College of Charleston 8, South Carolina State 0
College of Charleston 2, South Carolina State 0
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The College of Charleston softball team swept its Tuesday afternoon doubleheader at South Carolina State to extend their win streak to seven games. The Cougars outhit the Bulldogs by a 13-3 margin en route to 8-0 and 2-0 victories.
CofC’s pitchers were dominant in the twinbill as Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.), Jen Rosene (Charlotte, N.C.) and Valerie Cassell (Edison, N.J.) combined to be virtually unhittable.
Saylors pitched the first three innings of game two and allowed just one hit while striking out three, before giving way to Rosene who didn’t allow a single base runner and struck out three of the six hitters she faced.
Cassell pitched the entirety of game two and struck out a career high seven hitters while allowing just two hitters to reach base. After a pair of groundball singles in the second, Cassell wouldn’t allow a single hitter to reach base for the rest of the contest.
Offensively the Cougars were paced by Lizzy Vaughn (Placerville, Calif.) who went 4-for-5 on the day with a double and an RBI.
Kelsey Hodgson (Woodstock, Ga.) belted her 11th homer of the season to secure CofC’s lead in the first game.
After enforcing the run rule in the first game, the scoring became tougher in game two but Chandler Frisbie (Woodstock, Ga.) drove in two runs which was enough for the 2-0 victory.
CofC (26-16) has now won 11 of their last 12 and will look to roll over the success to Thursday afternoon when they host Savannah State in a doubleheader. First pitch at Patriots Point is scheduled for 4 p.m.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 8, SC STATE: 0 (5 INN.)
The Cougars were kept off the bases for the first two innings, but erupted for eight runs in the third and fourth innings to bring on the eight-run rule. The Cougars proved to be creative on the base paths and extremely efficient with their at bats by only stranding one runner in the contest.
Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.J.) led off the third inning with a leftfield single which made her the first base runner of the game for either side. The Cougars followed with four consecutive successful sacrifice bunts, two of which being back-to-back squeeze plays which resulted in three runs.
Carly Corthell (Reno, Nev.) laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt and reached safely when the throw to first pulled the first baseman off the bag. Then, with runners on first and second, Courtney Clark (Tampa, Fla.) did her role with the sacrifice bunt to move both runners up a base. Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.) then dropped down the squeeze bunt, and she moved up to second as the Bulldogs tried unsuccessfully to get Giragosian at the plate. Next Vaughn dropped the squeeze bunt and the Bulldogs again went to the plate for the play and Corthell slid around the tag to score safely. Like Jarrett, Vaughn went for second base as the throw went to the plate, but strategically went into a rundown which allowed Jarrett to sneak across the plate.
The next batter would be Hodgson and the junior slugger hammered one out to right center to culminate the five-run CofC third.
The Cougars continued the onslaught in the fourth when Rebecca Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif.) led off with a double down the rightfield line and Giragosian walked to put two on with no outs. Corthell then doubled into the gap in left center to score Mueller and move Giragosian to third. The two base runners would score on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Clark and Lexi Murdock (Clifton, Va.) to put CofC up 8-0.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 2, SC STATE: 0
The scoring didn’t come as easy in game two as the Cougars stranded nine runners, but they collected the two runs they needed and that was enough for Cassell to earn the win.
The first run came in the third inning when Vaughn legged out a one-out infield single. The junior opportunistically tagged up to take second base on a fly ball to left, and that would prove vital as she scored from there on a two-out RBI single by Frisbie.
The Cougars added the insurance run in the seventh when Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) singled into left center to initiate another rally. Jarrett re-entered the game to run for Maples and immediately stole second base and scored when the Bulldogs committed a fielding error later in the inning.
The insurance would prove to be unnecessary as Cassell continued to mow hitters down and usher the Cougars to victory.
UNCG 9, UNCW 0
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The UNCG softball team used 14 hits and nine runs to run-rule UNCW, 9-0, in six innings Tuesday night at Boseman Field. The Spartans reach the 30-win plateau for the first time since the 2004 season.
UNCG improves to 30-11 on the season while the Seahawks drop to 13-25. The Blue and Gold pick up their sixth shutout of the season.
Sophomore Erica Navarette (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills) improved to 6-4 on the season after tossing four shutout innings, allowing just two hits. Jordyn Schmidt falls to 4-11 on the year after allowing three earned runs on four hits in two innings.
Junior Aisha Figueroa (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) paced the Spartans with a 4-for-4 effort at the plate with a run scored. Figueroa was one hit away from tying the school record for most hits in a game held by UNCW head coach Kristy Norton, who played for UNCG from 1999-02.
UNCG took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning after an RBI sacrifice fly from sophomore Dominique Madruga (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic). Senior Heather Robb (Apex, N.C./Middle Creek) worked a walk to start the inning. After a fly out, sophomore Tatiana Alcala (Oxnard, Calif./Pacifica) beat out an infield hit to put runners on first and third. Alcala would steal second base and Madruga brought home Robb with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Spartans added three runs in the third inning off three hits, including an RBI single from junior Katelyn Bedwell (Surrey, B.C./Elgin Park) to give her 40 RBI on the season. Figueroa picked up her second hit of the game with a single to third base to begin the inning. Freshman Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) singled up the middle, while classmate Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) walked to load the bases for UNCG. Bedwell delivered a soft RBI single to left field and Robb earned an RBI groundout to give the Spartans a 3-0 advantage. Senior Eileen Horsmon (Dunkirk, Md./Northern) hit a long fly ball to deep centerfield to score another run off a sacrifice fly to push UNCG's lead to 4-0.
In the top of the fourth inning, UNCG added its third sacrifice fly to take a 5-0 lead on UNCW after Vega picked up her 18th RBI of the season. Madruga singled to give UNCG a runner on first for the fourth-straight inning. After a groundout, Figueroa singled to left center to put runners on second and third with one out. Vega was able to bring Madruga home on a fly ball to centerfield.
The Spartans continued their aggressive approach at the plate as Thomas blasted a one out two-run home run to left centerfield to give UNCG a 7-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. It was Thomas' 14th home run of the season, which ties the school record for most home runs in a season with Karyn Thompson from the 1995 season. UNCG added two more runs after freshman Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) lined a pinch-hit RBI single to left center to plate another run and a Seahawk error allowed a second run to score on the play to push UNCG's lead to 9-0.
Redshirt junior Raeanne Hanks (Rainier, Ore./Rainier Senior) pitched a scoreless fifth inning, while freshman Kelly Lupton (Galloway, N.J./Absegami) threw a perfect sixth inning to complete the shutout for the Spartans.
UNCG returns home for a doubleheader against in-state foe North Carolina Central Thursday, April 18 starting at 3 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
East Tennessee State 6, Furman 3
East Tennessee State 3, Furman 2
Greenville, S.C. – Nicole Fox recorded five hits and Jackie Baird batted in four runs to propel East Tennessee State to a 6-3, 3-2 sweep of Furman in a non-conference softball twinbill on Tuesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
With its pair of wins, ETSU upped its record to 12-29 while the Paladins dropped to 22-21 on the season.
GAME 1
In the opener, Fox went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and scored three runs to lift the Buccaneers to a 6-3 triumph over the Paladins.
Leading 3-2 through six innings, East Tennessee State plated three runs in the top half of the seventh to pull away from the Paladins. Fox singled to open the inning, stole second base and scored on pitcher Katie Wolff's looping single down the left field line with one out. Baird followed with a towering two-run shot over the left field fence to stake the Buccaneers to a 6-2 lead.
Furman mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh as Nikki Legg reached on a one-out single and Stephanie Field followed by reaching base on an error. Ambree Muller singled to center field to trim the lead to 6-3, but the sophomore was called out for interference when she ran into the second baseman on Lauren Collier's grounder and Wolff got Sieara Bishop to strike out swinging to end the game.
Collier took the loss for Furman to slip to 11-9 in the circle. She allowed six runs, just three earned, on 11 hits in seven innings. The junior right-hander fanned five batters without issuing a walk.
Wolff (5-16) captured the win for the Buccaneers by limiting the Paladins to three runs on eight hits in a complete-game effort. She recorded three strikeouts and walked one batter.
Baird, Everett and Wolff each recorded three hits for ETSU in the 11-hit outing while Baird knocked in three runs.
Wolff helped herself by driving in the Bucs' first run following a Furman error in the first. The Paladins knotted the game in the bottom of the third when Legg tripled over the head of Everett in right field and scored on Field's RBI single.
ETSU regained the lead with a couple of runs in the fifth inning. Jennine Duncan reached base to start the frame when Taylor Jenkins failed to handle Stephanie Spain's flip to first. After Tara Hartnett sacrificed and Fox singled to put runners on the corners, Duncan scored as Sam Lower's grounder to shortstop, a potential double play ball, skipped off of Sieara Bishop's gloved and into left-center field. Wolff singled and Baird lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to up the margin to 3-1. Collier drove in Furman's second run in the bottom of the fifth.
Legg went 2-for-4 with a triple and a pair of runs while Collier also collected two hits in the loss.
GAME 2
East Tennessee State exploded for three runs in the top of the fourth and held off a late Furman charge to complete the sweep with a 3-2 victory in game two.
Lower and Wolff began the fourth inning with singles and Baird put the Bucs in front when she singled to left field to drive in Lower. Two batters later, Everett doubled to left-center field to drive in Baird and Wolff.
In the bottom of the sixth, Legg opened the frame with an infield single and Natalie Clemmons pulled the Paladins within a run by crushing a two-run homer to straightaway center field. Field followed with a single, but she was caught stealing to end the inning and ETSU starter Whitney Leon retired the Paladins in order in the seventh to give the Bucs a 3-2 win.
Leon (1-3) gave up just two runs on six hits over seven innings to earn the victory. Fox and Everett both collected a pair of hits for ETSU, who improved to 20-11 all-time against Furman.
Starter Meaghan Houston (7-7) suffered the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings of work. She fanned three batters and did not surrender a walk.
Legg went 2-for-3 for the Paladins.
Furman returns to Southern Conference play this weekend when it travels to Boone, N.C., to take on first place Appalachian State. Saturday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. with Sunday's series finale also set for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Mississippi State 13, Samford 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford opened the brand new Samford Softball Stadium Tuesday night against Mississippi State, though the visiting Bulldogs spoiled the occasion as they defeated Samford 13-1 in five innings.
Samford (11-28) threw three different pitchers in the game, though none could find an answer to a potent Mississippi State (27-14) offense that tallied 12 hits, including three home runs, and drew nine walks. Shelby Scott (2-11) took the loss in the circle but knocked in Samford’s only hit of the game, an RBI single in the bottom of the first that extends her hitting streak to five games. Birmingham native Jessica Cooley had a great homecoming, going 3-3 at the plate for Mississippi State with two home runs and six RBI.
The visitors would strike quickly, as a leadoff single and a Cooley home run made it a 2-0 ball game. Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first, Scott would cut the deficit in half with a hit that dropped in shallow left field to score Callie Brister from second as it was now a 2-1 game.
The visitors would not let up from that point on, as they scored 11 runs over the next 4.0 innings, including a big six-run third with home runs by Cooley and Julia Echols. Two hitless innings from Owen in the circle and 2.0 perfect innings from Kylie Vry would seal Samford’s fate as they fell, 13-1, in five innings.
No. 5 Tennessee 9, Appalachian State 0
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Appalachian State University softball fell 9-0 to No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday evening at Lee Stadium.
With the loss App State falls to 21-16 overall on the season, while Tennessee improves to 39-6 overall.
The Lady Volunteers got off to a quick 1-0 advantage over the Apps as leadoff hitter Raven Chavanne drew a walk and stole her 32nd base of the season to advance to second. Lauren Gibson dug in and hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Chavanne.
Another leadoff walk to start the second inning would cost App State as Cheyanne Tarango scored on back-to-back hits from the Tennessee offense. The Lady Vols tacked on two more runs with a hard hit single just over the glove of second baseman Meghan Smith to take the 5-0 lead over the Mountaineers.
Tennessee extended its lead to 7-0 over the Black and Gold when Chavanne drew her second walk of the contest and Lauren Gibson lined her 11th home run of the season over the left field wall.
The Apps looked to get on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning when freshman Pepper Butler earned the first hit of the contest for the Mountaineers with a double down the left field line. Butler advanced to third on a Cynthia Gomez single up the middle, but App State was unable to push a run across the plate as the Volunteers retired the final out of the inning.
Tennessee loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning when relief pitcher Katherine Johnson issued two walks and hit one batter. The Lady Vols added two runs when Chavanne drove a two-run single up the middle, allowing UT to take the 9-0 lead.
Appalachian was unable to score in the top of the fifth inning, putting the mercy rule in affect as the Mountaineers fell 9-0 to the Lady Vols.
Gibson led the Tennessee offense as she went 1-for-3 with three RBI, while Chavanne added one hit, two RBI and scored twice.
Appalachian notched four hits as Butler, Gomez, Smith and Lindsay Loudermilk and each tallied one. Shivaun Landeros (8-6) suffered the loss in the circle as she went 2.0 innings, while Johnson pitched one inning with one strikeout and Alissa Schoelkopf closed in the fifth with one strikeout.