Chattanooga 2, Toledo 1
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team capped off the USF Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Fla., with a 2-1 win over Toledo Sunday afternoon.  The Middle-Tennessee pitching duo of junior Taylor Deason and sophomore Rachel Albritton held the Rockets to just one run and six hits over six innings.  The two right-handers combined for nine strikeouts.

Chattanooga’s offense backed the one-run performance with two runs for a slim win.  The Mocs claimed a lead first in the bottom of the first inning on the back of sophomore shortstop Criket Blanco.

With Alyssa Taylor on at first base on a single with one out, the sophomore moved to second on a wild pitch.  Taylor on at second, Blanco laced a single through the left side to score the runner.  The RBI was Blanco’s team-leading 20th of the season.

Leading 1-0, Toledo bounced back with one run in the top of the second on two hits off Albritton.  A leadoff double from Lani Ernst was followed up with an RBI double from Erinn Wright tied the game 1-1.

Chattanooga jumped back ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the third thanks to a wild pitch.  With Sam Taylor at third with two outs, a pitch in the dirt that rolled to the backstop allowed the sophomore to motor home.

Deason picked up the win, improving to 7-5, and pushing the Mocs to 13-11 on the season.  UTC finished the weekend 3-2 in the Sunshine State.

 

Troy 4, Western Carolina 1
ORLANDO, Fla. - Western Carolina softball (9-13) dropped the final game in the UCF Spring Fling 4-1 to Troy (10-2) Sunday.

Troy posted two runs in the bottom of the second taking advantage of timely hitting and two Western Caroline errors in the inning. Ebony Wright lead off with a single for Troy and the Catamounts first error in the inning put Alison Milam on first. An RBI single and Western Carolina's second error allowed two Trojans to score in the inning.

Amanda Winters led off the bottom of the fifth with a homerun to right field for Troy's third run of the game.

The Catamounts avoided a shutout scoring a run in the top of the sixth. Karley Harkey drew a one out walk and scored off an RBI double by Taylor Sigmon.

Troy added an additional run in the bottom of the sixth.

Junior pitcher Jordan Garrett got the start for Western Carolina and took the loss, falling to 2-9 on the season. She gave up four hits, two earned runs, and struck out five. Sigmon tossed the sixth inning, in relief, and gave up two hits and a run and struck out two.

Western Carolina had five hits in the game with Sigmon and Amber Kimrey each hitting doubles.

The Catamounts went 4-2 in the tournament hosted by the University of Central Florida, including win three straight, and sweeping day two action.

 

Bryant 6, Appalachian State 0
Coastal Carolina 8, Appalachian State 0
CONWAY, S.C. – On Sunday, Appalachian State University softball wrapped up the Chanticleer Challenge with a doubleheader against Bryant and the host school, Coastal Carolina. The Mountaineers would fall in game one to the Bulldogs, 6-0. In game two, the Apps would fall to the Chanticleers 8-0 in six innings.

The Mountaineers’ (7-13) Sydney Laws would motor through the first and put the Bulldogs down in order. Cara Parker would single first for the Apps in the bottom half followed by an Ashley Seering single, but neither would come across to score.

Haylee Haas would get the Bulldogs on the board in the second with a two-run triple to drive in both Aubrey Mable and Taylor Burger to give Bryant an early 2-0 lead. The Apps flashed the leather in the bottom half with a web gem from Parker followed by a tailor-made 4-6-3 double play to end the third. Sarah Warnock would connect on a one out single to left field and later advanced to second on a Bulldog error, but would be left stranded.

The Bulldogs (2-6) would add to their lead in the fourth with an RBI double from Burger to drive in pinch runner Lauren Keast to make it 3-0 in favor of Bryant. Ellie Manriquez woud double for the Apps in the fourth but would be left standing at second base. Madeline Velasquez would pop up in the infield with no one taking control for the Apps and it would fall and the fourth run would score for the Bulldogs.

In the seventh, Haas would would homer to dead center field followed later by a Kendall Corder single to make it 6-0 Bulldogs, who would win by that same score.

Laws (2-4) was saddled with the loss, pitching 4.1 innings allowing six hits and two earned runs. Shivaun Landeros came in to relieve and pitched 2.2 innings allowing five hits and two earned runs.

After going 2-for-3 in game one, Warnock led off the second game with a double down the left field line and would eventually be left stranded at second base. The Chanticleers would get a lead off hit from Bri Chiusano who would then steal second base. Amanda Daneker would drive in Chiusano on a double to the wall and give the Chants an early 1-0 lead.

Whitney Johnson singled with two outs in the second and would be stranded at first base. Alissa Schoelkopf allowed a lead off single, but ended any potential scoring threat for the Chanticleers. Kory Hayden would drive in Chiusano for the second run of the game. Morgan Noad would hit a sac-fly later in the inning to drive in Hayden and give Coastal a 3-0 lead.

With two runners on base in the fourth, Schoelkopf would get two strikeouts and escape danger. Caroline Chambers would tally the Mountaineers’ third single of the game but would not advance past first. Noad would drive in her second run of the game for the Chants singling home pinch runner Katie Kalasunas to make it 4-0 in favor of Coastal.

The Chanticleers made it a big inning in the sixth starting with Sara Rasley hitting a home run to left field followed by a walk and a bunt single, Quolas hit a long single to the wall to drive in Kylie Mulholland. Landeros would come on to pitch for the Mountaineers in relief of Schoelkopf. Hayden would hit a sac fly to drive in Chiusano. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Brooke Donovan would draw a walk for the eighth run of the game for the Chants. Coastal would win 8-0 in six innings.

Schoelkopf (1-3) allowed 11 hits in five innings of work with six strikeouts. Landeros pitched a third of an inning in relief.


Furman 4, Coastal Carolina 0
Conway, S.C. – Senior Lauren Collier tossed a five-hit shutout to lead Furman to a 4-0 victory over host Coastal Carolina on Sunday afternoon at the Chanticleer Challenge at CCU Softball Stadium in Conway, S.C.

The right-hander from Maineville, Ohio, fanned six batters in a complete-game effort to improve to 6-4 in the circle and up Furman’s record to 10-9.  The loss dropped the Chanticleers to 14-5 on the season.

Furman jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first.  Taylor Jenkins lined a one-out double off the glove of shortstop Jessie Winans and came around to score on Nikki Legg’s base hit to right field.  Elise Smith and Ambree Muller followed with singles, but Coastal Carolina’s Kiana Quolas threw out Legg at the plate from left field to hold the Paladins to one first inning run.

In the third inning, Sieara Bishop drew a leadoff walk and moved to second safely when third baseman Kory Hayden fielded Jenkins’ sacrifice bunt and fired high of the second base bag.  After both runners moved up a base on a fly out to right, Smith drove a two-run single back up the middle to increase the Paladin lead to 3-0.  Muller capped the scoring with a single through the right side to drive in pinch runner Stephanie Spain to up the margin to 4-0.

Coastal Carolina put runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Collier induced a popout and ground ball to shortstop to end the threat.  She allowed just three walks while scattering five hits and stranding seven CCU runners.

Ashley Bagwell (6-1) was tagged with her first loss of the season after surrendering four runs on seven hits in two and 1/3 innings in the circle.  Quolas limited the Paladins to just one hit in four and 2/3 innings of relief for the Chanticleers.

Smith paced the Paladins’ offense going 2-for-2 with two RBI while Muller went 2-for-3 with a run batted in.  Jenkins scored two of Furman’s four runs.

Bri Chiusano and Morgan Noad each collected two hits for Coastal Carolina.

Hanna Mennenga hurled a one-hit shutout and Brooke Owens delivered the game’s only offense with a two-run homer in the top of the first to propel Eastern Illinois to a 2-0 victory over Furman in the nightcap on Sunday at the Chanticleer Challenge.

The loss dropped Furman to 10-10 while the Panthers improved to 15-6 on the season.

Mennenga (9-1) fanned four batters and allowed just one walk en route to the victory.  She retired the final 17 batters she faced following a second inning single by Ambree Muller.

After Carly Willert reached base on a one-out single in the top of the first, Owens supplied the winning margin by hitting a two-run blast over the left-centerfield fence for her fourth home run of the season.

Junior Shelby Parker (3-5) was the tough-luck loser for the Paladins, allowing two runs on five hits in five and 2/3 innings of work.  She recorded four base on balls and four strikeouts in the defeat.

 

Western Kentucky 3, Georgia Southern 0
No. 3 Tennessee 2, Georgia Southern 0
KNOXVILLE, TENN.  – Georgia Southern Softball’s seven-game win streak came to an end on Sunday as the Eagles dropped a 3-0 result to Western Kentucky and a 2-0 decision to Tennessee to close the Tennessee Invitational. Georgia Southern opens its final SoCon Regular Season next weekend with a trip to UNCG.

Western Kentucky got a pair of runs in the opening inning of the game to post an early 2-0 lead. WKU took advantage of two Georgia Southern errors in the sixth frame to add another run.

The Eagle offense was blanked on the day, producing no runs and just three hits.

Brooke Red took the loss to fall to 6-3 on the season. She went all seven innings and allowed two earned runs off four hits. She fanned nine batters in the game.

Tennessee struck for a run in the third inning sacrifice fly. The run ended a school-record 37.0 inning scoreless streak for Sarah Purvis in the pitching circle. The home team tacked on an insurance run in the fifth inning off another sacrifice fly to make it a 2-0 game.

The Eagle offense out-hit the Volunteers 5-2, but stranded a total of nine runners on base including three in the sixth inning.

Purvis held Tennessee to just two hits with seven strikeouts and six walks. She was saddled with the loss to fall to 8-3 on the year.


Samford 5, Gardner Webb 4
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Samford University softball team recorded a 5-4 victory over Gardner-Webb University to take the series on Sunday, March 9, at University Field.

Freshman Abby Sweeny put the Bulldogs (19-5) on the scoreboard first with an RBI single that scored junior Abby Adams from second base.

Gardner-Webb (7-16) touched up starting freshman pitcher Rebecca Leonard in the bottom of the second and battled back to plate three runs on two hits for a 3-1 lead. Junior Mollie Hanson (10-4) relieved Leonard and proceeded to shut down the Runnin' Bulldogs offense for the rest of the contest.

Samford closed the scoring gap down to 3-2 after sophomore Caitlin Bice doubled into right center field to score junior Caroline Seay from second base.

GWU extended the lead back out to a run game in the bottom of the fourth on a Beres RBI single up the middle; the run put the score at 4-2.

SU needed a big inning and got one in the top of the fifth as sophomore Hannah Taylor notched a two RBI single up the middle that scored Seay and sophomore Megan Dowdy. The Bulldogs tacked on one extra run in the frame to go up 5-4 as junior Madison Dickey's appearance at the plate ended in a bases loaded hit-by-pitch that scored Adams.

Hanson tallied nine strikeouts through five and two thirds innings pitched and only allowed one walk.

Elon 3, Towson 2
Elon 3, Radford 2
ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team pushed its win streak to seven games on Sunday, March 9, with a pair of 3-2 wins over Towson and Radford. The Phoenix (15-5-1) defeated Towson (8-7) in extras on a Carey Million walk-off single while hanging on to escape Radford (4-10) at Hunt Softball Park.

Elon’s Emily Cameron led the way offensively in the two games after going 4-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and a double. Junior Aly Quintana went 3-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs as did fellow junior Grace Eng. Junior Caitlin O’Shea (4-1) earned the win in relief versus Towson and the save versus Radford.

Cameron went 3-for-4 at the plate versus Towson and scored the first run of the game for Elon. Emily Roper had two hits for the Phoenix, who tallied 10 total against the Tigers.

Towson struck first in the top of the fourth to go up 2-0. Maureen Hepner drew a free pass to lead off the inning and advanced to third after Missy McCormick reached on an error. Both moved into scoring position after McCormick stole second before Hepner scored the first run of the game on a Delanie Dunham double to left field. McCormick added the second run of the contest for Towson on a wild pitch, putting the Tigers up 2-0.

Elon responded in the bottom of the frame however. Eng reached on a one-out single and advanced to second while Cameron, who had reached earlier on a single, was thrown out at home. Eng moved over to third after Ali Ford reached on an error before Quintana drove her in on a single to right center, bringing the Phoenix within one, 2-1.

Elon evened the score in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out double by Roper down the left field line that scored Cameron, who preceded Roper with a single to left. The Phoenix struck out to end the inning on the next at bat to move to the top of the sixth.

Neither team generated much offensively in the sixth inning as the game moved into the top of the seventh knotted at 2-2. O’Shea, who relieved starter Alli Burdette in the top of the fifth, threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh to give Elon an opportunity in the bottom half. Cameron and Roper both hit one-out singles to reach before Eng joined them after being walked to load the bases. All three would be stranded as the next two batters popped up to end the inning, moving the game into extras.

Going into international tiebreaker rules, Towson had its runner advance to third on a passed ball with one out. O’Shea and the maroon and gold defense held her there and recorded the final two outs to escape the inning.

The Phoenix finally took the game with a walk-off one-out single by Million, who took the first pitch she saw and sent it to left field, scoring pinch runner Emilie Rowand to give Elon a 3-2 win.

O’Shea pitched 4.0 scoreless innings in relief and allowed only one hit with a strikeout. Burdette also pitch 4.0 innings and gave up four hits and two runs, one earned, along with three fanned batters.

In the final game of the day, Elon starter Chelsea White (7-3) picked up the win after striking out six batters. The win was also White’s sixth in a row.

Eng and Quintana both led the way at the plate with two hits with Eng providing a pair of RBI while Quintana drove in one.

Elon plated the first runs of the game in the third inning. Cameron doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning. She would score later on Eng’s double down the left field line to put Elon up 1-0. Quintana would add the second run of the game for the Phoenix, driving in Roper, who had reached earlier being walked, with her sacrifice fly to left field, putting Elon ahead 2-0.

The Phoenix added another run in the fifth as Eng hit a two-out solo home run to left field, her fifth of the year. The inning would end on a ground out, but gave White some insurance going into the sixth.

Some great defensive play by the Phoenix in the sixth kept the Highlanders off the board, but in the seventh Radford finally responded. Jessie Hutchens hit a solo homer to left field to lead off the inning and cut Elon’s lead to two, 3-1. After White forced Nia Chiles to pop up for the first out, Becky Mantel added another solo home run to left field and brought Radford within one, 3-2.

Elon went with a change in the circle as O’Shea came on to close out the game. The Kennesaw, Ga., native struck out Summer Robinson before forcing Casey Burns to ground out to end the game.

White went 6.1 IP and gave up six hits and two runs while walking only one batter. O’Shea earned the save, the first of the season for the Phoenix.