UNCG 8, Ohio 5
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team held a 5-0 lead before holding off Ohio, 8-5, Wednesday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Spartans picked up their seven-straight victory and are 9-3 on the season. The Bobcats fall to 4-9 on the year.
Junior Danica Bishop earned the victory in relief throwing one inning and had a strikeout. Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski started the game and threw three innings. Bazonski returned later in the game, helping secure the win with two innings and earned her second save.
Ohio’s Lauren McClary (0-5) went 2.1 innings and allowed three earned runs in the loss.
Four Spartans’ had multiple hits with sophomore Tory Wright finishing 2-for-3 with a two-run double. Senior Tatiana Alcala was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Junior Lindsay Thomas also was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Senior Dominique Madruga went 2-for-2 at the leadoff spot.
UNCG took a 3-0 lead after a three-run home run from junior Nicole Thomas in the third inning. With one out, Madruga and Lindsay Thomas earned walks. Nicole Thomas delivered her first home run of the season on the first pitch to push the Spartans in front 3-0.
In the fourth inning, the Blue and Gold added two runs off three hits to take a 5-0 lead. Redshirt freshman Sidney Grkman reached second after a error by the Ohio centerfielder to start the frame. Alcala roped a RBI double down the right field line and Lindsay Thomas lined a RBI single to left field in the inning.
Ohio cut the lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning scoring off a wild pitch. Adrienne Gebele doubles to right centerfield to start the inning. After a out, Dakota Pyles singled to setup runners at the corners. Gebele would score on a wild pitch to put the Bobcats on the scoreboard.
In the sixth inning, the Bobcats made a furious rally scoring three runs off two hits and two Spartan errors to inch closer at 5-4. Mikayla Cooper singled and a error put Casie Hutchinson on first. Ohio loaded the bases after another single from Kaylin Clarke and Raven King earned a RBI walk to make the score 5-2. Ohio would score two more runs off a UNCG error and another RBI walk. With no outs, Bazonski would limit the damage with a swinging strikeout, ground out and another swinging strikeout to end the inning.
The Blue and Gold would respond with three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off three hits and a key Ohio error. With one out, Madruga and Lindsay Thomas had back-to-back singles. After a out, the Bobcat’s shortstop committed a error that led to Madruga scoring to give UNCG a 6-4 lead. Wright roped a clutch two-run double to the left centerfield gap plating two runs to push the Spartans’ lead to 8-4.
In the final frame, Ohio would make it interesting as Gebele lined a two-out RBI single up the middle to make the score 8-5. A single from Leanna Bachman loaded the bases but Bazonski saved the game with a groundout.
UNCG heads to Riverside, Calif. for a seven-day spring break trip starting with the Highlander Classic Friday, March 6 against Howard at noon eastern time.
Charlotte 6, Furman 0
Furman 1, Charlotte 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Freshman Lindsey Bert fanned a career-high 10 batters and tossed a four-hit shutout in game two to lift Furman (8-3) to a 1-0 victory and doubleheader split with Charlotte on Wednesday at Pepsi Stadium. The 49ers claimed a 6-0 win in game one.
Charlotte's Lexi Betancourt tossed a one-hit shutout and struck out seven batters in the opening game to lead the 49ers to a 6-0 victory.
The 49ers (8-6) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, highlighted by RBI doubles from Chelsea Lisikatos and Samantha Slade. Grace Beatty homered to open the top of the third and Hayley Lewis upped the margin to 6-0 with an RBI single up the middle.
Betancourt allowed just a Natalie Clemmons single and a walk while facing only 24 batters in the complete game effort to improve to 4-5 in the circle. Slade and Jackie Kleinsmith each collected two hits to lead Charlotte's nine-hit attack.
Junior Alex Sappington absorbed the loss for Furman to fall to 2-1 in the circle. She surrendered five earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. The New York, N.Y., native walked four batters and fanned one.
In the nightcap, Bert scattered four hits and fanned 10 batters while issuing just two walks to improve to 5-2 on the season.
Sieara Bishop, who went 2-for-3, belted a solo homer to left field with one out in the bottom of the fourth to provide the offense for the Paladins.
Bert retired the first seven batters she faced and didn't get into a jam until the seventh when Lisikatos walked and Beatty singled with one out. The Tallahassee, Fla., native bounced back to strikeout Slade and Taylar Byrne to clinch the win.
Mackenzie Hauser (3-1) took the loss for Charlotte allowing one run on four hits in six innings. Hayley Pace recorded two hits for the 49ers.
The Paladins return to action on Saturday at the Winthrop Invitational. Furman faces Belmont at 1 p.m. before taking on host Winthrop at 5 p.m.
Upstate 4, Western Carolina 0
USC Upstate 7, Western Carolina 0
SPARTANTBURG, S.C. - Western Carolina softball (4-8) was swept by USC Upstate (12-2) 4-0, 7-0 Wednesday at Cyrill Stadium.
USC Upstate jumped on Western Carolina early scoring a run in the bottom of the first.
Starting Spartans' pitcher Lexie Shubert sat down nine straight Catamount batters before Western Carolina broke up her no-hitter attempt. Designated player Abigail Daniels led off the top of the fourth with a single setting up the Catamounts' lone scoring threat. A sacrifice bunt by Victoria Mariscal and ground out by Kara Salvo had Daniels on third with two outs. Taylor Sigmon ground out to strand Daniels on third.
In the ensuing inning, USC Upstate added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth and one in the sixth.
Senior pitcher Jordan Garrett tossed a complete game going six innings allowing four runs on five hits and struck out nine. She falls to 3-4 on the season. In her last two starts, Garrett has struck out 21 batters in 12 innings.
Western Carolina had just one hit in the game, the single by Daniels. Shubert got the win for USC Upstate improving to 7-1 on the season.
Sigmon got her first start on the mound in game two against USC Upstate. Sigmon takes the loss falling to 0-2 on the season. She went 2.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits and struck out two. Sophomore Courtney Buchanan closed out the game going 3.2 innings allowing three runs on five hits and struck out one.
The Spartans scored a lone run in the bottom of the first and then three in the third and three in the fifth.
Western Carolina strung together four hits in the shutout. Mariscal, Salvo, Price and Emily Helton picked up hits in the game.
Western Carolina will participate in the Winthrop Invitational this weekend. The Catamounts open the tournament Friday at 4 p.m. against Albany.
Georgia State 3, Mercer 0
Georgia State 8, Mercer 5
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University softball team dropped a pair of games to in-state foe Georgia State on Wednesday night. The Bears moved to 10-11 on the year after the double header.
The first game of the night presented its self as a pitchers duel for most of the night as both teams combined for 14 hits and three runs. Anna O'Neill pitched her third complete game of the year for the Bears allowing three runs on nine hits, while producing two strikeouts and one base on balls.
Georgia St. added their first run of the game in the top of the second on the RBI double, followed by a solo-home run in the top of the sixth, and a RBI bunt in the seventh. Mercer's best opportunity to put runs on the board came in the bottom of the fourth. The Bears had runners on first and second with two outs but could not capitalize on the runner in scoring position.
Riley Carter, Natalie Shiver, Kaytlin Haney, Caroline Taylor, and Taylor Rogers all led the Mercer offense with one hit apiece.
The second game of the night went back and forth between the Panthers and Bears, with three ties and four lead changes throughout the game. Mercer jumped out early adding a pair of runs in the first inning. Haney drew the walk in a bases loaded situation to score Carter for the first run of the night. Taylor added the second score of the inning on a RBI single to the right side, scoring Kaylynn Sloat.
Georgia St. answered quickly in the second inning with two runs of their own, on two hits. Mercer broke the tie in the bottom of the third. Haney would add her second RBI of the night on single to center field. The Panthers tied the game for the second time in the sixth scoring one run on two hits.
The Bears pushed across another run in the fifth off of a hard hit ball to the shortstop, which allowed Miller to score. A Georgia St. home run would tie the game for a third time in the top of the sixth before Mercer added its final run of the night aided by a Panther error. The mishandled ball, hit by Miller, allowed Shayla Kicklighter to score, making the score five-to-four heading into the seventh inning.
Georgia St. exploded in the seventh adding four runs on five hits, giving the Panthers the 8-5 lead, forcing a Mercer at bat in the bottom of the seventh. The Bears were retired in order to end the game. Kirsten Stevens picked up her sixth loss of the season through her seventh complete game. Stevens accumulated three strikeouts while surrendering no base on balls for the night.
The Bears will be back in action on Friday, March 6th, at the USF Under Armour Showcase. Mercer will take on Villanova, Central Michigan, Portland St., South Florida, and Western Michigan over the course of the weekend.
Rain Washes Out Contest Against Gamecocks
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University softball team was almost midway through two innings of play against Jacksonville State University before a downpour of rain forced both teams from the field and the eventual cancelation of the contest at Samford Field on Wednesday, March 4.
The Bulldogs (14-5) dropped behind early after the Gamecocks (9-6) posted three runs in the top of the first thanks to a three-run home run by Sara Borders.
The contest was called after a one hour and forty minute delay caused by a heavy downpour of rain.
Samford's next test will take place in Norman, Okla. when the Bulldogs take on No.6 Oklahoma and Missouri State on March 7-8.