UNCG 12, Bryant 2
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The UNCG softball scored 12 runs off 17 hits to power past Bryant Wednesday in a neutral site game hosted by the University of San Diego at the USD Softball Complex.
The Spartans improve to 12-6 on the season and went 3-3 in the six-game California trip. Bryant fell to 5-13 with the loss.
Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski improved to 5-1 on the season after throwing a complete game, allowing just one earned run off three hits. Bazonski didn’t allow a hit after giving up three in the first inning.
Junior Lindsay Thomas finished 3-for-4 with four RBI. Sophomore Tory Wright collected three hits and a RBI.
Four other Spartans had multiple hits in the game in Lacey Leary, Nicole Thomas, Tatiana Alcala and Allison Geiner.
Bryant took a early 1-0 lead in the first inning off three hits. With two outs, Elle Madsen line a RBI single to right field.
In the third inning, the Spartans tied the game at 1-1 off a RBI double from junior Danielle Vega.
UNCG took the lead in the fourth inning scoring five runs off five hits to pull ahead 6-1 against Bryant. The inning started with back-to-back singles from Wright and Leary. Alcala lined a RBI single down the right field line to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead. Lindsay Thomas earned a RBI after being hit by a pitch. Vega bought home a run off a RBI walk. Classmate Nicole Thomas had a key two-out two run single as the Spartans led 6-1.
The Blue and Gold added two insurance runs in the fifth inning after a two out two-run single from Lindsay Thomas. Freshman Rachael McClaskey and Dominique Madruga each had hits in the frame.
Bryant cut the lead to 8-1 after a RBI groundout from Liana Ogata. Rachel Monroe walked to start the inning and came around to score off a error and a sacrifice bunt.
UNCG put the game out of reach with a four-run seventh inning off three hits and two Bryant errors.
Bazonski closed the game with a pop out, ground out and a nice over the shoulder catch by Alcala in centerfield.
The Spartans return home to North Carolina to face Elon Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
Presbyterian 6, ETSU 4
ETSU 5, Presbyterian 4
CLINTON, S.C. - The ETSU softball team split non-conference contests Wednesday, losing to Presbyterian, 6-4, before earning a 5-4 win in the second game of the doubleheader.
In the opening game of Wednesday's doubleheader, the Buccaneers (9-9) carried a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning before the Blue Hose (8-10) manufactured four runs in the sixth to seal the come-from-behind, 6-4, victory.
Emilie Hensley and Latosha Rectenwald each homered for ETSU, with Hensley belting a two-run homer in the second inning, and Rectenwald hitting a solo shot in the the fourth.
Hensley, Bethany Cowart, and Nicole Fox recorded multi-hit games in the loss, with Hensley and Cowart going 2-for-3, and Fox batting 2-for-4.
In the second game of the doubleheader, ETSU jumped out to an early lead after Carter drove a two-out solo home run over the center field fence.
After a 54-minute lightning delay, Presbyterian scored one run in the second and another in the third to take a 2-1 lead into the top of the fourth inning where the Bucs' bats then took over.
Cassi Pickett scored to tie the ballgame, reaching home on a fielder's choice by Cowart. Rectenwald, the very next batter, then hit her second home run of the day, a three-run shot to leftfield to give the Bucs' a 5-2 advantage.
Presbyterian responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth; however, enough damage had been dealt by the Bucs as they held on for the 5-4 win. The game was called in the bottom of the seventh due to darkness.
Senior Whitney Leon earned the win on the mound for ETSU, matching a career-high with seven strikeouts in six-and-one-third innings of work.
Fox, who leads the Bucs with 23 hits and 12 runs, extended her hit streak to nine games, going 3-for-8 with a steal on the day.
CSU Bakersfield 1, Western Carolina 0
CSU Bakersfield 4, Western Carolina 1
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Western Carolina softball (7-12) was swept by Cal State Bakersfield (9-11) 1-0, 4-1 Wednesday at Roadrunner Stadium.
Cal State Bakersfield scored a lone run in the bottom of the third and it was all the offense the Roadrunners needed to fend off Western Carolina and take the win.
Western Carolina starting pitcher Jordan Garrett gave up a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases in the bottom half of the third. Sabrina Perez’s timely RBI single to right field scored the Roadrunners lone run.
The Catamounts had two solid scoring chances but couldn’t get a run across. In the first inning, Victoria Mariscal hit a one out single but was stranded at third when senior Heather Chastain struck to end the inning. In the third inning, Abigail Daniels drew a lead-off walk and was left hanging at third when Taylor Sigmon popped up to second base for the third out.
Garrett took the loss and falls to 5-5 on the season. She went 5.1 innings giving up seven hits, one run and striking out three. Sigmon closed out the game tossing 0.2 innings in the bottom of the sixth.
Western Carolina had three hits in the game to CSU Bakersfield’s seven.
Just like in the first game, Cal State Bakersfield got on the scoreboard first.
Selena Gonzalez led off the double and moved to third off a sacrifice bunt. Sydney Raeber walked and then Gomez scored on a Catamount error when a Catamount pick-off attempt at second was errant and Gomez scored on the WCU miscue.
Western Carolina tied the game with one swing. Sigmon hit her fourth homerun on the season in the top of the fourth inning.
CSU Bakersfield retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Catamount starting pitcher gave up a two-out walk to Madison Bundy. Back-to-back singles equated to a run for the Roadrunners when Selena Gonzalez’s RBI single scored Bundy.
Prior to giving up the run in the bottom of the fifth, Buchanan had retired 13 straight batters.
Western Carolina had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the sixth with bases loaded. Mariscal hit a one out single and Kara Salvo walked. With two outs Courtney Price was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Chastain struck out to end the WCU threat.
CSU Bakersfield added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to ice the game.
Buchanan tossed the complete game and takes the loss falling to 0-4 on the season. She gave up four runs on four hits and struck out a season-high eight batters.
Western Carolina will begin play in the San Diego Classic on Friday. The Catamounts will face host San Diego at noon EDT and Santa Clara at 2 p.m. EDT.