Western Carolina 4, Liberty 2
Western Carolina 4, Winthrop 1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina softball (3-6) took both games in the final day of action at the Spartan Classic, hosted by USC Upstate, defeating Liberty 4-2 and Winthrop (3-10) 4-1 Sunday at Cyrrill Stadium.

Western Carolina used a three run fifth inning to secure the 4-2 win over Liberty. The Catamounts got five of its seven hits, in the game, in that big fifth inning.

Sophomore pitcher Mallory Broome tossed her first complete game of the young season and picked up the win over the Flames. She improves to 1-3 on the season.

The Catamounts also got its first homerun on the year thanks to a lead-off long ball by sophomore Taylor Sigmon. The homerun by Sigmon was in answer to Liberty’s run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Sammi Shivock scored thanks to an RBI single by Kelby Allen.

Sigmon’s lead-off homerun spurred the three run fifth inning for WCU. After Sigmon tied the game at one, freshman Courtney Buchanan drew a one out walk and moved to second when Courtney Price singled through the right side. Brooke Coggins’ single to center field loaded the bases for the Catamounts. Amelia Griffin’s single to left field notched her an RBI and scored Buchanan. With two outs, Karley Harkey singled up the middle scoring Price.

After a scoreless inning by both teams in the sixth inning, Western Carolina added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, a fortuitous run indeed. Price drew a walk and advanced to second when Coggins was hit by a pitch. Liberty caught a break when Griffin hit into a double play for the first two outs of the seventh. When Price reached third on a passed ball, she scored off an RBI single by Whitney Haywood.

The Bottom of the seventh inning is when things got interesting for both teams. Liberty attempted a come-back when Broome got into a jam. Holly Seiz was hit by a pitch and Kassidy McCoy doubled to put runners on second and third. A fielder’s choice allowed Grace Nordan to reach first and the Flames had bases loaded with no outs. Liberty got one run on the board on a fielder’s choice that allowed Seiz to score and the runner was out at third base. A fly out and a ground out ended the inning and the game.

Broome allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six batters. Price went 2-for-2 and scored two runs.

The Catamounts used a pair of runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to secure the win against Winthrop. Western Carolina also benefitted from a strong pitching performance by junior Jordan Garrett who allowed just one run on six hits and fanned seven batters.

The youth of the team ruled the game as well with seven of the Catamounts’ nine hits were from freshman. Sophomore Taylor Sigmon also notched a hit as well as senior Amelia Griffin.

Scoreless through the first three innings, Western Carolina got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Kara Salvo reached on a Winthrop error to lead off the inning. After two quick outs by the Eagles, Buchanan hit a two out RBI single to score Salvo for the first run of the game. Brooke Coggins followed with a single to right center that scored Buchanan.

Western Carolina posted two more runs in the top of the sixth. Sigmon hit a one out single through the left side and moved to second on sacrifice bunt by Amber Kimrey. Buchanan picked up her second RBI of the game when she singled to center field to score Sigmon. Coggins single down the left line plated Buchanan for the second run of the inning.

Winthrop scratched out a run in the bottom of the sixth inning ruining Garrett’s shutout attempt. Garrett came back in the bottom of the seventh and sat Winthrop down in order, including back-to-back strikeouts to start the inning, to take any chance of a comeback out of the Eagles’ hands.

Buchanan, Coggins and Price each had a pair of hits in the game. Garrett improves to 1-3 on the year.

 

Chattanooga 3, Campbell 1
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team claimed its sixth consecutive win Sunday afternoon with a 3-1 win over Campbell in the weekend finale of the 2014 Frost Classic.  Junior Sarah Beth Roberts and freshman Jesslyn Stockard each homered on the day, leading to UTC’s third multi-homerun game in a row.

Campbell struck first in the first inning for one run on an error.  Camels’ centerfielder Stephanie Jones led off the game by reaching on an error and then stole second base.  A sacrifice fly from Martinet, but starting pitcher Katie Henderson was able to escape the inning with her ERA intact and just one run on the board.

The Mocs then struck in the second inning for two runs.  Sophomore Jenny Garcia scorched a single down the left field line and Stockard followed up the hit with a homerun to right-center, putting Chattanooga up 2-0.

Roberts, the Mocs’ junior third baseman, then sent a laser-shot over the right-center field fence – wind blowing in – to tack on a second insurance run. 

Henderson went on to hold Campbell to one hit over five innings of work.  The sophomore struck out two of Campbell’s batters.  This win for the Mocs has brought Henderson’s pitching record for the 2014 Mocs to 4-2.

Taylor Deason stepped in for the Mocs in the sixth inning and held Campbell scoreless for the remainder of the game.  Deason allowed no hits or runs with her time in the circle and struck out one batter.

 

Elon 10, Iona 1
ELON, N.C. – Head coach Kathy Bocock earned her 290^th career win as the Elon University softball team earned a 10-1 victory over Iona in its finale at the Phoenix Opening Tournament on Sunday, February 23, at Hunt Softball Park.

The Phoenix (8-4-1) plated its 10 runs during the first two innings of the contest, cruising to its third run-rule win of the season. Elon went 10-for-23 at the plate and had three players have multi-hit games with Alaina Hall, Emily Cameron and Ali Ford leading the way with two apiece.

Chelsea White (4-3) earned her third straight win after pitching 4.0 innings and giving up only one run on two hits. She also had two strikeouts and walked a batter. Sophomore Kayla Caruso saw her first action of 2014 in relief in the fifth inning, pitching a clean slate during in her outing.

The Phoenix jumped out quickly in the first due to some miscues by the Gaels. Hall, Carleigh Nester and Cameron all reached to load the bases before Emily Roper was walked to score the first run of the game at 1-0. Elon would move up 3-0 after Grace Eng flied out to the second baseman, but Nester would score after an errant throw to home. Cameron also plated a run on the play after the Gaels were slow to react to the ball, putting Elon ahead 3-0.

Roper crossed home plate on a Ford single to right center to make the score 4-0. Ford then stole second and advanced to third after another error. Ford would get tagged out at home on Lauren Oldham’s fielder’s choice, but the Phoenix added another run on a wild pitch to move up by five, 5-0.

Iona attempted to answer in the top of the second inning as Eileen McCann singled to left field and attempted to leg out a double. Cameron however threw her out at second base from left field for the first out of the inning. White retired the next two batters, moving the game into the bottom half of the frame.

Elon moved ahead 8-0 on a three-run home run by Cameron in the bottom of the inning. Hall and Nester both reached to lead off the frame before being driven in on Cameron’s sixth homer of the young season. Oldham added the ninth and tenth runs of the game for the maroon and gold on a two-RBI one-out single up the middle to push Elon’s advantage to 10-1.

Iona finally got on the board in the top of the third on a solo home run by Sarah Schutz, making the score 10-1. That would be the lone hit of the inning for the Gaels as White struck out the next batter and recorded the next two outs to quickly move into the bottom half.

The game ended in that score as the Phoenix concluded its first weekend at home by winning three out of four and improved Bocock’s mark to 12-3 all-time in home tournament games at Elon.

 

No. 20 Minnesota 8, UNCG 0
UNCG 10, Hampton 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team split a pair of games Sunday on the final day of the 2014 Spartan Classic at the UNCG Softball Stadium.  

The Spartans sit at 4-7 on the season after falling to Minnesota and earning a victory against Hampton.

In game one, the golden gophers used eight hits, two home runs and eight runs to run-rule UNCG in five innings.

Junior Tatiana Alcala picked up an infield single and freshman Kendall McKinney also had an infield single.

Senior Raeanne Hanks took the loss to fall to 3-3 on the season. Hanks threw 3.1 innings, allowing six hits on five earned runs. Senior Sara Moulton (8-1) went the distance allowing just two hits with six strikeouts in the shutout.

Minnesota struck first in the third inning with three runs on a three-run home run from Kaitlyn Richardson. The inning started with Sydney Fabian reaching on an error. After a strikeout, Erica Meyer walked to put runners on first and second. Richardson launched a three-run home run to right field to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Minnesota took a 7-0 lead after scoring four runs on four hits. With one out, Fabian roped an RBI double to left center and Tyler Walker followed with an RBI single up the middle. With two outs, Bree Blanchette lined a two-run single to right center to push the lead to 7-0.

In game two, the Spartans scored 10 runs on 11 hits to run-rule Hampton 10-2 in five innings.

Three UNCG hitters finished the game with two hits and two RBI in Nicole Thomas, Wright and McKinney.

UNCG struck first with six runs in the first inning off five hits. Sophomore Allison Geiner lead the game with a double just over the shortstop’s glove into left field. After two outs, Nicole Thomas  kept the inning alive after being hit by a pitch. Freshman Tory Wright lined a two-run double to centerfield to plate two runs. McKinney doubled to right center to score Wright. Alcala singled up the middle and junior Dominique Madruga loaded the bases after being hit.  Sophomore Danielle Vega cleared the bases with a double scoring two runs and a third run came home off an error. The Spartans scored all six runs with two outs.

In the second inning, the Blue and Gold added three more runs on five hits. Sophomore Lindsay Thomas smoked her first home run of the season to lead off the frame. Senior Katelyn Bedwell doubled to right center and Nicole Thomas singled to left field to give UNCG an 8-0 lead. Wright singled to centerfield to put runners on first and second. McKinney doubled to left center scoring pinch runner Stephanie McKinney from second base.

Hampton added a run in the third inning after Taylor McCoy earned an RBI groundout. The inning started with a swinging strikeout but Margret Wilkins singled to right field with one out. After an error, Wilkins moved to third and came home on McCoy’s ground out to second.

In the bottom of the fourth, Nicole Thomas roped a solo home run to dead centerfield to give UNCG a 10-1 lead.

Hanks allowed a run in the fifth inning but induced a ground out to end the game for UNCG. Hanks improves to 4-3 after throwing five innings, allowing six hits and one earned run with six strikeouts.

It is the first time that both Lindsay Thomas and Nicole Thomas each homered in a game.

 

Samford 9, Mississippi Valley State 4
AUBURN, Ala. - The Samford University softball team used timely hitting to secure a 9-4 victory over Mississippi Valley State University on the final day of the Wilson/DeMarini Classic at Jane B. Moore Field.

Samford (12-3) fell behind early in the contest after MVSU's Talton yanked a home run over the left field wall to put the Delta Devilettes (1-11) ahead in the top of the first inning 2-0.

Bulldog starter junior Shelby Scott settled into a groove shortly after and tossed three complete innings before being relieved by freshman Grey Adams (3-0).

SU battled back in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Then in the bottom of the third frame Samford took a commanding 8-2 lead thanks to a pair of three-run home runs by sophomore Caitlin Bice and freshman Abbie Miranda.

MVSU managed to plated one run each in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to close SU's lead down to 8-4.

Freshman Abby Sweeney blistered a home run in the bottom of the sixth to spell any comeback effort from the Delta Devilettes and extended the Bulldogs lead back out to 9-4.

Freshman Rebecca Leonard came in relief of Adams and picked up two solid innings of work.

Bice led the way at the plate for the Bulldogs going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a pair of runs while Miranda went 1-for-1 at the plate with four RBIs and a run scored. Sweeney ended the day 1-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.

SU tallied a season-high 11 walks in the contest.

 

Evansville 5, Appalachian State 2
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – Appalachian State University softball closed out its play in the Blues City Classic on Sunday morning with a single game against the Evansville Purple Aces and fell in the tournament finale, 5-2.

Shivaun Landeros received the starting nod against the Purple Aces and began the game in dominant fashion whiffing the first two batters she faced and getting the third to pop out in foul territory. The Mountaineers (3-9) would be sent down in order in their half of the first inning.

After a single and two walks, Michal Luckett connected on a pitch that dropped in a perfect spot in short left centerfield that opened the scoring for the Purple Aces (5-4) as they took the lead 1-0. Landeros battled back getting Kacey Rogers to swing and miss for the second out, but not before Chandra Parr singled home two runs to extend the lead to 3-0. A wild pitch led to another run for Evansville with Landeros able to strike out Emma Buckles to end the threat.

After Ashley Seering was hit by a pitch and Cara Parker drew a walk to put runners on first and second, Alex Sohl hit a laser into centerfield to drive in Seering and advance Parker to third with no outs. Ashley Best would ground into a double play, but Parker would still score from third and cut the deficit to 4-2 in favor of the Purple Aces.

In the third, Landeros faced runners on first and second and then on first and third and managed to escape the inning unscathed with the deficit still at two runs. Evansville would remove Emily Morris and slot starting second baseman Megan Gurski into pitch in the third inning. Gurski would get the Apps down in order.

Landeros would make quick work of the Purple Aces in the fourth with her second 1-2-3 inning of the morning. Gurski would replicate Landeros’ top half and make quick work of App State heading into the top of the fifth. Buckles hit one to the gap in right-center, but a great relay from Dani Heichen to Parker and onto Caroline Rogers allowed the Mountaineers to get the out at third. App State would go down in order in the fifth and send Landeros back out to the circle.

The Purple Aces would tack on one more run on a swinging third strike that got away from Warnock behind the plate, but the Mountaineers would get the last out of the inning on a second runner trying to score. Whitney Johnson led off the sixth with a base hit up the middle, but the Mountaineers would not advance her.

With second and third and only one out, Landeros picked up a strikeout and a groundout to escape danger in the seventh. Parker dropped a one out triple down the right field line but the Mountaineers wouldn’t be able to get her home and would fall to Evansville, 5-2.

Landeros pitched seven innings for the Black and Gold and finished with eight hits and four earned, including nine strikeouts.

 

USC Upstate 4, Furman 3
Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate rallied from two runs down in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings and edged the Paladins, 4-3, on Dana Landers walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to claim the Spartan Classic championship on Sunday afternoon at Cyrill Stadium.

The victory improved the Spartans to 14-0 on the season while Furman slipped to 4-6.

With Marche Llanos representing the international tiebreaking runner on second base and one out in the 10th inning, Landers lined a pitch into center field off Paladin reliever Alex Sappington to break a 3-3 tie and keep the Spartans unbeaten run alive.

After five scoreless frames in a pitchers duel between Upstate senior Anna Miller and Furman’s Lauren Collier, its was the Paladins that jumped ahead in the top half of the sixth inning.  Sieara Bishop was hit by a 1-2 pitch with two outs and senior Nikki Legg followed by lining a two-run homer to right field for her first career roundtripper in 469 career at-bats.

Collier cruised through the sixth inning before allowing a leadoff single to shortstop by Shellie Robinson to open the seventh.  Meredith Barnes followed with a base hit to left and the Spartans moved runners to second and third on Cheyenne Griffin’s grounder to second base.  Collier fanned Madison Kieffer, but Kendall Settlemyre lined a two-run single to left on a two-strike count to even the game at 2-2.

Furman took advantage of the international tiebreaker rule in the eighth as Taylor Jenkins moved to third on a passed ball and scored when pinch hitter Sarah Eidt pushed a bunt single past the pitcher to give the Paladins a 3-2 lead.  In the bottom of the frame, Hayley Reinfeld lined a one-out, RBI double to left-center to tie the game and put the potential winning run in scoring position, but Collier retired Landers on a fly out and Shelby Parker came in to induce an inning-ending ground out to first base after Collier intentionally walked the bases loaded.

The Paladins missed a chance to regain the lead in the top of the ninth when Legg and Ambree Muller opened the frame with singles to load the bases.  Upstate pitcher Lexi Shubert ended the bases loaded, no out threat by striking out Collier and Jenkins with a Stephanie Spain fly out in between.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kieffer hammered a Parker pitch to left that bounced off the top of the wall to give the Spartans runners at second and third with nobody out.  Working against the middle of the order, Parker got Settlemyre to foul out, Erin Schattle to line out to third baseman Natalie Clemmons and Llanos to ground out to first to keep the Paladins alive.

Shubert retired the Paladins in order in the top of the 10th to strand the tiebreaking runner at third and setup Landers’ walk-off heroics in the bottom half of the inning.  A freshman right-hander, Shubert worked four innings allowing an unearned run on three hits to earn the win and move to 6-0 in the circle.  She followed Anna Miller, who gave up two runs on two hits while striking out 11 batters in six innings.  The Spartan pitching staff finished the game with 18 strikeouts.

Sappington took the loss for Furman on an unearned run in the bottom of the 10th.  Collier worked 7.2 innings allowing five hits and two earned runs.  She fanned five an walked two.  Parker surrendered just one hit in 1.1 innings of work.

Upstate registered seven hits by seven different players with Settlemyre driving in the two seventh-inning runs that snapped Furman’s run of 33 consecutive innings without allowing a run.

Legg, who was joined by Parker and Collier on the Spartan Classic All-Tournament Team, went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI to pace the Paladins’ five-hit offensive outing.