today to propel the offense. Those five batters – freshman Sarah Beth Roberts, junior Ninjja Suetsugu, sophomore Layne Rainey, freshman Cheyenne Willis and sophomore Stephanie Rieck - went 17-33 (.515) with nine RBI in the doubleheader against Western Carolina (16-28, 3-11 SoCon).
Leading the effort was Roberts in the seven spot going five-for-six in the two contests with two doubles and two runs scored. Rieck, the two-hole hitter, had a three-hit performance in game one to tie a career-best and ended up with four on the day, driving home three runs.
At the bottom of the order, Rainey was a perfect 2-for-2 in the second contest and drove in one. Out of the leadoff position, Willis notched two hits along with two RBI, while Suetsugu at No. 8 rattled off three hits including her first-career multi-hit game.
Senior pitcher Michelle Fuzzard hit a solo home run for the Lady Mocs in game two, helping her own cause in the circle as she improved to 11-6 on the season with two strikeouts. Another clutch double came off the bat of senior catcher Vivian Morimoto, driving home two runs.
Notching the complete-game victory in game one was freshman Taylor Deason, who registered five strikeouts to raise her record to 15-7.
Western Carolina was led by Erin Foster with three hits on the afternoon including her league-leading 14th home run on the season. Taking the losses in the circle were Katie King (4-7) and Jordan Garrett (6-14) as the Catamounts combined to strikeout six.
The finale of the three-game set between Chattanooga and Western begins on Sunday at 2 p.m. Fans can follow all the action with live stats and subscription-based video via links on the softball schedule page of GoMocs.com. The Voice of Lady Mocs softball, Tyler Brown, has the call for each contest this season.
GAME ONE: CHATTANOOGA 4, WESTERN CAROLINA 1
After Foster was stranded following a single, Willis began the first for the Lady Mocs with a blooper to center before Rieck deposited a pitch to right center for a base knock. Driving in two runs and providing Chattanooga with an early two-run lead was Morimoto with a double down the right field line.
In the second, Suetsugu began the frame with a single up the middle and Rieck brought her home on a double lined into the right-center field gap to increase the advantage to 3-0.
The Catamounts cut into the Lady Mocs lead in the fourth as Deason found herself in trouble following a hit-by-pitch and walk, all with two outs. Heather Chastain singled as the speedy Shemekia Scotton scored from second to cut into the lead, 3-1.
Registering two hits for Chattanooga were Roberts and Rainey as each beat-out infield singles, but would end up being stranded.
Chattanooga's response came in the fifth as Morimoto reached on an error and Traxler walked to place a runner in scoring position. Producing a run was Roberts with a single to right center, 4-1.
Deason would cruise the rest of the way in the circle for Chattanooga and was aided by a strong defense that did not commit a mistake for the 10th time this season.
GAME TWO: CHATTANOOGA 10, WESTERN CAROLINA 2 (5 INN.)
The scoring started quickly as Foster drilled a pitch over the fence in right to put the Catamounts on top, 1-0.
Chattanooga would tie the contest in the first as Willis and Morimoto walked before junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco doubled to the gap in right center.
Taking the lead for good were the Lady Mocs in the second with Roberts doubling down the left field line to start off the frame. Rainey singled to the pitcher and stole second. With two runners in scoring position, Willis singled to left center, 3-1.
During the third inning, Fuzzard walk and Morimoto doubled to right center. A throwing mistake plated the first run before Roberts notched a two-RBI double, but would be out at third on the play, trying to stretch it into a triple, 6-1.
Western Carolina dropped the lead to four, 6-2, in the fourth as Steinhart doubled down the left field line and took third on an errant throw before scoring on a groundout.
The Lady Mocs tacked on an additional run in the fourth as Fuzzard connected on her eight home run on the season with a shot to right center.
In the fifth, Roberts hit a hot-shot single to short. Putting two runners in scoring position was Suetsugu with a double to right center. Rainey laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score the first run of the frame.
Ending the game was Rieck with a double to left center, 10-2, as the eight-run rule was implemented.