College of Charleston 3, Chattanooga 2
College of Charleston 12, Chattanooga 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston softball team only needed Saturday afternoon to claim a pivotal Southern Conference series against Chattanooga with a doubleheader sweep at Patriots Point on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars had to rally from behind in both contests but walked away with 3-2 and 12-2 victories.
CofC (23-16, 10-6 SoCon) has now won eight of nine and will look to complete the series sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. The teams came into the weekend tied in the win column in a series which promises to shake up the top of the SoCon standings, pending other results around the league.
The Cougars trailed heading into the fifth inning of both games, but stayed on task to battle back. In the first game, the Cougars rallied in the seventh inning to walk off with a 3-2 win; and in the second, CofC poured on 11 runs across the fifth and sixth innings to enforce the eight-run rule and end the game in the bottom of the sixth.
Sophomore Allison Pedigo (Scottsville, Ky.) was virtually impossible to get out on the day and ended the afternoon 5-for-7, including all three Cougar RBIs in game one and a 4-for-4 showing in game two.
Pedigo ended the afternoon with four RBIs and Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.C.) had five, three of which came on her walkoff home run which brought on the run rule in game two.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 3, CHATTANOOGA: 2
Hope Klicker (Walla Walla, Wash.) threw seven innings and scattered five hits while striking out five and not issuing a single walk to keep the Cougars within striking distance, despite the Cougars being unable to score until late.
The Cougars had five hits through the first five innings, but a double play and an unsuccessful stolen base attempt kept them off the board.
After a leadoff single in the first for the Mocs, Klicker retired the next 11 hitters she faced in order until a UTC strung together three hits with two outs in the fourth, the most effective being a run-scoring double by Sarah Beth Roberts which led to a 2-0 lead.
The Cougars responded in the bottom of the fifth when Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.) led off with a single, which contributed to the Cougars reaching their leadoff hitter in six of the seven innings of game one. Kelsey Hodgson (Woodstock, Ga.) singled through the left side and the two would make their way to scoring position for Pedigo who delivered the timely two-out, two-RBI single to tie the game.
Klicker limited the Mocs to one combined base runner in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to put the Cougars in position to win it in the bottom of the seventh.
Lizzy Vaughn (Placerville, Calif.) and Hodgson singled and Chandler Frisbie (Lawrenceville, Ga.) walked to put the first three hitters aboard and load the bases, and Pedigo drew a full-count before watching ball four to earn the walkoff RBI base-on-balls.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 12, CHATTANOOGA: 2 (6 INN.)
Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.) pitched the entirety of game two for the Cougars and also held the Mocs to five hits and two runs. The run support wouldn’t come until late, but when it did it came in droves as the Cougars sprung for 11 in the fifth and sixth and draw the game to a close.
Just as they did in game one, Tydingco and Roberts were the only two Mocs to cross the plate and did so in the second when Tydingco walked and Roberts homered to left field.
Saylors effectively shut the UTC lineup down from there, allowing only one hit the rest of the way and keeping the Cougar deficit at just 2-0.
CofC cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out rally sparked by a Pedigo single into left center. Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) and Rebecca Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif.) followed with base hits towards the middle, and Mueller’s RBI single into center cut it to 2-1.
Carly Corthell (Reno, Nev.) was hit by a pitch to start the fifth inning, and the Cougar dugout roared to life and the bats rallied. Jarrett beat out her sacrifice bunt effort for an infield single, and when the throw went into right field the runners moved up to second and third. Vaughn then doubled over the head of the center fielder and both runs scored to give the Cougars the 3-2 lead, but they would not stop there. The Cougars would reload the bases, and RBIs by Pedigo, Mueller and Giragosian capped off the Cougars six-run, hour-hit fifth.
The Cougars were not content with their 7-2 lead heading into the sixth and continued the onslaught in the bottom half of the inning. Hodgson drew a one-out walk, and Frisbie hammered the first pitch she saw out to left after two would-be homers had curled foul on the freshman earlier in the day. Pedigo then singled and Maples drew a walk, and then Giragosian’s mammoth blast to left center quickly and decisively brought the game to a close.
Kansas 4, Furman 0
Furman 2, Kansas 0
Greenville, S.C. – Junior Lauren Collier tossed a two-hit shutout to lead Furman to a 2-0 victory over Kansas and a doubleheader split with the Jayhawks in non-conference softball action on Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
Kansas, 4-0 winners in game one, moved to 25-11 on the season while the Paladins moved to 22-18 with the doubleheader split.
GAME 1
In the opening game of the day, Kansas' Alicia Pille fashioned a three-hit shutout to guide the Jayhawks to a 4-0 victory over the Paladins.
Pille, who upped her record in the circle to 9-6, surrendered just one hit after the leadoff batter reached base for the Paladins in the bottom of the third inning. She fanned eight Paladins and issued just one walk in the complete-game performance.
Kansas scored all four of its runs in the top half of the sixth inning on four hits and a crucial Paladin error. Alex Hugo opened the frame with a double down the line and scored on Rosie Hull's one-out single to put the Jayhawks in front. Following an infield single and fielder's choice, Ashley Newman placed a bunt down the first base line to score Hull. Alex Jones hit a bouncer back to the circle for the would-be third out of the inning, but pitcher Meaghan Houston's throw sailed over first baseman Stephanie Spain's head and allowed two runs to score for the final 4-0 margin.
Houston (7-6) suffered the loss for the Paladins, allowing two earned runs on seven hits in six innings of work. She struck out two batters without allowing a walk.
Hugo, Newman and Chanin Naudin each collected a pair of hits to pace the KU offensive attack.
GAME 2
Furman scored single runs in the first and second innings as Collier tossed a two-hit shutout to give the Paladins a 2-0 game two victory.
After Collier worked around a two-out double in the top half of the first inning, Nikki Legg, Stephanie Field and Ambree Muller began the bottom of the frame with consecutive singles to load the bases for Furman. Collier popped a ball into shallow center that dropped to score Legg, but Muller was erased at second on the play for the first out. Kansas starter Alex Jones retired the next two batters to avoid further damage.
In the bottom of the second, Taylor Jenkins began the inning with a single to left and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. Spain's grounder to second base drove in Jenkins to up the Paladin lead to 2-0 after two innings.
Collier, who has previously hurled a three-hit shutout at Charlotte on Wednesday, allowed just a sixth-inning double the rest of the way to shut down Kansas who entered the game ranked second in the nation with a .355 team batting average. The right-hander fanned four batters and issued three walks while improving to 11-8 on the season with her fourth complete-game shutout.
The Paladins and Jayhawks are set to play the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday at Pepsi Stadium. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.
UNCG 3, Appalachian State 1
Appalachian State 6, UNCG 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball split its doubleheader against Southern Conference foe UNC Greensboro Saturday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Apps 3-1 in game one before the Mountaineers came out and scored five runs in the first inning to defeat UNCG 6-1 in game two.
With the split App State moves to 21-14 overall on the season and 13-4 in the SoCon, while UNCG moves to 28-11 overall and 8-5 in conference play.
Game One: UNCG 3, App State 1
After two scoreless innings, UNCG put up a run in the bottom of the third when a single to center field and a bunt single with a throwing error had runners on the corners for the Spartans. Dominique Madruga scored when the Mountaineers tried to lure her off of third base with a throw to the second baseman.
The attempt to pick off Madruga caused a throwing error over Caroline Rogers’ head that allowed the Spartans to score the unearned run and take the 1-0 advantage.
Back-to-back singles in the bottom of the fifth inning and a sacrifice bunt allowed runners to move into scoring position for pinch hitter Toni MacReynolds. MacReynolds stepped in and drove a double off the left center field wall, plating two and giving UNCG the 3-0 lead with only one out.
A fly out to right field and a perfectly thrown ball to the glove of catcher Sarah Warnock from Ashley Seering retired the final two outs of the inning before UNCG was able to push any more runs across the plate.
App State broke open in the top of the sixth inning when freshman Alex Sohl recorded the first hit of the contest, taking the no-hitter from starting pitcher Raeanne Hanks. Sohl advanced to second on a groundout before crossing home on a double from Warnock to right field.
The lone run in the sixth was not enough as Appalachian fell 3-1 in game one of the doubleheader. Sohl and Warnock registered the Mountaineers only hits of the game as UNCG out-hit App State 9-2.
Sophomore Alissa Schoelkopf (13-8) pitched all six innings for the Apps with two strikeouts and two earned runs.
Game Two: App State 6, UNCG 1
Appalachian came out strong in game two after only being able to manage two hits in game one. Three-straight hits in the top of the first would give the Apps an early lead over UNCG in game two.
Warnock extended her hitting streak to 14 games when she single through the right side of the field to kickoff game two for Appalachian. Warnock advanced to second on a Dani Heichen bunt single before touching home on a Lindsay Loudermilk single up the middle.
Senior Allie Cashion hit a deep sacrifice fly to right field, plating Heichen and allowing Appalachian to take the 2-0 lead with only one out.
App State added its fourth hit of the inning when Meghan Smith doubled off the right field wall, scoring Loudermilk. After surrendering only two hits to the Apps in game one, Hanks would be replaced for relief pitcher Erica Navarette as she gave up five hits and only retired two outs to start game two.
With Smith on second and two outs Sohl stepped in and drove her second career home run over the center field wall to give the Black and Gold the 5-0 advantage.
The Spartan defense retired the final out of the inning, but not before the Apps scored five runs on six hits.
UNCG started a rally in the bottom of the sixth inning when they scored one run on an App State error before loading the bases with no outs.
Back-to-back one hoppers to starting pitcher Shivaun Landeros retired two outs and a routine grounder to third base would get the final out as the Apps escaped the inning allowing only one run to score.
Heichen found herself in scoring position for the Black and Gold in the top of the seventh inning when she walked and stole both second and third. Cashion lined her 13th double of the season off the left field wall, plating Heichen and extending the Appalachian lead to 6-1.
The explosive first inning for the Mountaineers would be all they would need to take home the victory in game two. Sohl and Warnock led the Appalachian offense in game two as they both tallied two hits.
Sohl and Cashion each knocked in two RBI, while six Apps tallied one hit in the contest. Appalachian out-hit the Spartans 10-7 in game two.
Landeros (8-5) pitched her seventh complete game of the season with two strikeouts and seven hits.
The Mountaineers and Spartans wrap up the three-game series with a 1 p.m. contest tomorrow.
Elon 7, Western Carolina 1
Western Carolina 2, Elon 1
ELON, N.C. – The Elon softball team earned a win in its Pink Day game versus Western Carolina as the Phoenix split a pair of games with the Catamounts on Saturday, April 13. Elon (13-26, 3-11 Southern Conference) took game one, 7-1, from Western Carolina (16-29, 6-11 SoCon) before losing the final game, 2-1, in a pitchers’ duel at Hunt Softball Park.
Game One
Elon 7, Western Carolina 1
The Phoenix jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after the bottom of the first. Tomeka Watson led off with single through the left side and stole second to move into immediate scoring position. She would advance to third on an Aly Quintana sacrifice bunt and would be joined in scoring position by Carleigh Nester, who reached on a bunt single and also stole second. Ali Ford drove them in with a two-out two-run single into right to give Elon the early advantage.
Elon had an opportunity to plate more runs in the bottom of the second with the bases loaded. Caitlin O'Shea and Watson both reached on singles and were joined on the bases by Quintana, who was hit by a pitch with only one out. The Catamounts were able to induce the final two outs to escape the inning.
Western Carolina would plate its only run of the game in the top of the fourth. After Elon starter Kayla Caruso held the Catamounts hitless in her first three innings, WCU’s Amelia Griffin broke through with a single to left field. A bunt single advanced her to second followed by a sacrifice bunt to move her to third. A sac fly by Taylor Sigmon drove her home to cut the Phoenix’s lead to one, but Caruso forced the final batter to pop up to end the top half of the inning.
The maroon and gold responded with three runs in the bottom half to increase its lead to 5-1. Nester hit a two-out two-run double to left to score O’Shea and Quintana, who each singled earlier in the inning. Emily Cameron followed with a single to right center to score Nester and gave Elon a four-run lead.
With more than enough run support, Caruso proceeded to shut down the Catamounts offense. The freshman from Kennesaw, Ga., did not allow another hit in the game after the fourth as she retired 11 consecutive batters.
Elon added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Nester drove in her third and fourth RBI of the day on a one-out sacrifice bunt to score Lauren Oldham and Watson and make the score 7-1.
Caruso (7-10) earned the complete game win after allowing only one run on two hits, while striking out three batters. The loss went to WCU’s Jordan Garrett (10-10) who also went the distance and gave up seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits.
Watson had three hits for the Phoenix, while Nester and O’Shea each had two.
Game Two
Western Carolina 2, Elon 1
In the second game, Western Carolina jumped out to a quick start in the top of the first scoring two runs. WCU loaded the bases with no outs after Haley Pace drew a walk from Elon starter Chelsea White. The Catamounts scored on a clean fielder’s choice after an error by the Phoenix. Another run would cross the plate after Amber Steinhardt earned a one-out bases loaded free pass to push the Catamounts up 2-0.
Elon answered with a run of its own in the bottom half. Watson drew a walk to lead off the inning and scored after Quintana reached on an error by the third baseman. Quintana advanced to second on the errant throw, while Watson scored and brought the Phoenix within one, 2-1. Quintana advanced to third on a Nester grounder to the pitcher, but she would be stranded as the Catamounts hung on to one-run lead.
The score would stand for the remainder of the afternoon as both pitchers became locked in a pitchers’ duel. The Phoenix recorded its lone hit of the game in the bottom of the third on a Quintana single, but did not have an answer for Catamount’s starter Mallory Broome.
Likewise, White also held her own in the circle for the Phoenix. The Salisbury, N.C., native tied a career-high with seven strikeouts and threw three 1-2-3 innings for Elon.
White was able to get out of the jam in the top of the seventh to give Elon a final chance. After WCU’s Karley Harkey reached on a single up the middle, Griffin followed with a one-out double to center to give Western Carolina runners in scoring position. White was able to fan her seventh batter of the game and induced a fly out to move into the bottom half.
The Phoenix went down in order in the bottom and fell in the second game to the Catamounts, 2-1.
White (2-12) pitched all 7.0 innings in the loss, despite allowing no runs after the first and six hits total. Broome (4-6) earned the complete game win with one hit allowed and no earned runs.
Georgia Southern 6, Samford 0
Georiga Southern 4, Samford 2
STATESBORO, GA. – It may have been “Moving Day” in Augusta on Saturday, but it was a big day for Georgia Southern’s softball offense who scored nine runs to take a doubleheader sweep over Samford at Eagle Field. Sarah Purvis tossed her second one-hitter in SoCon play this season, leading GSU to a 5-0 win in the opener. In game two the offense scored three in the first inning to post a 4-2 win over the Bulldogs. The teams are back in action on Sunday starting at 1 p.m. on Alumni Day.
– GAME ONE –
Sarah Purvis stymied the Samford Bulldogs in game one, holding the visitors to just one hit en route to a 6-0 win over the Bulldogs. Purvis struck out four in the game which saw her toss a one-hitter for the second time at home in conference play this season.
The Eagles opened the series with two hits in the first three batters to go with an error on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases with no outs in the first inning. Shelby Morrill and Tabby Douberley each hit RBI ground outs to score runs and up the Eagles up 2-0 through an inning of play.
In the second inning two-straight hits opened the frame while a throwing error on Brianna McLendon’s slap to third base allowed Kaitlyn Johnson to score the Eagles’ third run of the game. Two sacrifice flies by Alexa Lewis and Kourtny Thomas pushed more runners in as the Eagles took a commanding 5-0 lead.
A pitching change to start the third inning changed the Eagles’ fortunes at the plate as Georgia Southern would score just one more run in the game. That run came off a solo home by Johnson as the sophomore scored for the second time on the day. It was Johnson’s fourth career home run and her third against the Bulldogs.
The Eagles cruised to the 6-0 win behind Purvis’ solid outing. She carried a perfect game into the fifth inning, but a single down the leftfield line scuttled the no-no bid. Purvis, however, retired the next seven batters in order to nail down her 10th win of the season.
- GAME TWO –
Game two opened according to the same script with the Eagles scoring three runs in the opening frame. Two walks opened the door for Morrill to lace a ball down the line to right which was misplayed by the Samford outfielder. Two runs scored on the play and Morrill scored later in the inning on an RBI single by Andrea Tarashuk.
Samford got on the scoreboard in the third inning, breaking a 24.1 innings scoreless streak with an RBI ground out which cut the GSU lead to 3-1.
Georgia Southern added another run in the fifth when Johnson’s RBI double sent Douberley in to score after the senior walked with one out in the inning. The Bulldogs answered in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 4-2 with a solo home run by pitcher Shleby Scott.
Miles retired the next six batters of the game to take the 4-2 victory and improve to 6-6 on the season. She allowed the two runs off five hits and struck out three while walking just once.
The Eagles will go for the series sweep against Samford on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Georgia Southern Softball will honor its alumni in a pregame ceremony which starts at 12:45 p.m.