Samford 5, Eastern Kentucky 3Samford 9, Mercer 8MACON, Ga. - The Samford University softball team took to the field for the first time of the 2014 season against Eastern Kentucky University and walked away with a 5-3 victory on Friday, Feb. 7, at the Mercer Invitational. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure the win. Junior Mollie Hanson(1-0) picked up her first win of the season lasting seven innings with five strikeouts and only allowing two earned runs. Leanna Pittsenbarge (0-1) was charged with the loss for EKU. Eastern Kentucky (0-1) threatened early in the bottom of the first inning after Nicole Heitz (1-for-3) singled to Hanson and a fielding error by Abby Adams put EKU runners on first and second. Hanson remedied the situation striking out Lauren Mitchell (0-for-3) to end the inning. The Bulldogs (1-0) struck first in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Colonels. Junior Madison Dickey (0-for-3) drew a lead-off walk, senior Arica Dykes relieved Dickey to serve as a pinch runner; Dykes acted quickly, stole second and eventually was brought home by sophomore Hannah Taylor’s (1-for-3) RBI single to left field. SU did not stop there. Taylor advanced to third after sophomore Callie Brister (1-for-4) was gunned out at first; she was then subbed for Rachel Bickert who came in as a pinch runner. Junior Abby Adams(1-for-4) shortly after singled down the left field line to score the second run of the inning for Samford. EKU responded in the bottom of the fourth to even the score 2-2. The Colonels started the inning off in the same fashion as the Bulldogs as Lauren Mitchell (0-for-3) drew a lead-off walk. Mitchell then scored on Shannon McQueen's (2-for-4) RBI double to right center field. McQueen scored two batters later on a Krislyn Campos (1-for-2) single to right field. The dramatics did not pick back up until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Colonels loaded the bases with two outs. With two strikes and a ball as the count, Hanson forced a pop-up to Adams at shortstop for the final out to send the game into extra innings. Samford took advantage right away as the Bulldogs plated three runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure a 5-2 lead. Sophomore Megan Dowdy (1-for-4) drove in the first two on a two RBI single to center field. Brister crushed an RBI single down the left field line that extended the lead out to three. Eastern Kentucky did not go away quietly as the Colonels forced a walk from Hanson and an eventual passed ball scored Christina Ciolek (0-for-4) to close the gap to the final score of 5-3.
The Samford University softball team wrapped up the opening day of the Mercer Invitational with a resounding 9-8 win over the host institution Mercer University on Friday, Feb. 7. Sophomore Callie Brister led the way going 3-for-4 at the plate with a two-run homerun and career-high four RBI in the win.
The Bulldogs offense exploded for nine runs on 13 hits against a Bears squad that tallied eight runs on eight hits in an offensive explosion.
SU broke onto the score board when Brister drove in fellow sophomore Megan Dowdy with a two-run blast over the left field wall.
With Samford's offense looked to gain traction after facing a talented Eastern Kentucky team with two good pitchers; Mercer had to step up and answer the call. The Bears did just that and reeled off five runs in the bottom of the first to take a 5-3 lead.
This was not the first time Bulldogs had to comeback from a deficit after an opposing team took the lead the previous inning and Burford said the girls were ready to answer the call to respond again.
The Bulldogs did push back in the top of the third inning and plated three runs to knot the score even at 5-5. Freshman Abbey Miranda started the rally with a single down the left field line and was driven home by sophomore Hannah Taylor. Brister and Abbey Adams each also had an RBI single in the inning.
Samford's offense kept rolling after holding Mercer scoreless in the bottom of the third; Miranda hit her first career home run to extend the Bulldog lead out to 6-5. The Bulldogs then tacked on three more runs to take a 9-5 lead that would not be relinquished.
MU climbed back into the game with a three run bottom of the fourth inning to put pressure on SU and close the lead down to 9-8.
Dowdy, the leadoff hitter, went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Madison Dickey notched two runs going 0-for3 with a walk.
Taylor had a successful game at the designated player position going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Abbey Adams went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Miranda went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
Mollie Hanson (2-0) came in relief to pitch four innings and pick up the win; Carter (0-1) received the loss for the Bears.
Georgia Southern 11, Oakland 0STATESBORO, Ga. - Brooke Red struck out eight and tossed a two-hit shutout as the Georgia Southern softball team picked up an 11-0 win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Friday. Georgia Southern (1-0) got home runs from Kourtny Thomas, Shelby Morrill and Kaitlyn Johnson to power the offense in the final game of the first day of competition at the Eagle Round Robin Tournament. Thomas tallied her first career multi-homer game and drove in four runs off of three hits and two long balls. The Eagles posted 10 hits and scored more runs in the first game this season than in any other last season. Johnson and Emily Snider contributed to the cause with two hits a piece, while Morrill scored three runs on the day and plated three with her sixth inning home run. Red (1-0) retired the first 11 batters she faced and did not allow a hit until the fourth inning. She posted her sixth shutout of her career after allowing just two hits. Red allowed only four base runners on the day but allowed multiple runners on base in the fourth and sixth innings. She worked out of both jams, striking out Brittany Prior in the fourth and inducing an inning-ending double play in the sixth. Kaley Waalkes (0-1) held GSU to just two hits through the first three innings, but the Eagles broke open the scoreless tie on Thomas' first home run. GSU added four more runs in the fifth inning on a single by Thomas and a three-run homer from Johnson. The Eagles added five more runs in the sixth inning off of homers from Morrill and Thomas and a double by Gabrielle Story.
Fordham 12, Chattanooga 3
South Dakota 5, Chattanooga 4
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team suffered back-to-back losses Friday evening in Orlando, Fla., at the UCF Knights Invitational. Fordham topped UTC 12-3 in an error-riddled performance, and South Dakota proved to be too one run better than the Mocs, 5-4, in extra innings.
Coming off a 5-0 win over LIU Brooklyn, momentum helped carry Fordham over Chattanooga in the Mocs season-opener. A team Chattanooga fell to three times in 2013, the Rams triumphed again through a quick start and a handful of UTC miscues. The Mocs committed five errors over the five-inning game.
The Rams jumped out to a hot start with a four-run inning over starting pitcher Katie Henderson. The sophomore only tossed 0.1 innings before Taylor Deason was called on in relief. The junior was able to pitch the Mocs out of an early jam but not before Fordham pushed four runs across the plate on one hit, one error and four walks.
The Chattanooga offense answered back in the second inning with two runs, cutting the lead in half. Walks issued to Criket Blanco and Shelby Carter got the ball rolling and a bunt-single from Sarah Beth Roberts loaded the bases. Anyssa Robles punched her ticket with an RBI-single to right field and a bases-loaded walk to senior Kaiti Dutton gave UTC its second run.
Deason kept the Rams off in the bottom of the second, and Chattanooga tacked on a third run in the top of the third to cut the lead to one run. Blanco tripled down the right-field line on one out and a sacrifice bunt from Roberts scored the sophomore, but the third inning would be the deciding factor in the game.
With two outs on the board, back-to-back errors allowed two Fordham batters to reach base safely. Two more errors and four hits would ensue to drive in eight runs for the Rams, putting Chattanooga down 12-3. Centerfielder Sydney Canessa, who was 2-for-4 on the night with an RBI and run scored, was one of four Fordham batters to single and drive in a run during the inning.
The next two innings saw both teams go scoreless, leading to a 12-3, run-ruled game in just five innings.
Looking to bounce back in the second game against South Dakota, Chattanooga was disappointed again with an eight-inning loss after on two occasions.
The bats came out swinging in the first inning for Chattanooga as the Mocs put three quick runs in the book. With the bases loaded, Blanco delivered with a bases-clearing triple to score Sam Taylor, Alyssa Taylor and Marina Wilkerson.
Freshman Liana Rodrigues was handed her first collegiate start against the Coyotes and did not disappoint. While only tossing 3.1 innings, the right-hander was very effective with five strikeouts, just two walks and three earned runs.
Trouble in the fourth caused the Mocs to go to Deason in relief. South Dakota added two runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game 3-3, taking Rodrigues out of the decision and making Deason the pitcher on record. The Mocs reclaimed the lead on an RBI-single from Blanco to score Sam Taylor who led the inning off with a double down the left-field line.
The Coyotes tied the game 4-4 in the top of the fifth when pinch runner Katelyn Wudel moved up two bases on a passed ball and throwing error, putting her in position to score on a wild pitch.
Going into extras, South Dakota took advantage of its tie-breaking-runner, Sydney Hancock, when Chattanooga committed its fourth run of the game, a throwing error, to move the runner to third. That set up the game-winning RBI-single for Christine Broders. Chattanooga was held hitless and scoreless in the bottom of the eighth.
Iowa 5, UNCG 0COLUMBIA, S.C. – The UNCG softball team fell to Big Ten foe Iowa, 5-0, in the 2014 season opener Friday afternoon at the Carolina Softball Stadium. Redshirt freshman Shayla Starkenburg throw a complete game one-hitter with five strikeouts and six walks to earn the victory for the Hawkeyes. Senior Raeanne Hanks went four innings, allowing six hits and just two earned runs to earn the loss. Sophomore Lindsay Thomas earned two walks in her first game of the 2014 season. In the top of the first, UNCG had a scoring opportunity after back-to-back walks from Thomas and senior Katelyn Bedwell with one out. Both runners advanced on a passed ball when sophomore Danielle Vega hit into a fielder’s choice with Iowa’s first baseman throwing Thomas out at home plate. Iowa took an early lead after designated player Kayla Massey singled to left field to give the Hawkeyes a 1-0 advantage. With one out, Michelle Zoeller singled to left field and Megan Blank worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Massey just lifted a swallow hit to left scoring Zoeller from second base. Hanks got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout to end the frame. The Hawkeyes increased their lead to 2-0 after a two out RBI from Brianna Luna in the bottom of the second. Erin Erickson singled with one out and moved to second after a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Luna singled through the right side scoring Erickson, who was running with two outs.
Iowa added two more insurance runs in the third and fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth inning, Bedwell lined a single off the first baseman’s glove to give UNCG its first hit of the contest.
Penn State 10, Appalachian State 4TEMPE, Ariz. – Appalachian State University softball fell to the Penn State Nittany Lions in its third game of the season and third game of the Kajikawa Classic on Friday evening, 10-4.
The Mountaineers (0-3) found themselves down by five runs after the first inning. Penn State utilized four singles to score five runs. In the top half of the second inning, Caroline Rogers singled home the first run of the game for Appalachian. Ashley Seering scored the run after singling to center field earlier in the inning.
After a scoreless bottom half of the second inning, the Mountaineers were able to tack on two more runs in the top of the third. Sarah Warnock walked with two outs. Lindsay Loudermilk was next up and reached first base on an error with Warncok advancing to second. Seering would then double to score Warnock and advance Loudermilk to third base. Cynthia Gomez followed suit with an RBI single to center field to drive in Loudermilk and draw the Apps closer. Penn State led 5-3 after two innings.
In the bottom of the third, Macy Jones would reach on an error and Alicia Walker would cross the plate for the Nittany Lions and extend Penn State’s lead to 6-3.
The Mountaineers would be held scoreless in the bottom half of the fourth inning and the Nittany Lions would scratch two runs across the plate. Reina Furuya would score on a passed ball and then Walker would single home Maegan Tapinio to bring the Penn State lead to 8-3.
Following a scoreless top half of the fifth inning, Kasie Hatfield would drive in Mary Ward and Lexi Knief on a single to centerfield to extend the Nittany Lion lead to 10-3.
2013 Southern Conference all-freshman team selection, Alex Sohl, would homer in the top of the sixth to cap the Mountaineer scoring and bring the Apps closer with Penn State leading 10-4.
No more scoring would take place and the Mountaineers would fall to the Nittany Lions by a final of 10-4. App State had four players with multiple hits in the contest. Warnock, Seering, Gomez and Sohl all finished with two hits each, while Dani Heichen and Rogers connected with one hit each on the night.
Alissa Schoelkopf started for the Apps and pitched 3.2 innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits. Shivaun Landeros relived Schoelkopf and pitched 2.1 innings and allowed two runs and one hit.