Samford 3, Furman 2
BOONE, N.C. - Samford freshman catcher Madison Dickey's home run in the second inning assisted the Bulldogs to eliminate eighth-seeded Furman, as the Bulldogs won the opening game of the Southern Conference Softball Championship, 3-2. The two teams played for 13 minutes before having a five-hour weather delay.
Dickey blasted a three-run homer to left center in the top of the second to give Samford a 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs survived Furman's late rally in the bottom of the seventh. A single from freshman Taylor Jenkins' plated two runs for the Paladins to put them on the board, 3-2. Junior Misha Aldridge relieved senior Robyn Harmon in the circle and shut down Furman, allowing Samford to advance.
Harmon (5-10) earned her fifth win of the season going 6.1 innings in the circle. The senior allowed eight hits and gave up the two late runs. Furman's Hannah Bradley (5-12) took the loss. The senior gave up nine hits to the Bulldogs and gave up three earned runs.
Alex Adams, Samford's first baseman, had a game-high three hits while Dickey had a game-high three RBI.
Samford improved its season record to 14-40 (6-18), while the Paladins ended its 2012 campaign with a 17-35 (6-18) record. The Bulldogs have a quick turnaround as they will face the top-seeded Georgia Southern Eagles (38-17, 22-2) this evening, with the first pitch tentatively scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
Chattanooga 8, Elon 1
BOONE, N.C. - Senior Vivian Morimoto's grand slam in the sixth inning advanced second-seeded Chattanooga in the winner's bracket of the 2012 SoCon Softball Championship. The Lady Mocs defeated the Phoenix 8-1.
Chattanooga got an early 1-0 lead when junior Sara Poteat flied out to right, to allow senior Jessica Traxler to score. The Southern Conference Player of the Year, Michelle Fuzzard, scored the second run for the Lady Mocs following a single from freshman Sarah Beth Roberts in the third inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Fuzzard blasted a home run to right field, followed by a homer to center by junior Kasey Tydingco to extend the Lady Mocs score to 4-0. Fuzzard's homer was her 15th of the season.
The Phoenix remained scoreless until sophomore Carleigh Nester led off the sixth inning with a home run out to left field. Morimoto answered with a grand slam to centerfield to extend the Lady Mocs lead, 8-1. Morimoto has now hit grand slams in back-to-back games.
Freshman Taylor Deason (23-7) went the distance for the Lady Mocs. She allowed three hits and one run while striking out five batters. Deason is now eighth on the SoCon single season win chart. Elon's Erin O'Shea (14-14) took the loss in the circle. O'Shea gave up two runs and allowed three hits.
Chattanooga improved its season record to 38-14 (20-2), while the Phoenix fall to 23-26 (9-15). The Lady Mocs will face the winner of the College of Charleston and Western Carolina game at 5 p.m. Elon will face the loser of that game tomorrow noon.
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