Georgia Southern 2, Troy 0Georgia Southern 4, Middle Tennessee 1STATESBORO, GA. – Senior Pitcher Sarah Purvis dominated Troy in Saturday’s first game, tossing her fourth career no-hitter in the Eagles’ 2-0 win over the Trojans. The Eagles win the season series 2-1 over the Trojans. A walk in the fifth inning was all that stood between Purvis and a perfect game. She struck out 12 batters in the virtuoso performance. It is the first no-hitter for Purvis since she tossed a perfect game in the NCAA Tournament last season against Hampton. Pinch hitter Savanah Coon delivered the Eagles’ first run of the game in the fifth inning, plating Kaitlyn Johnson. GS scored again in the sixth when Kourtny Thomas singled up the middle to drive in Emily Snider from third. Purvis improves to 5-2 on the season with her third shutout and seventh complete game. Georgia Southern picked up its second win of the day on Saturday with a come-from-behind 4-1 triumph over Middle Tennessee State. The Eagles are now 12-5 on the season entering Sunday’s Eagle Classic finale at 2 p.m. against Tennessee State. On the heels of a no-hitter by Sarah Purvis, Brooke Red pitched a stellar game, working around four MTSU hits to improve to 5-2 on the year. She struck out 10 batters, but gave up a first-inning run as a result of a leadoff walk. That run was all the Blue Raiders would muster in the game. A.J. Hamilton drew the Eagles level in the second with an RBI single that drove Morgan Robinson in to tie the game at 1-1. Kourtny Thomas pounded a leadoff home run in the fourth inning to put the eagles on top for the first time in the game. The four-bagger was her sixth of the season and gives the senior shortstop 20 RBIs for the young season. Breanna McLendon gave the Eagles some insurance in the next frame as the sophomore outfielder gave the ball a ride for her second home run of the season. It also drove in Lexi Allen who walked to start the inning. Samford 4, Marshall 1Samford 17, UMES 1CONWAY, S.C. - The Samford University softball team (14-4) capitalized off of five hits to defeat Marshall University (3-10) by the score of 4-1 in the opening contest of the Coastal Carolina Invitational on Saturday, March, 01, at the Coastal Carolina Softball Stadium. Sophomore Caitlin Bice, with a 0-1 count, sprayed a shot to left field in the top of the first inning to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead with one out. Later in the inning, with runners on first and third, Bice stole second base which allowed sophomore Hannah Taylor to score after an errant throw by the catcher to go ahead 3-0. A Katalin Lucas RBI double to left center put Marshall on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second to cut the Samford lead down to 3-1. The Herd threatened again in the bottom of the third with two outs and runners on second and third, but Mollie Hanson (7-3) shut down Shaelynn Braxton and forced a ground out to junior Abby Adams at short to end the inning. In the top of the fourth sophomore Callie Brister extended the Bulldogs lead back out to 4-1 after smashing a home run to left center on a full count at the plate. Adams picked up her sixth multi-hit game going 2 for 4 at the plate with a run scored while Seay finished 1 for 4 with a run scored. Brister's home run in the fourth inning was her fourth of the year. Hanson picked up the complete-game victory, her fifth on the season.
The Samford University softball team cruised to a 17-1 victory over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in its second game of the Coastal Carolina Invitational on Saturday, March 01, at the Coastal Carolina Softball Field.
Freshman pitcher Rebecca Leonard pitched a two-hit complete game for the Bulldogs (15-4), but it was nowhere near what people would consider a pitchers' duel, as the Samford offense cranked out 17 runs in the victory over the Hawks (2-10). The 17 runs are the most scored since Samford defeated Robert Morris 21-0 in 2003.
Samford struck fast and hard in the bottom of the first inning against UMES as the team plated seven runs; the highlight of the inning was a grand slam home run by Arica Dykes.
The SU offense kept its' foot on the pedal and reeled off five more runs in the bottom of the second to extend its lead out to 12-0. The Bulldogs reeled off three doubles from the bats of Callie Brister, Rachel Bickert and Abbie Miranda to plate four runs for Samford with Dykes picking up the fifth RBI of the inning on a single through the left side.
The final blow by the Bulldogs offense was dealt in the bottom of the fourth frame as the team tallied five more runs to take a 17-0 lead heading into the fifth. The long ball game into play again for SU as Abby Adams hit her second of the game and Caitlin Brice followed suit to hit one as well.
UMES scored its lone run in the top of the fifth inning off of a bases loaded wild pitch.
Dykes and Adams led the way at the plate with five RBIs and two runs scored apiece, while Adams yanked two home runs and Dykes smashed the Bulldogs first grand slam of the season. Bice had a nice day at the plate going 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Brister and Bickert both went 2 for 2 at the plate.
Leonard also recorded a career-high seven strikeouts in the effort.
Furman 10, Wagner 4Furman 5, Northern Colorado 1Rock Hill, S.C. – Freshman Elise Smith went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and Lauren Collier earned a game one victory and game two save to lead Furman to wins over Wagner, 10-4, and Northern Colorado, 5-1, on Saturday afternoon at Winthrop’s Combat Invitational.
In the Paladins’ first game of the afternoon, Smith hammered a three-run homer and a solo shot in two at bats to propel Furman to a 10-4 victory over Wagner. Smith put Furman in front in the top of the second with a three-run blast to center field, her first collegiate homer. Collier, Sieara Bishop and Hannah Pace delivered consecutive RBI doubles in the third inning to push the Paladin lead to 6-0.
After a two-run single trimmed the Furman lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the third, Smith lined a solo shot to left field to up the margin to 7-2 in the top half of the fourth. Megan Moore belted a two-run homer to center field for Wagner in the sixth inning before Furman answered with three runs in the seventh inning without the benefit of a hit. Three walks loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly from Bishop began the scoring before two runs scored on a wild pitch and throwing error.
Collier held the Seahawks to a pair of runs on three hits in 4.1 innings of work to improve to 3-3 in the circle. The senior, who also went 1-for-2 with a double and two walks at the plate, walked just one batter and fanned five.
Smith highlighted Furman’s eight-hit attack by going 2-for-2 with four RBI.
Starter Samantha Bedker (1-4) took the loss for Wagner after surrendering six runs on six hits in four innings of work.
In the second game of the day, Collier drove in the eventual winning run with a two-out, two-run double in the third inning and worked 2.2 innings of scoreless relief to earn her first save of the season in a 5-1 triumph over Northern Colorado.
After Andrea Abbatiello staked the Paladins to a 1-0 lead with an RBI single up the middle, Collier lined a two-out hit over the head of the shortstop and into the left-centerfield gap to push the Furman lead to 3-0 after three innings.
The Bears scored an unearned run to cut the lead to 3-1, but Collier scored from second in the bottom of the sixth when Stephanie Spain’s two-out single deflected off of the first baseman’s glove and the Paladins upped the lead to 5-1 when Bishop followed with an RBI double down the left field line.
Collier allowed just one hit and struck out two in 2.2 innings to earn the save. Alex Sappington (1-1) picked up her first collegiate win after working 2.2 innings of no-hit relief after coming in to replace starter Shelby Parker in the second inning.
Breeanna Holiday absorbed the loss for Northern Colorado, allowing three runs in 4.1 innings.
Smith continued her perfect afternoon going 2-for-2 at the plate for Furman.
Elon 17, Coppin State 8Elon 2, Dayton 0ELON, N.C. – Behind career-best performances from freshman catcher Carey Million and junior pitcher Chelsea White, the Elon University softball team opened the first day of its home tournament, the Elon Phoenix Tournament, with a 17-8 victory over Coppin State and a 2-0 win over Dayton on Saturday, March 1, at Hunt Softball Park.
Elon improved to 10-5-1 with its wins over the Lady Eagles and the Flyers. The Phoenix concludes the tournament with a rematch against Coppin State tomorrow, March 2, at 2 p.m. before facing Presbyterian in the finale shortly afterwards.
Elon brought explosive bats to its first game of the tournament versus Coppin State, but found itself in some trouble to open the game. The Lady Eagles led off the contest with a pair of singles and moved into scoring position with no outs. Gabrielle Ziller then singled to plate the first run of the game before another single by Shelby Mendoza pushed Coppin State’s lead to 2-0. After the next batter was walked to load the bases with one out, Talya Berry drew a hit-by-pitch from White to score another run as the Phoenix faced an 3-0 hole in the top of the opening frame.
The Phoenix went with a change in the circle as Caitlin O’Shea relieved White and finagled the next two outs despite the Lady Eagles adding another run to push its lead to 4-0 after the top of the inning.
Elon wasted no time to answer in the bottom of the first as Alaina Hall led off with a double and was driven home on a two-run home run by Carleigh Nester, bringing the maroon and gold within two, 4-2. It was Nester’s 25th career home, placing her in a tie for third all-time with Pam Brock on the program’s all-time list.
Emily Cameron then brought the Phoenix within one, scoring after Grace Eng reached on a fielder’s choice. A wild pitch advanced Eng to second before she moved to third on a single by Ali Ford. Aly Quintana tied the game at 4-4 with her single to left field, scoring Eng and moving Ford to third. Ford then scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by the catcher, giving the Phoenix a 5-4 advantage. The lead would increase to two as Million drove in Quintana on a double to left center before Hall added her second double of the inning to drive in Million to give Elon a 7-4 lead after the first.
O’Shea would throw a scoreless second and third inning, adding four strikeouts in that frame. The Phoenix bats came alive in the bottom of the third after Quintana led off with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Million then hit a two-run home run to left center over the scoreboard, the first of her career, to put Elon ahead 9-4. Hall singled on the next at bat and was driven in by Nester’s double to center, putting Elon up 10-4. The Phoenix plated two more runs in the inning and took a 12-4 lead into the top of the fourth.
Coppin State responded with four runs of its own in the top of the fifth to close the gap to four, 12-8. Elon countered with another five-run inning in the bottom half however, starting with freshman Katie Rufo’s one out single to left field. She would advance to second on a passed ball before she, Ford and Quintana scored on a Lauren Oldham base-clearing double to left center. Million then capped the game with her second home run of the day to left center, giving the Phoenix the 17-8 victory.
Million led the way at the plate for Elon after going 3-for-3 with five RBI and three runs scored. Nester and Oldham also had three RBI apiece while Hall also went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles.
O’Shea (2-1) earned the win after pitching 3.2 scoreless innings while giving up two hits and striking out four.
White (5-3) rebounded very well in the Phoenix’s second game of the day against the Flyers. The Salisbury, N.C., native tied a career-high with eight strikeouts and gave up three hits while earning the complete game victory.
Elon got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning. Hall hit her first career home run after taking a 3-2 pitch down the right field line to plate the Phoenix’s first run of the game, 1-0.
The Phoenix added another insurance run in the bottom of the fourth. Eng led off with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on Ford’s sacrifice bunt. Quintana hit a one-out single up the middle to score Eng and put Elon up 2-0.
White was able to maintain the game from there, giving up only one hit in the final three innings and none in the final two. She would close the game very strong with her seventh and eighth fanned batter in the top of the seventh to give the Phoenix a 2-0 win. The victory was also the fourth straight for White after she started the season 1-3.
Appalachian State 3, Charleston Southern 2Appalachian State 1, Charleston Southern 0CHARLESTON, S.C. – Appalachian State University softball began day two of the Charleston Southern Invitational with the host Buccaneers and would win 3-2. As a result of a coin toss to decide the first seed, the Mountaineers would get the two seed and would play Charleston Southern for the second time on Saturday in the two seed vs. three seed game of the tournament. The Mountaineers would win 1-0 in a shortened five innings due to darkness. The Mountaineers got started early with rainfall coming down against the Bucs in the first game of the day. Cara Parker worked a lead off walk followed by a bunt single from Cynthia Gomez. Sarah Warnock would then lay down a sac bunt to advance both runners to second and third. What happened next was possibly the wildest play of the season to date. Ashley Seering hit a ground ball to short and what ensued was six different run downs with Parker finally breaking for home plate and getting a safe call due to the Buc’s Georgi Delio dropping the ball attempting to make the tag. After taking a 1-0 lead, Lindsay Loudermilk would hit a sac fly to drive in Gomez from third and spot the Apps an early 2-0 lead. Having not pitched since the ninth of February, Alissa Schoelkopf showed no signs of rust and proceeded to strikeout the side in the bottom half of the first. The Apps picked up where they left off in the top of the second. Caroline Rogers began the inning being hit by the pitch followed by a ground ball from Dani to Stephanie Bermann at shortstop who’s throw went into right field. Rogers would come around to score and Heichen would make it into third safely for a 3-0 lead. With runners on second and third and no one out, Schoelkopf locked in getting a groundout followed by her fourth strikeout and then another groundout to escape the inning unscathed and keep Charleston Southern scoreless. Shivaun Landeros would work a walk and then steal both second and third base followed by a Whitney Johnson walk, but the Apps couldn’t scratch one across in the top half of the third. Schoelkopf pitched effectively and was helped by the defense behind her with a 5-4-3 double play to end the third. After stranding runners on first and second in the top half, Schoelkopf worked a 1-2-3 inning against CSU’s 4-5-6 hitters. Loudermilk connected on the first base hit of the game for the Mountaineers against the Buc’s Jennifer Giles, but nothing came of it in the inning. Schoelkopf put down the Bucs in order for the second consecutive inning in the fifth while fanning her fifth batter of the game. The Bucs would plate their first run of the game on a Stephanie Sbardella double that scored Amanda Matsumoto. With one out and two runners on, Landeros relieved Schoelkopf and recorded two straight outs to end the threat. The Mountaineers stranded two runners in the top of the seventh, but Landeros was able to get the job done and get two crucial outs in the bottom half with runners on second and third to seal the victory for the Black and Gold. Schoelkopf pitched 5.1 innings and allowed just four hits and struck out three in her first win of the season. Landeros pitched 1.2 innings in relief with just two hits allowed giving up one run and fanning one. Battling the sunset and the game being called for potential darkness, both teams seemingly cruised through the first four innings of the game. The Mountaineers (6-10) would open the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning. Parker led the inning off with infield single and advanced to second on an error during Warnock’s at bat. Then Warnock would rope a single to center field and drive in Parker to take a 1-0 lead. Heichen singled in the fifth inning and Parker would follow suit later in the inning with her second hit of the game and put the Mountaineers in prime scoring position with second and third, but the Apps couldn’t scratch a run across as Morgan Dowdy escaped the threat to keep the App State one run lead in tact. The Apps plated four runs in the sixth inning, but the stats would not count due to the game being called because of darkness. The Apps would win 1-0 and advance to the championship game of the tournament on Sunday at 3 p.m. against Eastern Illinois. Western Carolina 5, UAB 4St. John's 6, Western Carolina 0ATHENS, Ga. – Western Carolina softball (4-11) scored five unanswered runs and ousted UAB 5-4, in eight innings, at the Sixth Annual Bulldog Invitational Saturday. In the second game of the day the Catamounts fell 6-0 to St. John’s.
Western Carolina 5, UAB 4 (eight innings) Western Carolina scored five unanswered runs, including the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, to defeat UAB 5-4. The Blazers defeated No. 18 Georgia later in the day 8-0.
It was Western Carolina’s first extra-inning game of the season and the Blazer’s sixth. Getting UAB into extra innings was fortuitous as the Blazers were 1-4 in extra-inning games this season.
With the game knotted at four, after seven innings, the game headed to extra innings. Western Carolina sophomore pitcher Taylor Sigmon, who came into the game in relief in the seventh inning, gave up a lead-off walk but then shut down the blazers with a pair of strikeouts and a ground out.
The work by Sigmon on the mound set up the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Sophomore shortstop Karley Harkey hit her third triple of the season to lead off the inning for WCU. UAB gambled intentionally walking Kara Salvo and Sigmon to load the bases with no outs, hoping for a force out. The gamble failed when the Blazer catcher attempted to pick off Harkey at third but the ball skipped away and Harkey scored on the UAB error to win the game.
UAB built a 4-0 lead off a pair of two-run homeruns in the first inning and fifth inning. Western Carolina pitcher Courtney Buchanan, who started the game, shook off the long balls and kept plugging along in the game. Here tenacity paid off when Western Carolina scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth and the sixth to knot the game at four.
In the fifth inning, back-to-back walks to senior Makenzi McAteer and pinch hitter Lexi Ross placed runners on first and second for UAB reliever Madison Hir. After Hir delivered a wild pitch, moving McAteer to third and Ross to second, she was lifted for Lannah Campell. Harkey promptly singled up the middle to score McAteer and Salvo followed with an RBI single to plate Ross for the second run of the inning.
Western Carolina tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out rally. Amelia Griffin singled with two outs and moved to second on a Harkey single. Salvo’s single loaded the bases and Sigmon tied the game on a two RBI double scoring Griffin and Harkey.
Sigmon picked up her first win on the mound this season tossing two scoreless innings struck out four. Buchanan went six innings in a solid performance giving up four runs on four hits and striking out seven.
Western Carolina had 11 hits in the game and Harkey was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Salvo, Sigmon and Amber Kimrey each had two hits.
The Catamounts couldn’t parlay its thrilling comeback victory over UAB into a second day sweep at the Bulldog Invitational falling 6-0 to St. John’s in the team’s nightcap game Saturday.
Western Carolina junior hurler Jordan Garrett tossed two strung innings before St. John’s pushed a run across I the top of third aided by a lead-off walk and an RBI single. St. John’s would then post a pair of runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh to secure the win.
St. John’s pitcher Tori Free was working on a no-hitter when Brooke Coggins broke that up in the bottom of the sixth hitting a one out single. The Catamounts had its best scoring chance of the game when Harkey drew a two out single putting runners at first and second. Salvo singled up the middle and the Catamounts had bases loaded but a fielder’s choice by Sigmon, with Salvo being thrown out at second, ended the inning.
Courtney Price got a one out walk in the seventh and moved to second on a single by Kimrey. For the second straight inning, Western Carolina had bases loaded but couldn’t push a run across. A pair of strikeouts by McAteer and Griffin ended the inning and the game.
Garrett takes the loss and falls to 1-7 on the season. She tossed 4.2 innings giving up three runs on four hits and struck out two. Mallory Broome came into the game in relief in the fifth inning and gave up three runs on five hits.
St. John’s had nine hits in the game and Western Carolina had four.
UNCG 4, Brown 0UNCW 5, UNCG 2GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team defeated Brown 4-0 but fell to host UNCW 5-2 on Day Two of the UNCW Beach Bash Saturday at Boseman Field. The Spartans snapped a four-game winning streak and sit at 7-8 on the season. UNCW improved to 7-7 and Brown fell to 0-3. In game one, the Spartans used a big four-run fourth inning and nine hits to shut out Brown, 4-0. Freshman Emily Lopez went 2-for-3 and sophomore Lindsay Thomas was 2-for-4. Senior Raeanne Hanks threw a complete-game four hitter to improve to 5-3 on the season. Hanks only needed 101 pitches to give UNCG its first shutout of the season with three strikeouts. After a pitching duel through four and a half innings, the Spartans broke though for four runs on five hits. Lopez started the inning with an infield single just past the pitcher. Junior Dominique Madruga laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Lopez to second. Sophomore Allison Geiner roped an RBI double to centerfield to score the first run. Lindsay Thomas doubled to left center to make it 2-0. After a walk, freshman Tory Wright lined a RBI single through the right side to score the third run. Sophomore Danielle Vega picked up an RBI double down the left field line to plate the fourth run of the inning. In the seventh, Hanks worked around a two out single inducing a ground out to third to end the contest. In game two, UNCW got a complete game effort from Casey Rowland and she went 2-for-3 at the plate with a key two-run home run to down the Spartans, 5-2. Rowland improved to 4-3 on the season after allowing just two earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Nicole Thomas took the loss falling to 1-4 in six innings, allowing four earned runs. Senior Katelyn Bedwell and junior Tatiana Alcala each had two hits. UNCG took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on two sacrifice flies from Bedwell and sophomore Nicole Thomas. Geiner and Lindsay Thomas worked back-to-back walks to start the frame. After a wild pitch move the runners to second and third, Bedwell picked up her 10th RBI of the season. Nicole Thomas followed with another sacrifice fly for her team-leading 13th RBI. The Seahawks cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the first after a wild play led to Merritt Wilkinson scoring from first. Wilkinson walked to start the inning and Brittany Gamby laid down a bunt when Gamby ran into UNCG’s second baseman allowing Wilkinson to score on the play. In the bottom of the second, UNCW scored two runs on four hits to take a 3-2 lead. Casey Rowland earned an RBI double to left field and Lauren Moore singled to right center to plate the third run. The Spartans had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the sixth after loading the bases with two outs. Bedwell singled to left field to start the inning. After an out, Wright singled to left field to put runners on first and second. With two outs, Alcala worked a walk to load the bases. Seahawks’ pitcher Rowland threw a three-pitch strikeout to end the threat. The Seahawks scored two insurance runs in the sixth off a two-run home run from Rowland. UTSA 2, Chattanooga 0Louisiana-Lafayette 6, Chattanooga 2GULFPORT, Miss. – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team dropped back-to-back games Saturday afternoon in Gulfport, Miss., at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Softball Classic. The Mocs fell 0-2 to UTSA in its first game of the day and was topped 2-6 in the late innings by No. 24 Louisiana-Lafayette.
UTC dropped its first game of the evening in a tight 0-2 loss to UTSA. The Roadrunners were able to put runs up early in the first and second innings.
Freshman Liana Rodrigues was handed the start in search of her second win of the season, but early trouble in the first would put the Mocs down 1-0. A leadoff single from Courtney Buchman and a stolen base put a runner in scoring position. A wild pitch moved the runner to third before a second wild pitch allowed Buchman to score.
The second inning yielded a second UTSA run as reliever Taylor Deason allowed a leadoff single to Victoria Birdwell and a sacrifice bunt moved her to second base. A double to center off the bat of Madison Kinley drove Birdwell in from second and gave the Roadrunners a 2-0 advantage.
The Mocs recorded their only hit of the contest in the third inning. Sophomore Sam Taylor tapped a two-hopper up the middle with one out in the inning, but a fielder’s choice and groundout ended the inning, stranding a runner on first.
Chattanooga’s run of bad luck carried over into the second game of the evening as the No. 24 Ragin’ Cajuns topped the Mocs 6-2. A game that saw three lead-changes wound up in the favor of Louisiana-Lafayette on a two-run homerun.
The Cajuns got on the board first in the top of the third as a two-out walk placed centerfielder Haley Hayden on first and a stolen base moved her to second. A single up the middle from Lexie Elkins scored Hayden, putting Louisiana up 1-0.
The Mocs answered back in the bottom of the inning when senior Tyler Templet singled to lead off the inning. Fellow senior Kaiti Dutton reached on a fielder’s choice, replacing Templet at first, and Sam Taylor moved Dutton to second on another fielder’s choice. Sophomore Anyssa Robles then capitalized with a two-run single to center to score both Dutton and Taylor.
Leading 2-1, starting pitcher Katie Henderson hit a bump in the road. With a runner on and just one out on the board, pinch hitter Kelsey Vincent blasted a clutch homerun to right to put the Ragin’ Cajuns back on top 3-2.
Louisiana topped off the score with three runs in the seventh, putting the game out of reach. A three-up three-down bottom of the seventh inning ended the game for the Mocs.