Western Carolina 1, Samford 0
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Junior pitcher Jordan Garrett tossed her second straight shutout as Western Carolina softball (15-24, 5-7 Southern Conference) took the Southern Conference series against Samford (28-12, 6-5 SoCon) with a 1-0 win over the Bulldogs Sunday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

After coming into the game in the first inning of the second game Saturday, with two on and no outs, Garrett tossed 14 scoreless innings against Samford. Her stellar performance helped the Catamounts take 2-of-3 from the Bulldogs in the Southern Conference weekend and earn the series win.

Western Carolina broke open a scoreless game with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman Courtney Price led off with a double to right field and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by fellow freshman Kara Salvo. With one out, sophomore Taylor Sigmon hit a grounder to the shortstop. Bulldog Abby Adams threw over to first to get Sigmon and Price took off from third. Price beat the throw to the plate and scored the Catamount run.

Samford attempted a rally in the top of the seventh inning. Megan Dowdy hit a one out double and the Bulldogs had the tying run on second. Caroline Wilder followed with a double to center field and the Bulldogs attempted to test the arm of Catamount sophomore Amber Kimrey. It was a bad gamble as Dowdy attempted to score from second. Kimrey scooped up the ball from centerfield and tossed a spot on throw to catcher Heather Chastain who nailed Dowdy at the plate. Abby Adams quietly ground out to Garrett to end the game.

Garrett tossed a complete game allowing six hits, walking two and striking out eight. She improves to 7-12 on the season.

Garrett’s only two walks in the game came in the second inning when she gave up back-to-back walks and then a Catamount fielding error loaded the bases. With no outs, Garrett got out of the bases loaded jam by striking out Caroline Seay for the first out and then getting two ground outs to end the Bulldog threat.

Western Carolina had four hits in the game with Price going 2-for-3. The Bulldogs had six hits with Wilder going 3-for-3. Bulldog pitcher Mollie Hanson falls to 16-7.

Coming into the three-game series against Western Carolina Samford had only been shut out twice in the season. After leaving Cullowhee, that number ballooned to four as the Catamounts notched two shutouts over the Bulldogs.

 

Georgia Southern 4, Appalachian State 3
BOONE, N.C. – Georgia Southern Softball picked up a 4-3 win over Appalachian State on Sunday afternoon to sweep the series in the High Country. The Eagles improve to 11-1 in SoCon play and 27-11 overall. The Mountaineers fall to 13-22 overall and 3-8 in the league.

Emily Snider put the Eagles on top 2-0 in the third inning with a two-run bomb to right. The freshman lifted her second home run of the weekend and fifth of the season.

Appalachian State bounced back in the fourth inning when the home side put an end to Sarah Purvis’ scoreless streak at 26.0 innings with a solo home run from Cynthia Gomez. Another run later in the frame tied the game at 2-2. Purvis’ streak ties for the fifth-longest in program history and is the third streak of 20+ innings for the senior hurler.

Georgia Southern re-took the lead in the fifth inning via small-ball. A pair of bunt singles put ducks on the pond for the Eagles with Kourtny Thomas due up. The senior delivered an RBI single that scored one. After a pop out, Kaitlyn Johnson drove in a run with a single to centerfield. Pinch runner Nicole Benton, however, was called out at the plate for the third out to end the inning.

The Mountaineers got their second home run of the day from the No. 9 slot in the lineup when Pepper Butler hit her second home run of the season to left. That run cut the Eagle advantage to 4-3 through five innings of play.

Sarah Purvis successfully retired the Mountaineers in the final two innings to improve to 15-5 on the year while working around six Appalachian State hits. She fanned eight batters and walked just one on the day.

 

Furman 12, UNCG 10
Greenville S.C. – Furman tallied nine runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to overcome a six-run deficit to down UNCG, 12-10, and complete a sweep of its three-game series against the Spartans on Sunday at Pepsi Stadium.

The win upped the Paladins to 20-18 overall and 7-4 in Southern Conference play while UNCG fell to 15-21 overall and 3-9 in the conference.

Trailing 7-3 after four and a half innings, the Paladins posted their biggest inning of the season in the bottom of the fifth.  Sieara Bishop lined a double down the left field line to open the inning, Ambree Muller singled and Elise Smith drew a base on balls to load the bases against reliever Raeanne Hanks with nobody out.  Lauren Collier worked a walk to force home Bishop and Hannah Pace followed two batters later with an RBI single to trim the margin to 7-5.

Stephanie Spain hit a two-hopper back to the circle, but Hanks’ throw to the plate was wide allowing two runs to score to tie the game.  After Hanks notched a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Taylor Jenkins walked to load the bases and Bishop walked to force in the go-ahead run.  Lacey Leary replaced Hanks in the circle and was greeted by Muller who tripled into the right field corner to clear the bases.  Smith followed with a double to left-center to score Muller and cap the nine-run outburst.

UNCG’s Nicole Thomas launched a three-run homer to left in the top of the sixth to pull within two runs and put runners at first and second with two outs in the seventh, but Collier fanned Katelyn Bedwell to end the game.

Shelby Parker (5-8), who worked a scoreless inning of relief, picked up the win for Furman.  Collier picked up her fifth save after returning to the game to throw a scoreless seventh inning.  She allowed five runs on seven hits in four total innings of work.

The Spartans raced out to a 6-0 lead with a solo homer by Lindsay Thomas in the first inning and a five-run third inning that was highlighted by Bedwell’s three-run blast.

Furman got on the board in the bottom of the frame when Elise Smith drove in a run on a fielder’s choice before Collier lined a two-run double over the head of the centerfielder.

Muller, who went 7-for-8 with five runs and four RBI in the series, led the Paladins at the plate going 3-for-3 with a three-run triple and three runs scored.  Nikki Legg, Bishop and Clemmons each registered two hits while Collier batted in three runs.

Hanks (7-13) allowed 11 runs, just two earned, on seven hits over two and 2/3 innings to absorb the loss.  She walked four batters and notched two strikeouts.

 

Chattanooga 12, Elon 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – A seven-run bottom of the third by Chattanooga was the difference as the Elon University softball team dropped a 12-2 decision against the Mocs in the rubber match on Sunday, April 6, at Frost Stadium.

The loss dropped the Phoenix to 19-18-1 with a 3-9 mark in Southern Conference play. Chattanooga improved to 23-14 with an 8-3 record against league competition.

Elon jumped right out of the gates to plate the first run of the game. Alaina Hall hit a one-out triple down the right field line and was driven in thanks to a bloop single by Carleigh Nester to right. The Phoenix could not add more runs to its lead and left the top of the first with a 1-0 advantage.

Chattanooga tied the game in the bottom of the second behind a solo home run. Nicole Osterman took a 0-0 delivery from Elon starter Caitlin O’Shea and sent it over the center field wall to tie the game at 1-1.

The Phoenix attempted to add more runs to the scoreboard in the top of the third frame. Hall reached again on a single and was joined on the bases by Nester, who was hit by pitch with one out. The pair would get stranded as the Mocs turned a 4-6-3 double play on the next at bat ending the inning.

Chattanooga took the lead in the bottom of the third as Sam Taylor scored on a bloop single to put the Mocs up 2-1. Taylor reached on a single to the shortstop and advanced all the way to third on a double by Sarah Beth Roberts on the next at bat. Sam Taylor would cross home plate on a single by Alyssa Taylor for the Mocs’ first lead of the contest.

The Mocs added to its lead with a hit by pitch to move ahead 3-1. Elon went with a change in the circle as O’Shea was relieved by freshman Alli Burdette, but another bases loaded walk plated the Mocs’ third run of the inning. After the Phoenix recorded the second out of the inning, Chattanooga’s Jesslyn Stockard hit a grand slam to put the Mocs up 8-1. The Phoenix finally recorded the final out of the inning on a pop up, but Elon faced a seven-run deficit going to the top of the fourth.

Another four runs cross the plate in the bottom of the fourth for the Mocs to push the score to 12-1. Elon added a run in the top of the fifth with O’Shea crossing home plate, but the deficit was too much for the Phoenix to overcome as the game ended later in the frame by a 12-2- score.