Appalachian State 3, Charleston Southern 1

Appalachian State 11, Charleston Southern 6

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Appalachian State University softball took two games from Charleston Southern in its mid-week matchup as the Mountaineers defeated the Buccaneers 3-1 in game one and 11-6 in game two on Wednesday Afternoon.

With the wins Appalachian improves to 7-8 overall on the season, while Charleston Southern falls to 5-18 overall on the season.

Game One: App State 3, Charleston Southern 1

After stranding four runners in the first two innings, the Mountaineers would push runs across the plate in the top of the third inning. The Apps loaded the bases when they drew two walks and senior Allie Cashion singled through the infield. Sophomore Ashley Seering earned her eighth and ninth RBI of the season when she singled past second base to bring in Lindsay Loudermilk and Cashion.

The Buccaneers put their lone run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Marci Christian hit her fifth home run of the season over the left center field fence, bringing Charleston Southern within one of the Black and Gold.

Appalachian extended its lead to 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning when Pepper Butler drew a walk with one out and advanced to second on a passed ball. Loudermilk plated Butler when she hit her fourth double of the season to center field.

Loudermilk led the way for the Apps offensively as she went 2-for-2 with two walks, while Seering went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Freshman Shivaun Landeros had her first career hit for the Mountaineers as she drove a single up the middle, while Cashion added the Apps final hit of the contest.

Sophomore pitcher Alissa Schoelkopf (3-4) pitched a full seven innings with six strikeouts while allowing just two hits. The App State offense outhit the Buccaneers 6-2 in game one, but left 13 runners stranded through seven innings.

Game Two: App State 11, Charleston Southern 6

App State took the early lead over the Buccaneers when leadoff hitter Sarah Warnock walked and Dani Heichen reached first on a CSU error. A Cashion singled to center field would bring around Warnock to give the Apps the 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

The Mountaineers took the 3-0 lead when Meghan Smith singled through the left side of the field, plating both Heichen and Cashion.

The Apps extended their lead to 4-0 when freshman Alex Sohl put the ball in play and allowed Smith to come home from third.

Stephanie Sbardella brought Charleston Southern within three when she hit a solo home run over the center field fence in the bottom of the first inning.

The Apps added two runs in the top of the fourth inning when Cashion dug in with one out and knocked a single up the middle that would score both Warnock and Heichen, allowing App to take the 6-1 lead over the Lady Buccaneers.

The Mountaineers extended their lead to 7-1 when Sohl singled up the middle and allowed pinch runner Kristen Terry to score from second base.

Appalachian would take the 9-1 lead over Charleston Southern when it capitalized on an infield error by CSU to score two runs in the top of the fourth inning.

CSU puts its second run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Marci Christian hit a deep single to center field, bringing the Bucs within seven.

Charleston Southern added two more runs when a hit off the wall from Jana Matthews drove in two for the Buccaneers.

The Bucs continued their comeback as Linzy Rothers homered over the center field fence for the third straight hit of the inning to make the score 9-6 with two outs.

Schoelkopf would come in to relieve Landeros and record the final out of the inning as Courtney Konyk lined out to Caroline Rogers.

Cashion drove a double off the left field fence to bring her within five of tying the App State record before Smith singled to shallow right field with only one out in the top of the sixth inning. After a pitching change, the Bucs were able to retire the last two outs of the inning before the Apps could score.

The Black and Gold tacked on a 10th run in the top of the seventh inning when Butler reached base on a walk and came around on a steal, groundout and an infield error. The Apps added a second run when Heichen, who reached on the previous error, scored on the second CSU error of the inning, making the final score 11-6.

Cashion led Appalachian in game two as she went 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and score twice, while Smith and Sohl each added two hits and two RBI apiece. Caroline Chambers posted her first hit of the season.

App State saw hits from six different players with three posting multiple-hit games as the squad outhit the Bucs 11-8

Schoelkopf recorded her second win of the afternoon as she came in and pitched 3.1 innings with one strikeout and allowed no runs.

Appalachian State will be back in action on Saturday, March 16 it plays its home opener against Samford. First pitch of the three-game SoCon series is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Winthrop 7, Western Carolina 5

Western Carolina 8, Winthrop 7

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball (8-14) hit seven homeruns as a team and split the doubleheader with Winthrop (12-13) dropping the first game 7-5 and claiming the second game 8-7 Wednesday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

After going the first 12 games of the season without a homerun, Western Carolina has hit one or more homeruns in seven of the last 10 games. The Catamounts have had at least one homerun in the last five games and three or more in the last three including a season-high four games in two of the last three games.

Winthrop 7, Western Carolina 5

Western Carolina broke open the first game of the doubleheader early with back-to-back homeruns in the bottom of the second. Sophomore catcher Heather Chastain hit a lead-off homerun, her third of the season, and freshman Taylor Sigmon followed with a shot to left field.

Winthrop knotted the game at two when Catamount pitcher Jordan Garrett gave up two runs in the top of the third.

Senior Amber Steinhardt’s fielder’s choice RBI, with the bases loaded allowed Western Carolina to re-claim the lead 3-2. Three straight walks by Eagle pitcher Sara Allen to Amelia Griffin, Jordan Fulton and Shemkia Scotton set up the RBI fielder’s choice by Steinhardt that scored Griffin.

Winthrop broke open the game in the top of the fifth scoring four runs. The scoring frenzy knocked Garrett out of the game. Garret went four innings allowing four runs, two earned, three hits and struck out two. Garrett was replaced in the fourth by Mallory Broome.

Sigmon drew a walk to start the bottom of the fifth and she would move around the bases and score off an RBI single by Fulton. Winthrop added a run in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 7-4.

Western Carolina added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Haley Pace hit a homerun to left field. Neither team scored in the seventh.

Broome took the loss in the game allowing three runs, one hit and walking four. Broome falls to 1-4 on the season.

The Catamounts had three homeruns in the game. Griffin had a pair of hits in the game.

Western Carolina 8, Winthrop 7

Tied at seven in the bottom of the seventh, Western Carolina continued its homerun streak and this time it paid off. With two outs, Scotton sailed a shot over centerfield to give the Catamounts an 8-7 lead and eventual win.

After two scoreless innings, the second game of the doubleheader became a slugfest. Western Carolina struck first with three runs in the bottom of the third. After Scotton drew a two-out walk, Amber Steinhardt launched a two RBI homerun to right center. Pace followed with a solo homerun, her second long ball of the doubleheader.

Sigmon, who earned her third start of the season, cruised through four scoreless innings on the mound allowing Western Carolina to build a 4-0 lead. The Catamounts tacked on a single run in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore second baseman Megan Crowe homered to left field, her second homerun of her career.

After sailing through four innings unscathed, Sigmon was roughed up a bit in the top of the fifth when Winthrop tacked on five runs on the freshman from Catawba, N.C. Even though Sigmon went through a rough patch she continued to battle through the inning and ended the fifth striking out Kathryn Eberlin.

The Catamount offense also battled. Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the fifth, Western Carolina re-took the lead scoring three runs. Fulton led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk and promptly stole second. With one out, Steinhardt singled past the shortstop and Fulton moved to third. After Pace walked, Chastain doubled to the centerfield wall to send in three runs.

Sigmon started the top of the sixth giving up a homerun to Alex White and was replaced by Garrett. It was a rough start to Garrett as she entered the game and gave up a homerun to Kelsey Ritter to tie the game at seven. With the game tied, it became a game for Garrett two win or lose on the mound.

Scotton gave Western Carolina the lead with her homerun in the bottom of the sixth and the game fell on Garrett’s shoulders in the top of the seventh. Garrett opened the seventh by striking out Makenzi Corn. After walking Chelsey Schoenfeldt Garrett struck out the next two batters to end the game.

Garrett took the win and improves to 6-7 on the season.

Steinhardt was 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI. Chastain had just one hit in the contest but it was a three RBI double. 

Western Carolina hosts UNCG Saturday and Sunday in a three-game Southern Conference series. First game of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. Saturday and a single game on Sunday.

Furman 8, South Carolina 6

South Carolina 6, Furman 5

Greenville, S.C. – Sophomore Ambree Muller and junior Lauren Collier each belted a home run to lead Furman to an 8-6 victory in game one and a doubleheader split with the South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference softball action at Pepsi Stadium.  South Carolina held on to claim a 6-5 victory in game two.

GAME 1

With the opener knotted at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Sieara Bishop reached base on a one-out single and moved into scoring position when Natalie Clemmons was hit by a Katie Marks' pitch.  After both runners advanced a base on Muller's groundout, Lauren Collier hammered a 1-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for her second roundtripper of the season to put the Paladins in front 8-5.

Reliever Shelby Parker hit Kelley Dillon to open the top of the seventh before making way for Paladin closer Meaghan Houston.  Following a strikeout, walk and wild pitch, South Carolina plated a run on a grounder to shortstop, but Muller made a diving catch on Dana Hathorn's line drive to left field to end the game and give the Paladins their first win over the Gamecocks since April 17, 2001.

Parker (2-2), who allowed two runs in one 2/3 innings of relief on just one hit, picked up the victory while Houston nailed down her nation-leading fourth save of the season by retiring three of the four batters she faced.

South Carolina (16-6), which entered the twinbill leading the nation by scoring 9.3 runs per game, opened the scoring in the second inning on a two-run single by Samie Garcia off of the glove of Paladin second baseman Taylor Jenkins.  Stephanie Field reached base on a leadoff single in the Furman half of the second and scored on Stephanie Spain's RBI single down the left field line before pulling the Paladins even at 2-2 on an RBI single of her own in the bottom of the third.

The Gamecocks used three hits and a Paladin error to plate two runs in the fourth inning and regain the lead at 4-2.  Furman provided an immediate answer in the bottom of the fourth as Nikki Legg lined a leadoff single to left field, stole second base and scored on Sieara Bishop's double into the right-center field gap.  Two batters later, Muller lined a 2-2 pitch the opposite way down the left field line that cleared the fence for a two-run homer and gave Furman a 5-4 lead.

The Gamecocks pulled even on Kristen Struett's RBI base hit in the top of the sixth to set up Collier's heroics in the bottom half of the frame.

Collier went 1-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and allowed three runs on nine hits in four 1/3 innings in the circle before receiving a no decision.  Bishop went 3-for-4 with two runs while Field collected two hits for the Paladins.

Marks (5-3) suffered the loss for South Carolina allowing six runs on six hits in three and 2/3 innings of relief work.  She struck out three without issuing a walk.

Garcia went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Chelsea Hawkins finished 3-for-4 to pace the Gamecocks' 10-hit attack.

GAME 2

In the second game, South Carolina's Dana Hathorn clubbed a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Gamecocks to a 6-5 victory and split of the midweek twinbill.

Furman, playing as the designated road team on its home field, jumped out to an early lead when Clemmons lined a two-run homer to left in the top half of the first inning after Bishop reached on a leadoff walk. 

South Carolina evened the game in the bottom of the second when Julie Sarratt drove in Hawkins with an RBI single and pinch runner Brooke Barnhill scored on a passed ball.  The Gamecocks took the lead in the next frame on Ansley Ard's two-out single to center field before Shelby Gonzales increased the margin to 5-2 with a two-run homer to left-center.

Collier began the Furman fourth inning with a double down the left field line and Jenkins followed with a base on balls.  With runners at first and second, Field's grounder skipped off of the shortstop's glove allowing Collier to score.  Junior Sarah Eidt followed with a two-run double into the gap to knot the game at 5-5.

After Hathorn's homer put South Carolina in front, Gamecock reliever Audrey Broyles retired the first two batters in the Paladin half of the seventh.  Clemmons reached on a wind-blown double to right field with two outs, but Broyles snagged Muller's line drive up the middle to secure the win for South Carolina.

Broyles (5-2) picked up the win after tossing four shutout innings of relief and allowing only two hits.  Ard went 3-for-3 at the plate for South Carolina while Gonzales went 2-for-2.

Collier (4-6) absorbed the loss for Furman despite allowing just one run on three hits in three innings of relief.  Clemmons went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Furman offense.

The Paladins (9-12) cap their 12-game homestand this weekend when they host Southern Conference rival Chattanooga in a three-game series at Pepsi Stadium.  Saturday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. with a single game on Sunday also slated for 1 p.m.

Quinnipiac 11, Chattanooga 8

Fordham 9, Chattanooga 1

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team dropped two games on its final day in Clearwater, Fla., falling to both Quinnipiac and Fordham.

Chattanooga 8 - Quinnipiac 11

Quinnipiac struck first in the top of the first inning with three runs on three hits. A single drove in one run before a two-run home run from catcher Jordan Paolucci extended the lead to 3-0.

Chattanooga was able to gain a run back in the second inning on a sacrifice fly ball to right field off the bat of senior Ninjja Suetsugu (Sao Paulo, Brazil) to score Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.), but the Lady Mocs jumped ahead in the third on a three-run home run from freshman Anyssa Robles (Lawrenceville, Ga.) to take a 4-3 lead. The homer is Robles' first career bomb.

Quinnipiac tied it back up in the fourth inning before taking the lead for good in the sixth inning. Seven runs scored in the top of the seventh inning with all coming on two outs. Quinnipiac recorded seven hits, with six coming on two outs, before freshman Rachel Albritton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) was brought on to close out the long inning.

The Lady Mocs managed four runs to cut the lead to three. Suetsugu reached on an error and Yoshi Hooks (Cleveland, Tenn.) pinch ran for the senior before Kaiti Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) singled to board two runners. A single from Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.) loaded the bases and a passed ball allowed Hooks to score from third. A double from Alyssa Taylor (Oragne, Calif.) drove in two runners and a double from Robles rounded out the scoring for Chattanooga.

Both teams were scoreless in the final inning as UTC came up just three runs short of the Bobcats.

Chattanooga 1 - Fordham 9

For the third time on the 2013 season and third time in Florida, Chattanooga fell to the Fordham Rams. The 9-1 victory for the Rams ended the Lady Mocs' evening in five innings as UTC was only able to plate one run, coming in the fourth inning.

Starting pitcher Albritton was touched up for three runs on four hits through 2.1 innings pitched, allowing two home runs. Deason came on in relief and didn't fare much better against the Rams, going 1.2 and giving up six runs.

Fordham struck for one run in the second inning on a solo home run to left off the bat of Gabby Luety but busted it open in the third on three hits. Two home runs advanced the Ram lead to 4-0, and five runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth totaled Fordham's nine runs.

Chattanooga was able to score one run in the fourth to get on the board as Robles singled to lead off the inning and a single from Sarah Beth Roberts (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) boarded two runners. Suetsugu reached on an error and groundout from Rieck scored one runner.

Chattanooga travels to Greenville, S.C., Thursday evening to take on Furman to open up SoCon play Saturday and Sunday.