Eon 7, North Carolina Central 2
ELON, N.C – Junior Aly Quintana hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to help the Elon University softball team to a 7-2 victory over North Carolina Central on Wednesday, April 23, in a non-conference match at Hunt Softball Park.

Quintana’s homer in the fourth frame broke a 2-2 tie and moved the Phoenix (22-23-1) past the Lady Eagles (7-32), improving its mark to 7-0 all-time versus its in-state rivals. Quintana led the way at the plate after going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. She also continued her stellar play defensively, recording three putouts along with three defensive assists.

Junior Chelsea White (10-7) was given the win after pitching 4.0 innings and while giving up two runs on six hits with a strikeout. Caitlin O’Shea relieved White in the top of the fifth and went 3.0 scoreless frames with a strikeout for her second save of the year.

Elon found itself in an early 2-0 deficit after the top of the third. N.C. Central’s Dominique Wilson connected on a two-out, two RBI single to left center, scoring London Germ and Angelique Perricelli, who had reached on singles earlier in the inning.

The Phoenix responded in the bottom half of the third to tie the game. Quintana started the charge with a single down the left field line, the maroon and gold’s first hit of the day. She would be driven in on a two-run home run by Grace Eng to knot the game at 2-2.

After White set the Lady Eagles down in order in the top of the fourth, Elon took the lead for good in the bottom half of the frame. Emily Cameron drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a single by Emily Roper. After the next batter struck out for the Phoenix, Quintana provided her third home run of the season on a three-run shot to left, putting Elon up 5-2.

N.C. Central led off the top of the fifth with a single to the pitcher, making the Phoenix go with a change in the circle as O’Shea stepped in for White. On the first batter she faced, O’Shea and the Phoenix defense turned a double play after Quintana caught a line drive from London Germ and threw out the runner at first. O’Shea would fan the next batter to end the inning.

Elon tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth after Cameron drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Carey Million. The Phoenix would leave all three base runners stranded at the end of the inning, but increased its lead to 6-2.

The Phoenix added its final tally in the bottom of the sixth with a single to center field by Carleigh Nester, scoring Lauren Oldham who had reached on an error by the Lady Eagles’ second baseman in the inning.

The Lady Eagles would go down in order in the top of the seventh as the Phoenix closed out its non-conference schedule and improved to 14-9 at home.

Charlotte 6, UNCG 1
UNCG 13, Charlotte 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team split a doubleheader against in-state foe Charlotte Wednesday night at the UNCG Softball Stadium. The Spartans fell 6-1 in game one before bouncing back to run-rule the 49ers 13-1 in game two.

The Blue and Gold sit at 21-24 on the season while Charlotte is 18-25 with the split.

In game one, the 49ers took a 6-0 lead after scoring all six runs in the fourth inning.

Lexi Betancourt threw a complete game earning her 17^th win of the season after allowing just one earned run off four hits. Senior Raeanne Hanks suffered the loss after throwing four innings and allowed six runs (four earned) off six hits.

Sophomore Nicole Thomas went 2-for-3 to lead UNCG at the plate. Thomas also threw three shutout innings in relief to keep the game close.

Charlotte used a six-run fourth inning to jump ahead of UNCG off six hits and a Spartan error. Chelsea Lisikatos had a two-run double. Hayle Lewis had a two-run single and Chelsea Ingersoll added a RBI single.

The Spartans scored a run in the fifth inning off a RBI single from junior Dominique Madruga to cut the lead to 6-1. Classmate Tatiana Alcala singled to start the frame and moved to second off a groundout. Madruga earned her 12^th RBI of the season.

Betancourt finished the game with a 1-2-3 seventh inning to give the 49ers the victory in game one.

In game two, the offense scored 13 runs off 12 hits to run-rule Charlotte 13-1.

Nicole Thomas improved to 5-5 inside the circle after throwing four innings and allowed just one earned run. Lisikatos took the loss falling to 0-8 on the season.

Lindsay Thomas went 3-for-4 with her SoCon leading 16^th double of the season and scored three runs. Alcala was 2-for-3 with four RBI to lead the Spartans.

UNCG scored four runs in the first inning off two hits with the big blow coming from Alcala who lined a three-run triple. Sophomore Lindsay Thomas roped a RBI double to pick up her 28^th RBI of the season.

In the second inning, the Spartans raced out to a 9-0 lead scoring five runs off six hits. Senior Katelyn Bedwell launched her 13^th home run of the season, tying for the SoCon lead, to start the inning. Lindsay Thomas singled and Nicole Thomas doubled to right field to make it 6-0 Spartans. Alcala earned an RBI single and freshman Tory Wright picked up an RBI infield single. Madruga brought home the final run of the inning a RBI single.

The Spartans added two insurance runs in the third inning off a Charlotte error and a wild pitch. Nicole Thomas had the only hit in the frame and scored off a wild pitch.

Charlotte scored a run in the fourth inning after a RBI infield hit from Jessie Fennell. The 49ers rallied with two outs as Chelsea Lisikatos doubled and Courtney Carroll singled. Fennell lined a hit off the pitcher’s glove to earn the RBI.

In the bottom of the fourth, UNCG scored two more runs as sophomore Danielle Vega  picked up an RBI walk and pinch-hitter Hagan Kiser had a RBI single.

Sophomore Lacey Leary pitched the final inning allowing a hit but no runs came home.

 

Winthrop 5, Western Carolina 4
Winthrop 3, Western Carolina 1
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Western Carolina softball (17-27) was swept by Winthrop (26-21) 5-4, in eight innings, and 3-1 Wednesday at Terry Field.

In game one, senior Amelia Griffin broke Western Carolina career stolen base record with the 50th of her career. She usurps former teammate Jordan Fulton who had 49 in her time as a Catamount.

Winthrop 5, Western Carolina 4 (8 innings) Walks doomed Western Carolina in the first game of the doubleheader. Three times the Catamounts had the lead and watched it erode thanks to walks to the Eagles.

Western Carolina took a 4-3 lead in extra innings but that lead was short-lived when the Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the frame all thanks to free passes. Catamount pitcher Jordan Garrett returned to the game in the eighth after starting and being lifted after five innings, for Taylor Sigmon, faced a runner on second, thanks to the international tie-breaker rule.

Garrett hit Alex White to open the bottom of the eighth and the Eagles had runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt pushed the runners to second and third, Garrett gave up three consecutive walks for Winthrop to tie the game and then walk in the winning run.

Western Carolina took the early 2-0 lead scoring twice in the top of the second. A walk by Karley Harkey and a single by Heather Chastain had runners on first and second and no outs for the Catamounts. With two outs, and Harkey and Chastain on second and third, freshman Lexi Ross hit an RBI single to left field scoring Harkey. Chastain scored on an RBI single by Amelia Griffin. It was during the second inning Griffin broke the career stolen base record.

Winthrop tied the game in the bottom of the third. Sara Allen hit a lead-off homerun against Garrett to cut the Catamount lead to 2-1. A two out walk to McKenzi Corn would come back to haunt Garrett as she would score on an RBI double by Mel Andrea.

The Catamounts would take the lead back in the top of the fifth scoring one run. Taylor Sigmon lead off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Harkey’s sacrifice fly RBI to centerfield scored Sigmon.

Sigmon came into the game in relief, replacing Garrett, to open the sixth. She was looking for her seventh save of the season but didn’t get it. Sigmon gave up a lead-off walk, one of seven given up by Catamount pitchers in the game, and again a walk would come back to bite WCU. Andrea walked and would tie the game when Kelsey Ritter hit a high chopper over third baseman Kara Salvo’s head and she not only got a double but also picked up an RBI as Andrea scored to knot the game at three.

After a scoreless seventh, the game went to extra innings. With Amber Kimrey placed on second, thanks to the International Tie-Breaker rule, Makenzi McAteer singled through the right side and moved to second as Kimrey was thrown out at home. With one out Courtney Price hit a two RBI double scoring McAteer.

Garrett started the game and went five innings before being replaced by Sigmon with the Catamounts leading 3-2. In two innings of work Sigmon blew the save opportunity giving up a run in the sixth inning. She went two innings allowing one run on two hits and struck out two.

With Garrett giving up the two runs in the eighth she takes the loss and falls to 8-14 on the season giving up four runs on three hits and striking out six.

Western Carolina out-hit Winthrop 12 to five but it was the seven walks given up by WCU that was the key to the Eagles win. Griffin, Harkey and McAteer each had a pair of hits in the game.

Western Carolina shuffled its line-up a bit pushing Price to the lead-off position and promptly hit a double to lead off game two. Price would go to third on a passed ball. Price scored on a sacrifice fly RBI by Salvo.

Winthrop took the lead on a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman pitcher Courtney Buchanan, getting the start, hit Naomi Stevens to start the inning and then gave up a homerun to Megan Winningham to put the Eagles up 2-1.

The Eagles extended its lead to 3-1 when Maddie Antone hit a one out homerun. After Buchanan followed the homerun by giving up the walk, she was pulled for sophomore hurler Mallory Broome who quickly picked up a strikeout for the second out. After giving up a walk, Broome forced Winningham to ground out and end the second.

Buchanan went 1.1 innings giving up three runs on three hits and falls to 6-7 on the season. Broome came in to finish out the game going 4.2 scoreless innings allowing three hits, walking one and striking out six.

 

No. 24 USC Upstate 1, Appalachian State 0
BOONE, N.C. – Shivaun Landeros pitched to her 13th complete game in the narrow 1-0 loss to No. 24 USC Upstate on Wednesday.

Landeros went the distance and scattered eight hits, allowing just the lone run to go along with three strikeouts in a tough luck loss to the nationally ranked Spartans.

The Spartans (41-5) would score their lone run of the game in the third inning. Lindsay Kelly led off with a double down the right field line and would advance to third on a groundout by Aly Schneider. The most potent bat in the Spartan lineup, Shellie Robinson, would single to right field and drive in Kelly.

The Mountaineers (17-26) picked up two hits in the contest. Dani Heichen extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a 1-for-3 performance at the plate against a tough adversary in Upstate pitcher Anna Miller. The right handed pitcher went seven innings and allowed just the two hits and struck out 12.

The second Mountaineer hit came off the bat of left fielder Kristen Terry in the fifth inning. Terry slapped an infield single that moved pinch runner Pepper Butler to second base. Butler was pinch running for Alex Sohl who reached first after being hit by a pitch. Both runners would be stranded to end the threat.

The Black and Gold would squander another prime opportunity earlier in the game in the fourth inning. After Heichen reached second base following an error by Meredith Barnes in left field, Cynthia Gomez would lay down a successful sac bunt to move Heichen to third. After a Lindsay Loudermilk the Apps would leave runners standing on first and third and remain scoreless.

Appalachian State will be back in action this upcoming weekend for its last home Southern Conference series ever. The Apps will play host to UNCG for a three-game series beginning at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader on Saturday. The series finale is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday afternoon.

Following the game on Sunday, the App State softball program will honor its seniors for 2014. Players Lindsay Loudermilk and Whitney Johnson will be recognized for their contributions to the program and university. Senior student assistant coach, Mieszko Kwiatkowski, will also be recognized following the game.