Samford 11, Austin Peay 1
Samford 6, Austin Peay 5
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team swept Austin Peay State University 11-1 and 6-5 in a mid-week matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Samford Field. Junior Mollie Hanson (5-2) picked up the two victories in the circle for the Bulldogs.

In game one of the doubleheader junior Madison Dickey put the Bulldogs (9-2) out in front 2-0 with a double to the gap in left center field in the bottom of the second inning.

APSU (2-8) picked up a run in the top of the third frame to close the gap to 2-1 but SU exploded in the bottom of the inning and plated six runs to extend its lead out to 8-1. Junior Abby Adams kicked off the offensive outburst with her fourth home run of the year.

The Bulldogs poured on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an 11-1 lead that the Lady Govs could not recover from.

Hanson limited Austin Peay to just three hits and cranked out five strikeouts with only two walks allowed.

SU belted out 11 hits in game one with Dickey leading the way going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored; Adams followed closely behind going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Abbie Miranda continues to make her presence felt at the plate going 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Game two told a much different story than the 11-1 five inning contest that occured earlier in the day as this one went the full seven innings and required Hanson to come in relief and shut down a dangerous APSU threat.

Hanson's services were required due to a bases loaded situation with the game tied at 5-5 and only one out in the top of the fifth inning.

The Dothan, Ala. native responded to the challenge and closed out the remaining two and a third innings with five strikeouts, no walks and one hit.

Shelby Scott, without a hit coming into the game, went 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the contest and plated the game winning RBI in the bottom of the sixth. Scott singled through the left side of the infield to score Adams from third base.

The Bulldogs recorded 12 hits as compared to the Lady Govs four in game two of the twin bill.

Scott's perfect performance at the plate was followed by Abby Adams went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and picked up her fifth home run of the season. Sophomore Megan Dowdy went 2-for-3 with a run scored from her leadoff spot.

 

Campbell 9, Elon 2
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Elon University softball team could not overcome a six-run bottom of the third inning as the Phoenix fell on the road to Campbell, 9-2, on Wednesday night at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium.

Elon (5-3-1) only had three hits offensively against the Fighting Camels (5-4) and eight runners left on base. The Phoenix also fell into a quick 3-0 hole in the bottom of the opening inning.

Campbell led off the bottom of the frame with two singles before Milly Martinet drove both runners home on a one-out three-run home run to center field. After the next batter was hit-by-a-pitch, the Phoenix made a change in the circle with freshman Alli Burdette coming in for starter Chelsea White.

The Phoenix got a runner on base the following inning when Johanna Spencer was walked. She advanced to second on a stolen base, but ended up stranded when as Elon popped up to end the inning.

Elon finally answered in the top of the third when Ali Ford hit a solo home run down the left field line to put the Phoenix on the board. It was the senior’s first career home run and trimmed the Phoenix’s deficit to 3-1. After Alaina Hall reached on a error and advanced to second base, Emily Cameron hit a two-out RBI single to left field scoring Hall to bring the Phoenix within one, 3-2.

The Phoenix got into some trouble in the bottom half of the third frame however. The Fighting Camels scored six runs in the inning and expanded their lead to seven, 9-2.

The maroon and gold attempted to respond in the top of the fourth as Spencer was walked again to begin the inning. She was pinch-run by Jenna Reilly, who then advanced to second on an illegal pitch. Another illegal pitch moved her to third with two outs and was joined by Ford on the bases after she drew a free pass giving Elon runners at the corners. Both would be stranded as the Phoenix went down on strikes to end the inning.

Caitlin O’Shea came on in relief of Burdette and pitched three scoreless innings with the help of some great defense behind her. Elon however could not manufacture any more runs in as the team went hitless from the third inning on.

White (1-3) took the loss for the Phoenix, pitching only a third of an inning. Burdette went 1.2 innings before O’Shea closed out the rest of the game, giving up two runs in her 4.0 innings of action.

Ford led the way offensively after going 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a walk. Cameron had the other hit for the maroon and gold with an RBI while Spencer drew two free passes.

 

Furman 1, Presbyterian 0
Presbyterian 12, Furman 5
Greenville, S.C. – Junior Shelby Parker fanned a career-high 13 batters and tossed a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 game two victory to help Furman to a doubleheader split with Presbyterian in the inaugural game under the lights at Pepsi Stadium on Wednesday.  The Blue Hose claimed a 12-5 win in game one on Wednesday afternoon.

The split moved the Paladins to 1-5 on the season while Presbyterian moved to 1-6.

With runners on the corners and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning  of the night cap following Nikki Legg’s sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk to Ambree Muller, Lauren Collier thwarted an intentional walk attempt by reaching out and chopping a 2-0 pitch back to the circle.  Katie Brown fielded the ball cleanly, but her throw in the dirt skipped away from first baseman Erin Taylor and allowed pinch runner Alexis Galinski to sprint home to give the Paladins a 1-0 victory.

Parker (1-2), a native of Cherokee, N.C., put the Paladins in position to win by limiting the Blue Hose to just three hits and a walk while striking out 13 of the 27 batters she faced in a complete-game effort.  In the top of the eighth with Kersten Legacki placed on second base in accordance with the international tiebreaker rule, Parker got Courtney Lawson to fan to start the frame before Abby Allen fouled out to third.  After Taylor reached on an infield single, the right-hander got pinch hitter Taylor Woods swinging to retire the Blue Hose and setup the walk-off win in the bottom of the frame.

With Galinski running on second, Legg put down a sacrifice bunt prior to Muller’s intentional walk and Brown’s game-ending throwing error.

Legg went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Paladins while Miranda Rogers recorded two of Presbyterian’s three hits.

Brown (0-1), who allowed just one unearned run on four hits in 7.1 innings suffered the loss.  She walked two batters and struckout two.

In game one, Erin Ruff collected three extra base hits and Shelby Petik belted a third-inning grand slam to propel Presbyterian to a 12-5 victory over the Paladins.

With the game tied at 5-5 in the top of the fifth, Legacki highlighted a four-run PC outburst with a two-run double as the Blue Hose scored three unearned runs to open up a 9-5 lead.  Ruff keyed a three-run sixth inning with a leadoff home run to help the Blue Hose cruise to a 12-5 win.

Sydney Seigler earned the victory for PC after allowing only one run on three hits in 4.2 innings in the circle in relief of Kensley Loudermelk.  Ruff went 3-for-4 with two double, a homer and three runs while Rogers collected three hits in four trips and Petik drove in four runs.

PC took the lead with a single run in the first and stretch its advantage to 5-0 on Petik’s grand slam in the third off Collier.  Furman answered with four runs in the bottom of the third.  Stephanie Spain lined a two-run double over the leftfielder’s head and scored Furman’s third run on Muller’s grounder to short.  Legg raced home on Elise Smith’s sacrifice fly to trim the lead to 5-4.

In the fourth inning, Natalie Clemmons reached on a one-out double before tying the game when Sieara Bishop lined a two-out single back up the middle.

Collier (1-2), who surrendered nine runs on eight hits in four innings, suffered the loss for Furman.  She walked one batter and fanned five.

Bishop went 2-for-4 at the plate to pace the Paladins.

Furman returns to action this weekend at USC Upstate’s Spartan Classic in Spartanburg, S.C.  The Paladins open tournament play facing Winthrop at 1 p.m. on Friday before battling the Liberty Flames at 5 p.m.