College of Charleston 11, Canisius 0
College of Charleston 7, Canisius 0
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston softball team swept its Tuesday afternoon doubleheader with Canisius behind both shutdown pitching and prolific hitting at Patriots Point. Hope Klicker and Stephanie Saylors both threw complete game shutouts as the Cougar bats exploded for 22 hits across the 11-0 and 7-0 victories.
Klicker (Walla Walla, Wash.) allowed just two hits and three total base runners as she fanned six in game one, and Saylors (Easley, S.C.) limited the Griffins to six hits and struck out four in the game-two shutout.
Lizzy Vaughn (Placerville, Calif.) went 5-for-7 to pace the Cougar bats and scored three times. Kelsey Hodgson (Woodstock, Ga.) and Rebecca Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif.) both drove in three RBIs on the afternoon, and Carly Corthell (Reno, Nev.) belted her second homerun of the season to stretch CofC’s lead in game two.
Vaughn and Chandler Frisbie (Lawrenceville, Ga.) both extended hitting streaks to five games, and Hodgson extended her reaching-base streak to 13 games.
The Cougars reached their leadoff hitter in all but two innings of the doubleheader and didn’t have a single inning without reaching at least one runner.
Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.C.) represented her jersey number in going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs in game two.
Maria Zavala (Vienna, Va.) picked up her first career RBI with a sacrifice fly which scored Courtney Clark (Tampa, Fla.) in game one.
CofC (17-15, 6-5 SoCon) returns to league play with a three game set at Samford on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 11, CANISIUS: 0
The Cougars pounced on the Griffins early and often in game one, plating six runs across the first three innings before blowing it open with a five-run fourth which eventually brought on the run rule.
Vaughn led off the first with a single up the middle and took second on Ashton Jarrett’s (Hanahan, S.C.) sacrifice bunt execution. Hodgson then doubled to left center, Pedigo tripled to right and Mueller singled back up the middle to cap off the three-run first.
CofC went back to work in the second with a leadoff single from Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) and infield single from Vaughn, followed by a two-out, two-RBI double by Hodgson.
The Cougars added one more in the third which Giragosian initiated with a leadoff walk. Corthell then hit into a fielder’s choice which got Giragosian thrown out at second, but as the Griffins were getting the ball back into the pitching circle, Corthell caught them off guard and swiped second base. The heads-up play put her in position to score on an ensuing RBI single by Vaughn.
The Cougars hung up five runs in the fourth to put the game further out of reach and bring on the run rule. Hodgson led off with a walk, and the next three Cougars singled to score one run and load the bases. The Cougars then benefitted from a two-run throwing error, a run-scoring wild pitch and Zavala’s RBI sacrifice fly.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 7, CANISIUS: 0
The Cougars picked up where they left off in the second game, and Vaughn again led off the first inning with a single and Jarrett sacrificed her over to second. After Hodgson was hit by a pitch, Pedigo smacked a groundball which proved to be too much for the Griffin to handle and Vaughn scored on the play.
The Cougar bats finally cooled off for a couple innings, but Corthell woke them back up with her two-run blast to make the score 3-0 in the fourth.
The Cougars sparked a two-out rally which put the game out of reach in the fifth inning. After two quick outs, Frisbie and Mueller sandwiched singles around a Pedigo walk, and Giragosian lined a triple off the top of the fence in right center to plate all three runs. Maples then doubled to bring Giragosian to the plate and cap off the Cougar scoring.
Longwood 8, Elon 1
Longwood 6, Elon 4
ELON, N.C. – Tomeka Watson became the program’s all-time leader in career RBI, but the Elon softball team fell in its doubleheader on Tuesday, April 2, to Longwood at Hunt Softball Park. The Phoenix (12-21) lost the first game, 8-1, and took a tough loss in the final game, 6-4, despite Watson driving in her 123rd career RBI against the Lancers (25-10).
Game One
Longwood 8, Elon 1
The Lancers plated the first runs of the game in the top of the first. Megan Baltzell hit a one-out double to right center followed by pitcher Brooke Short reaching base on a hit-by-pitch. After Emily Murphy singled, Chelsea Sciacca hit a bases-clearing double into left center to give Longwood a 3-0 lead.
Longwood added another run in the top of the second to move ahead 4-0, but Elon finally responded with a run in the bottom of the third. Carleigh Nester reached on a fielder’s choice then moved into scoring position after stealing second. Watson drove her home on a two-out single through the left side to bring the Phoenix within three, 4-1.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth, but the Lancers put two more runs on the board in the top of the fifth due to some miscues by the Phoenix. After Sciacca doubled left center, Carly Adams reached on an error then stole second to move into scoring position, which allowed pinch runner Casey Lifsey to score from third. Adams herself would score on another stolen base attempt and gave Longwood a five-run advantage.
The Lancers scored two more time in the top of the seventh before taking a final 8-1 victory over the Phoenix.
Longwood’s Short earned the win (13-5) after going 5.0 innings with one run allowed (earned) on four hits. Elon starter Kayla Caruso (6-8) took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, off five hits. Caruso also struck out three batters.
Watson went 2-for-3 to account for half of Elon’s hit total with an RBI. Nester and Camille Hill also had a hit for the maroon and gold.
Game Two
Longwood 6, Elon 4
Despite falling behind early, 2-0, after the top of the first in the second game, Elon fought back in the bottom half to tie the game. Nester singled to lead off the Phoenix and scored after Caruso reached on an error by the third baseman. Caruso advanced to third on the errant throw and was driven home by a Watson single through the left side knot the game at 2-2.
Longwood hit a grand slam in the top of the second to move back up front 6-2. Short hit a shot into right field to increase the Lancers lead to four.
Elon battled back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. After Caruso reached base on another error, Watson, who tied the program’s all-time mark with her RBI earlier in the game, lined a shot to left center to score Caruso and broke a tie with Debbie Zeigler (2005-08) to become the school-record holder in career RBI. Watson crossed home plate on a Sarah Little double down the left field line to bring the Phoenix back within two, 6-4.
Karen Berna, who came on in relief for starter Chelsea White in the second inning, kept the Phoenix in it despite a challenge from the Lancers in the top of the fifth. Short hit a one-out double to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She would be stranded however as the Berna and the Phoenix induced the final two outs of the inning.
The Phoenix bats were quieted by the Lancers’ relief pitcher, Libby Morris, who came on and relieved starter Ashley Cornell in the third. Morris prevented Elon from reaching extra bases until the bottom of the seventh after Nester hit a two-out double to right center. The next batter grounded out and the ended game with the score 6-4.
Morris (12-4) earned the win in relief after going 4.2 innings with only two hits allowed and a couple of strikeouts. White (2-10) went 2.0 innings in the loss for Elon after giving up six runs on seven hits. Berna pitched 5.0 shutout innings in relief and allowed only one hit and fanned two batters.
Watson hit 3-for-3 in the contest with two RBI. Nester had two hits for the Phoenix and a double.
Elon returns to Southern Conference play this weekend, April 6-7, at Appalachian State. The three-game series begins on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader and concludes on Sunday, April 7.
North Carolina 9, Appalachian State 2
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball fell 9-2 to the University of North Carolina in Tuesday’s mid-week single game at Anderson Stadium – Williams Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.
With the loss, Appalachian falls to 15-12 overall on the season while UNC improves to 26-13 overall.
A leadoff single and a two-out double from the Tar Heels in the bottom of the first inning would allow them to take the early 1-0 lead over App State.
Starting pitcher Alissa Schoelkopf issued two walks to load the bases, before pinch hitter Kati Causey dug in for North Carolina. Causey would see four-straight balls to earn the walk and score Constance Orr from third base.
A two-out Mountaineer error would cause a third run to cross the plate in the bottom of the first inning with two outs before Schoelkopf had her fourth walk of the inning, extending the Tar Heel lead to 4-0.
Schoelkopf retired the final out of the inning with a hard hit ball back to the circle before any more damage was done.
Freshman Shivaun Landeros would come on in relief in the top of the second inning and would give up back-to-back hits before issuing back-to-back walks, allowing UNC to take the 5-0 advantage over the Black and Gold.
With bases loaded and one out Landeros would hit Amy Nece, scoring the Heels second run of the inning and sixth of the contest.
A shallow single to left field that was just out of reach of Allie Cashion would allow North Carolina to take a 7-0 lead, before a wild pitch scored Orr from third base and the Heels took the 8-0 advantage.
North Carolina tacked on one more run in the bottom of the second inning before a fly ball was hit to Ashley Seering in right field for the final out of the inning.
With two out in the top of the fifth inning Caroline Rogers would walk before Pepper Butler picked up her first career hit with a shallow single to left field to bring up Sarah Warnock.
Warnock doubled off the right center field wall to score both Rogers and Butler as the Apps trailed 9-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Apps looked to make a comeback in the top of the seventh inning when Rogers hit a one out single to shallow right field, but it was not enough as she ran into a force out at second base and Butler was retired on a high pop up in the infield to end the contest.
After allowing the Tar Heels to score nine runs between the first and second inning the Mountaineers settled in and shut down the powerful offense for the remaining four innings.
Warnock led the App State offense as she went 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, while Lindsay Loudermilk, Rogers and Butler each had a hit for the Mountaineers. Appalachian was out-hit 13-4, while committing two errors.
Schoelkopf (9-7) suffered the loss in the circle as she pitched one inning and allowed two unearned runs, while Landeros pitched five innings with five strikeouts.
The Apps will be back in action on Wednesday, April 3 when they travel to Columbia, S.C. to take on the Gamecocks. First pitch for the single game is slated for 7 p.m.
Virginia Tech 8, UNCG 1
Virginia Tech 10, UNCG 9
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The UNCG softball team dropped a tough doubleheader 8-1 in game one and 10-9 in game two against Virginia Tech Tuesday night at the Tech Softball Park.
The Spartans fall to 25-10 on the season, while Virginia Tech improves to 21-8.
UNCG had a 9-8 lead in game two but Virginia Tech scored two runs in the seventh on a walkoff single from Kat Banks.
Junior Katelyn Bedwell (Surrey, B.C./Elgin Park) finished game two with two home runs and five RBI at the plate to lead the Spartans. Bedwell had four hits and six RBI in the doubleheader.
Virginia Tech 8, UNCG 1
In game one, Virginia Tech used two big innings including a four-run sixth inning to defeat UNCG, 8-1.
Bedwell went 2-for-3 with an RBI single for the Spartans, while junior Aisha Figueroa (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) also had two hits in the loss.
Senior Jasmin Harrell improved to 8-4 with the victory throwing six innings, allowing five hits and one earned run with six strikeouts. Freshman Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) suffered her first loss of the season after throwing 2.2 innings, allowing three hits and three earned runs.
UNCG took an early 1-0 lead after Bedwell lined an RBI single through the infield in the first inning. Figueroa started the frame with an infield single, followed by a stolen base. After two outs, Bedwell picked up her team-leading 32nd RBI of the season to give the Spartans a 1-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, Virginia Tech scored three runs on three hits to take the lead 3-1. Lauren Gaskill walked to start the rally for the Hokies. After a fly out, Courtney Liddle singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. After another fly out, Amanda Ake delivered a clutch two-run single to centerfield to give Virginia Tech a 2-1 lead. Dani Anderson made it 3-1 after an RBI single through the infield.
The Hokies added an insurance run in the fifth with another two out RBI from Bkaye Smith. Ake worked a one out walk and moved to third on two wild pitches. With two outs, Smith singled to left center to give Virginia Tech a 4-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, Virginia Tech scored four runs on two hits with a three-run double from Kat Banks to break the game open. Jessica McNamara brought home another run on a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Hokies an 8-1 lead. Freshman Kelly Lupton (Galloway, N.J./Absegami) limited the damage by recording two outs with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Virginia Tech 10, UNCG 9
In game two, the Hokies came back from a 9-8 deficit to win a wild game two, 10-9 after a walkoff two-run single from Banks.
Harrell picked up the win in relief to improve to 9-4 after allowing four earned runs on six hits in three innings. Redshirt junior Raeanne Hanks (Rainier, Ore./Rainier Senior) took the loss in a complete game effort, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits.
UNCG took a 1-0 lead after freshman Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) singled down the right field line for her 29th RBI of the season. With one out, classmate Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) singled to left center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Thomas picked up her 40th hit of the season with the RBI single.
The Hokies answered with two runs in the bottom of the first after Logan Spaw picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice. Lauren Gaskill reached on a fielding error to start the inning and Kylie McGoldrick grounded into a fielder's choice. Courtney Liddle doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. Spaw grounded to first as McGoldrick beat the throw home to tie the game at 1-1. Liddle then stole home on a squeeze attempt to give the Hokies a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Virginia Tech scored two more runs off two RBI groundouts to take a 4-1 on the Spartans. The Hokies loaded the bases after an error, single and a walk to open the inning. Hanks induced three groundouts around an intentional walk to get out of the inning only giving up two runs.
The Spartans tied the game in the top of the third thanks to a two out three-run home run from Bedwell. Freshman Allison Geiner (Raleigh, N.C./Middle Creek) singled to start the rally. After an out, Vega singled through the infield to put runners on first and third. Bedwell earned her seventh home run of the season with a two out shot to left field to tie the game at 4-4.
UNCG regained the lead in the fourth inning after Figueroa beat out an infield single that allowed sophomore Tatiana Alcala (Oxnard, Calif./Pacifica) to score from third. Alcala opened the inning with a triple to the right field wall.
The Hokies took a 7-5 lead after scoring three runs on two hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bkaye Smith singled up the middle to start the frame. After a fielder's choice, McGoldrick walked to put runners on first and second. After a groundout, Spaw worked a walk to load the bases with two outs. Banks earned an RBI walk to tie the game at 5-5, while Ake singled home two more runs to give Virginia Tech a 7-5 lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Blue and Gold tied the game at 7-7 after Bedwell lined her second home run of the game to left field. Thomas singled to left field to start the inning, while Bedwell picked up her eighth home run and her fifth RBI of the game.
Virginia Tech broke the tie with a run in the bottom of the fifth after Spaw earned an RBI groundout with the bases loaded. The Hokies began the inning with a single from Smith and after an out McGoldrick singled to put runners on first and second. Liddle worked a walk, while Spaw brought home the tying run with a groundout.
The Spartans came through again in the sixth inning after Thomas lined a two-run single through the infield to plate two runs to make the score 9-8. Sophomore Dominique Madruga (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) singled to the pitcher and Geiner singled to second base to put runners on first and second. Figueroa moved the runners to second and third with a groundout. After another groundout, Thomas picked up her third hit of the contest and third RBI to give the Spartans the lead.
The Spartans return home to play a doubleheader Thursday, April 4 against North Carolina Central with game one starting at 3 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.