Samford 6, Murry State 5
Samford 5, Nicholls State 3

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team continued its' trend of winning in dramatic fashion with a pair of walk-off victories over Murray State University and Nicholls State University on Saturday, Feb. 14, at Samford Field.

Samford (7-2) trailed 5-3 to Murray State in the bottom of the seventh before junior Caitlin Bice evened the score at 5-5 thanks to a two-run homerun with a full-count and two outs.

Junior Callie Brister ended the game with a walk-off single down the left field line to score junior Hannah Taylor from second base. Taylor reached base on a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch by CheyAnne Gaskey.

Samford won the game 6-5 to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Sophomore Abbie Miranda sealed the victory 4-3 for SU in the second game against Nicholls State (5-3) with a ground ball through the left side to score pinch runner Lexi Higgins from second in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Bulldogs jumped out in front early 2-0 against Nicholls State in game two of the day thanks to a pair of RBI doubles from Bice and junior Abby Adams.

Sophomore Rebecca Leonard pitched a gem only giving up three hits and one run over six innings to hold the Colonels at bay before redshirt junior Mollie Hanson took over in the circle.

Hanson (4-1) after pitching a complete-game against the Racers gave up a run in the top of the seventh to allow the game to go into extra innings.

Bice ended the day as the Bulldogs most productive batter with five RBI and three runs scored while going 3 of 5 at the plate with three walks. Bice hit two home runs in the game against Murray State.

Samford returns to competition on the final day of the Samford Classic on Sunday, Feb. 15, with a contest against Gardner-Webb with first pitch slated for 1:30 p.m.

 

UNCG 5, George Washington 4
UNCG 5, George Washington 3

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team earned a double-header sweep against visiting George Washington Saturday in the home opener at UNCG Softball Stadium.

The Spartans improve to 4-3 on the season with the two victories and George Washington falls to 1-5 on the year. The Blue and Gold also lead the all-time series with a 3-2 record against the Colonials.

In game one, the Spartans used the long ball to defeat George Washington, 5-4, thanks to a grand slam from senior second baseman Dominique Madruga and a solo home run from sophomore Tory Wright.

Freshman Alicia Bazonski threw a complete game earning her first collegiate win. Bazonski allowed just nine hits, four runs (zero earned) and had six strikeouts.

Sarah Costlow fell to 1-3 on the season after allowing five earned runs off four hits to take the loss for the Colonials.

In the top of the second inning, George Washington took a 1-0 lead after a error allowed a unearned run to score. With one out, Carlee Gray singled and moved to second after a error by the left fielder. Bazonski retired the next two hitters to keep it a 1-0 game.

UNCG would answer with four runs in the second inning after a grand slam from Madruga, her first home run of the season, to give the Spartans a 4-1 advantage. With one out, redshirt freshman Sidney Grkman walked and classmate Rachael McClaskey singled. Freshman Alexis Overdiep walked to load the bases to setup the big hit from Madruga.

In the bottom of the third, Wright blasted her first home run of the season to lead off the inning to push UNCG’s lead to 5-1.

The Colonials would not go away scoring three runs all with two outs to cut the lead to 5-4 in the top of the fourth. George Washington loaded the bases with one out after two walks and a error. A force out at home plate kept the game at 5-1 but a passed ball and a two-run single from Samantha Dos Santos made the score 5-4.

Bazonski finished the game with three-straight scoreless innings, including the final frame. In the seventh, George Washington had back-to-back singles with two outs but a pop up to the shortstop ended the threat.

In game two, a key pinch-hit double by junior Lacey Leary broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Spartans a 5-3 comeback win.

Freshman Mackenzie Winslow picked up her first collegiate victory after throwing 3.2 scoreless innings in relief and had four strikeouts.

Classmate Alexis Overdiep went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

George Washington struck first taking a 2-0 lead in the third inning off two hits and a Spartan error. Dos Santos had a RBI infield hit and Monica Macchiarulo had a RBI walk.

In the bottom of the third, the Blue and Gold cut the lead to 2-1 after a error by the Colonials in the outfield. Madruga had a bunt single to start the inning and moved to second off a sacrifice bunt from classmate Tatiana Alcala. Madruga went to third off a passed ball and scored off a error by the left fielder.

The Colonials added to their lead with a solo home run from Megan Lynn to make the score 3-1.

UNCG quickly responded tying the game with two runs off two hits in the fourth. After a walk by freshman Gabrielle Cubbage, Overdiep doubled to centerfield to put runners on second and third. Madruga walked to load the bases and a wild pitch allowed Cubbage to score cutting the lead to 3-2. Overdiep would score off a error by the catcher to tie the game at 3-3.

The Spartans would take the lead for good after scoring two runs off three hits in the fifth inning. With one out, Wright doubled to right field to setup a clutch pinch-hit double from Leary to give UNCG a 4-3 lead. After another out, Overdiep singled through the left side to add a insurance run for the Spartans at 5-3.

In the top of the seventh, Winslow finished the game with a pop out, strike out and a ground out working around two walks to seal the victory 5-3.

UNCG returns to action on the road at North Carolina Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m.

 

Furman 13, George Mason 2 (5 inn.)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Natalie Clemmons went 4-for-4 at the plate, belted two home runs and tied a Furman single-game record with six RBI to power the Paladins to a 13-2, five-inning victory over George Mason on Saturday morning at the Upstate Classic in Spartanburg, S.C.

The victory, Furman's third in less than 24 hours, improved the Paladins to 3-0 on the season. The Patriots slipped to 0-8.

Furman began its offensive onslaught in the top half of the first inning when Ambree Muller was hit by a pitch to open the frame and Clemmons followed with a two-run shot to straightaway center field. Elise Smith singled up the middle and Sieara Bishop reached on an error to set the table for senior Taylor Jenkins, who hammered a three-run homer over the scoreboard in left field to give the Paladins a 5-0 lead.

After Bishop turned a 6-3 double play to limit George Mason to one run in the bottom of the first, Brittany Houston drew a walk to start the second inning and Muller upped the margin to 7-1 with a two-run, opposite field blast to left field. Clemmons laced a solo homer, her second in as many innings, to center and Jenkins added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 9-1 after just an inning and a half.

Following Clemmons' RBI single in the third inning, Furman plated three more runs in the top of the fifth. Candace Johnson and AnnaRose Borrelli were hit by pitches to open the frame and scored on Clemmons' two-run double to left-center. Courtney Jacobs ripped a double to right-center to plate Clemmons with the Paladins' final run.

Freshman Lindsey Bert (1-0) earned her first collegiate victory allowing just two runs on three hits in a complete-game effort. The Tallahassee, Fla., native walked three batters and fanned one.

Along with Clemmons 4-for-4, six RBI outing, Smith went 2-for-2 and Jenkins batted in four runs.

Casey Herring (0-2) suffered the loss for George Mason. She allowed eight runs on five hits in one-plus innings in the circle. Mary O'Connor and Brooke Blankenship each drove in a run for the Patriots.

Clemmons, who notched two triples and a pair of RBI in Friday's doubleheader sweep of Radford, finished the week 6-for-11 with a double, two triples, two homers and eight RBI.

The Paladins return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Clinton, S.C., to face Presbyterian in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

 

Chattanooga 3, Cleveland State 0
UMKC 7, Chattanooga 0

Offensively, the Mocs took the lead in the third inning as Sam Taylor scored on a passed ball.

Maintaining Chattanooga’s momentum, Criket Blanco hammered out a home run to left field in the fourth inning, putting the Mocs up by two.

In the fifth, Marina Wilkerson made it home as Alyssa Taylor made it to first off a fielder’s choice.

UTC would not find another score, but its defense would prove too much for CSU, giving the game to the Mocs, 3-0.

Tensions were high as the teams opened the game with zero hits or runs in the first inning.

Fighting for momentum, UMKC would be the first to get on the boards, capitalizing off of consecutive UTC errors in the second inning. UMKC’s Marlee Maple reached second off a bad throw from third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts. Maple was able to run home for the score off of Chattanooga’s second error of the game from Criket Blanco.

With UMKC leading 1-0, the Mocs fought back with two consecutive strike outs pitched by Cori Jennings. UMKC’s K Kelly grounded out to Alyssa Taylor who picked it to Savannah Goldsmith for the third out. However, despite UTC’s efforts on defense, the Mocs were not able to find a rhythm on offense.

Having no trouble on offense UMKC would collect four runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to take the game, 7-0.

Chattanooga will close out the Dot Richardson Invitational on Sunday when it faces Arkansas (9 a.m. ET).

 

Marshall 3, ETSU 0
ETSU 9, East Carolina 8

GREENVILLE, N.C. - ETSU concluded play in East Carolina's Pirate Clash invitational Saturday, falling to Marshall, 3-0, before defeating East Carolina, 9-8.

The Buccaneers (5-5) went toe-to-toe with the Pirates (5-4) of ECU in the final game of the appropriately-named Pirate Clash, with ETSU scoring six runs in the final two innings to seal a come-from-behind, 9-8 win.

ETSU manufactured nine runs on 14 hits en route to completing the comeback. Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.), Kelsey Smith (Tucson, Ariz.), and Cassi Pickett (Chattanooga, Tenn.) each had three in the win.

Smith went 3-for-3 from the plate, homering twice and driving in five runs.

Due to forecasted severe weather, Sunday's originally-scheduled games of the Pirate Clash have been cancelled.

After starting the season 0-4, ETSU has won five of its next six contests.

The Bucs will be back in action next weekend as they travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to take part in the Austin Peay Tournament. While there, ETSU will square off with South Dakota State, Austin Peay, and IPFW.

 

Western Carolina 4, Radford 1
USC Upstate 11, Western Carolina 3 (5 inn.)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Western Carolina softball (1-2) split its pair of games at the Upstate Classic Saturday at Cyrill Stadium. The Catamounts defeated Radford 4-1 then fell to host USC Upstate 11-3 in five innings.

Catamount senior hurler Jordan Garrett pitched a complete game, against Radford, picking up the win and improving to 1-0 on the young season. With the win, Garrett has 36 career victories becoming the winningest pitcher in Western Carolina softball history. In the game, she gave up four hits, one unearned run and struck out 10.

After two scoreless innings, to open the game, Radford broke open the contest with a run in the bottom of the third inning. The Highlanders' Nia Chiles led off the bottom of the third with a single and moved to second on a Catamount throwing error. A sacrifice bunt by Kayla Bishton moved Chiles to third and she scored when Megan Honaker reached first on Western Carolina's second error of the inning.

With a base runner in three of the first four innings of the game, Western Carolina finally capitalized in the fifth inning. Freshman designated player Abigail Daniels led off with a single up the middle - it was the first hit of her Catamount career.

A pair of Catamount ground outs sent Daniels to third. With two outs sophomore Courtney Price singled past the shortstop picking up an RBI when Daniels scored. Price scored, giving WCU a 2-1 lead, when junior Victoria Mariscal reached on a Radford error.

The Catamounts added two more runs in the top of the seventh. Junior Amber Kimrey was hit by a pitch to lead off. After a pair of groundouts pushed Kimrey to third she scored off a monster homerun to left field by junior Victoria Mariscal. The two-run shot was Mariscal's first homerun of her Catamount career.

Western Carolina had five hits in the game.

USC Upstate scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to knock Catamount starting pitcher Mallory Broome out of the game. Broome left the first inning without recording an out giving up three earned runs and walking two.

Sophomore Courtney Buchanan replaced Broome getting three outs to end the inning. Buchanan would yield two Spartan runs in the bottom of the second with USC Upstate leading Western Carolina 6-0 after two innings.

The Catamounts cut the Spartan lead in half with one swing of the bat in the top of the third. With one out, Kimrey drew a walk. With two outs, Price singled to left field to place runners on first and second. Mariscal hit her second homerun of the day when she launched a three RBI homerun over the left field wall.

After tossing a scoreless fourth inning, Buchanan gave up five runs in the fifth inning to shorten the game. The Spartans hit a three-run homerun and a two RBI double to end the game all with two outs.

The Catamounts had just two hits in the game. Buchanan tossed 4.2 innings allowing seven runs on six hits and striking out four.

Western Carolina returns to action Feb. 20 at a tournament hosted by Charlotte. The Catamounts open the tournament against the host 49ers at noon.

 

Ball State 9, Mercer 1 (5 inn.)
No. 17 Auburn 9, Mercer 1 (5 inn.) 

AUBURN, Ala. – Mercer unable to get the bats going on day three of the Tiger Invitational, as the Bears were defeated by Ball State 9-1 in the opening game of the day and again to host No. 17 Auburn 9-1 in a rematch of Thursdays tournament opener.

Taylor Miller and Natalie Shiver led the Bears attack, posting five combined hits, while Shiver added two RBIs as Mercer fell in double-header action.

Ball State took control of the game early after a scoreless first, posting runs in each of the next four innings. Nicole Steinbach allowed only five hits through five innings for the Cardinals to move to 2-1 on the year. Shiver provided Mercer's lone RBI of the game in the fifth inning making the score 9-1. Kirsten Stevens threw four complete innings for the Bears as she picked up her second loss of the year.

In familiar fashion, Auburn jumped out to an early 6-0 first inning lead, adding another run in the second and a pair of runs in the third. Mercer got on the board in the third with another Shiver RBI, scoring Meghan Rud. Anna O'Neill provided a strong inning of relief in the fourth striking out the side. The Bears move to 5-4 on the year as Rachael Hugghins picks up her first loss of the season.

Mercer will be back in action tomorrow on the final day of tournament play, taking on Winthrop University at 1:15 p.m. EST, before heading to Gainesville, Fla. to take part in the University of Florida Lipton Invitational later this week.