Elon 3, Samford 2
ELON, N.C – Senior Carleigh Nester belted her 35^th career home run to become the Phoenix’s all-time career home run leader as the Elon University softball team took a 3-2 extra inning victory over Samford on Sunday, April 27, in the rubber match Hunt Softball Park.

Freshman Alaina Hall reached on a two-out fielder’s choice to score Grace Eng from third to give the Phoenix (24-24-1, 6-12 Southern Conference) its first SoCon series win of the season over the Bulldogs (34-15, 9-8 SoCon). The victory also sent out the maroon and gold senior class on a winning note in their final game at home.

Caitlin O’Shea (8-13) was given her second win of the weekend after pitching 3.0 scoreless innings in relief after taking over for starter Alli Burdette in the top of the seventh. Burdette pitched effectively for the maroon and gold, giving up only two runs on five hits in her 6.0 innings of work.

The Bulldogs again were the first team to plate a run on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Abby Adams scored on a Caroline Wilder one-out single down the left field line to put the Phoenix in an early 1-0 deficit.

Samford added to its lead in the top of the following inning as Megan Dowdy doubled to right center, driving in Hannah Taylor to put the Bulldogs up 2-0. With two outs, Burdette was able to force the next batter to fly out to end the inning.

The Phoenix finally responded in the bottom of the third with Nester’s record-breaking home run. Hall drew a two-out walk to give Elon a runner on base with Nester coming up to bat. The Kernersville, N.C., native took a 1-1 delivery and sent it deep behind the left field fence to tie the game at 2-2. The home run broke All-American Tomeka Watson’s previous program career mark and tied Watson for the most in a single season with 14.

The game then turned into a pitcher’s duel with Burdette going toe-to-toe with Samford starter Mollie Hanson over the next three innings. The Charleston, W. Va., native retired 12 straight batters at one point during the game before giving up a leadoff single in the top of the seventh.

O’Shea stepped in and recorded the next out as Samford advanced its runner on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, an Elon error gave the Bulldogs runners on the corners before Dowdy drew a walk to load the bases. O’Shea induced the final out on a grounder to escape the top of the seventh.

The Phoenix were set down in order in the bottom half however as the game moved to extras. In the top of the eighth, Elon got into another jam after allowing a lead off triple by Callie Brister to right field. After the next batter was hit by pitch, Elon recorded the next three outs to escape the frame unharmed.

Elon drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Eng led off the frame with a single to right center and advanced to second on an Ali Ford sacrifice bunt. Another grounder moved her to third with Emily Cameron at the plate. The sophomore however drew a walk and led to Hall coming to bat. The Suwanee, Ga., native hit a dribbler up the middle where the shortstop attempted to throw Cameron out at second, but the throw was not in time as Eng scored the give the Phoenix the 3-2 win.

Elon had six hits overall on the day with Aly Quintana leading the way after going 2-for-4 at the plate. Nester, Eng, Carey Million and Ford also had a hit on the afternoon.

 

Georgia Southern 6, Chattanooga 5
STATESBORO, GA. – Lexi Allen’s 13th inning double to the gap gave the Eagles a 6-5 win over Chattanooga in the final home game of the SoCon Era on Sunday afternoon. With the win the Eagles reduced their magic number to just one in the race for the SoCon Regular Season Championship. The 13 inning game is the longest contest in program history for both the Eagles and Mocs.

The Eagles improve to 32-17 overall and 14-4 in league play. Chattanooga falls to 27-19 overall and 10-7 in the SoCon. The Mocs are eliminated from contention for the SoCon Regular Season Title. A win by the Eagles in the final three games at Samford or a loss by Furman in their series against Appalachian State will give Georgia Southern it’s third SoCon Regular Season Championship.

For the second-straight game Chattanooga was first on the board. The Mocs took advantage of two first inning walks and a bleeder between three fielders to plate the opening run with two outs in the frame.

Breanna McLendon brought the Eagles back to level terms in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run down the left field line. It was the third home run for the Eagle centerfielder this season as the Eagles tied the game at 1-1.

Chattanooga slipped a bunt down to start the eighth inning as third baseman Shelby Morrill went down with an injury attempting to field the ball. The Mocs were able to capitalize on a throwing error and a wild pitch later in the frame to post a 2-1 lead heading to the home half of the eighth.

Chattanooga called on Taylor Deason in the eighth in the save situation. McLendon welcomed her to the game by lacing a double down the line in left. A wild pitch later in the frame allowed McLendon to reach third and end Deason’s outing. Katie Henderson returned to the game and allowed the run to score on a Taylor Rogers single through the left side.

In the 10th Chattanooga was able to plate a run with Sarah Beth Roberts’ double to the gap, pushing the tiebreaker runner in for the run. That made it a 3-2 game headed to the bottom of the 10th.

Lexi Allen started the frame on second and went to third on McLendon’s fly ball to the track in right center. Rogers got the RBI to extend the game with a 2-2 count with two outs. She lined a ball off the top of the shortstop’s glove. She then stole second to get into scoring position.

The Mocs got a run in the 11th with a squeeze bunt back to the pitcher. Purvis fielded the ball and got the ball home, but the tag was late as Chattanooga took a 4-3 lead. UTC would load the bases, but no further runs would score in the frame.

Kaitlyn Johnson opened the 11th on second and made it to third on a sacrifice bunt from Michelle Mazur. A walk to Kourtny Thomas put runners on the corners with just one out. Morgan Robinson got an RBI fielder’s choice to score Allen as Thomas was cut down at second. That run leveled the score at 4-4 as the game went to the 12th inning.

Both teams went scoreless in the 12th inning, but it was Chattanooga that went back on top in the 13th when a single down the left field line scored a run.

The Eagles came up in the 13th with their backs against the wall yet again. Mazur opened the inning on second and made it to third on Thomas’ sacrifice bunt. Morgan Robinson’s fielder’s choice to short recorded the second out as Mazur was caught trying to score the tying run. Allen came to the plate and was quickly in an 0-2 hole. After a pair of balls, Allen caught the 2-2 pitch and drove it into the gap in left to score both runners and take the victory.

Sarah Purvis went a career-long 13 innings for the complete game victory to improve to 18-10 on the season. She allowed five runs with just one earned while striking out 11 Chattanooga batters. Chattanooga’s Katie Henderson pitched 12.2 innings and allowed five runs, three earned with 10 strikeouts to fall to 14-10 on the season.

 

Furman 4, Western Carolina 2
Cullowhee, N.C. – Freshman Elise Smith and junior Taylor Jenkins belted two-run homers to stake Furman to a 4-0 lead and Lauren Collier tossed a complete-game to claim her 16th win of the season as Furman downed Western Carolina, 4-2, in the rubber game of its three-game series at the Catamount Softball Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The victory gave the Paladins a 2-1 series win and upped their record to 27-22 overall and 11-6 in SoCon play.  The Catamounts slipped to 18-29 overall and 8-10 in the conference.

Senior Nikki Legg, who went 1-for-1 with three walks on the day, singled to open the game and stole second before Smith hammered the first pitch she saw from WCU starter Jordan Garrett over the left-center field wall with one out in the first inning.

In the top of the second inning, Collier helped her own cause with a leadoff walk and Taylor Jenkins followed with a two-run blast to center to increase the Paladin lead to 4-0 and chase Garrett from the game.

Collier, who upped her record in the circle to 16-10, held the Catamounts to just four hits with their only runs coming on Courtney Price’s two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth.  The right-hander walked two batters and fanned four to claim her second victory of the weekend.

Garrett allowed four Furman runs on three hits in one-plus inning in the circle to absorb the loss.  She fell to 9-15 on the season.

Smith went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Paladins, who won their fifth SoCon series in six tries.

 

UNCG 7, Appalachian State 0
BOONE, N.C. –  Appalachian State University softball dropped the series finale to UNCG on Sunday afternoon, 7-0.

The Mountaineers (17-29, 5-12 SoCon) mustered just four hits in the contest. Dani Heichen extended her career long hit streak to 14-games with a 1-for-4 performance on Sunday.

Senior Lindsay Loudermilk, Cara Parker and Caroline Rogers also singled on the day for the Apps.

The Spartans (24-24, 7-11 SoCon) put across the first run of the game in the third inning on a Nicole Thomas RBI single to center field. In the fourth, Tory Wright hit a two-run homer to extend the UNCG lead to 3-0.

UNCG would plate one more in the sixth and three more in the seventh to take the 7-0 victory. Raeanne Hanks got the win for the Spartans with a complete game performance.

Sydney Laws started for the Mountaineers and pitched six innings, allowing 10 hits and seven runs with two strikeouts. Shivaun Landeros (Sparks, Nev./Edward C. Reed) pitched an inning of relief with one walk.