Furman 4, Albany 0
Furman 6, Belmont 0
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Furman batters belted five home runs and the Paladin pitching staff allowed just one earned run on five hits over two games to down Albany, 4-2, and Belmont, 6-0, on the final day of the Winthrop Invitational on Sunday in Rock Hill, S.C.
In the opening game of the day, Furman pounded four clouts and freshman Lindsey Bert followed Saturday's no-hitter with another strong performance in the circle as the Paladins topped Albany, 4-2.
Senior Natalie Clemmons put the Paladins on the board in the second inning by crushing a solo shot to left field for her third homer of the season. In the bottom of the third inning, Bert and shortstop Sieara Bishop belted back-to-back homers to up the margin to 3-0. Ambree Muller delivered the fourth long ball of the day, her third of the season, in the fifth inning after Albany struck for a run on two hits in the top of the frame.
The Great Danes (5-3) added an unearned run in the seventh inning, but Bert shut the door to improve to 7-2 in the circle. She gave up just four hits and two walks while striking out eight batters over seven innings. The left-hander also went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Paladins' seven-hit attack.
Albany's Mackenzie Thompson took the loss after allowing three earned runs on five hits over four innings.
In the tournament finale, sophomore Elise Smith tossed a one-hit shutout and senior Taylor Jenkins delivered a three-run shot to center field to propel the Paladins to a 6-0 win over Belmont.
The Paladins finished the tournament with a 3-1 record, no-hitter and one-hitter.
Furman returns home on Monday to host USC Upstate in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Pepsi Stadium
Mercer 5, Western Michigan 4
ETSU 5, Tennessee Tech 4
Radford 9, ETSU 0 (5 inn.)
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The ETSU softball team concluded play in the three-team Holiday Inn Invitational Sunday, edging Tennessee Tech, 5-4, before falling to Radford, 9-0.
ETSU outlasted Tennessee Tech, 5-4, in the Buccaneers' (8-8) first game of Sunday's double-header, snapping the Golden Eagles' (11-10) five-game win streak.
The Bucs, who were held to just two runs in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Tennessee Tech, jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage following a four-run second inning highlighted by a two-run homer by Cassi Pickett and a two-RBI double by Nicole Fox.
ETSU starting pitcher Taylor Carter helped her own cause by belting a leadoff double to start off the bottom of the second inning. The very next batter, Pickett, then drove a home run, her second home run of the season, over the left field fence to give the Bucs a 2-0 lead.
Following a Danielle Knoetze single and a Bethany Cowart walk, Fox cleared the bases with a double down the left field line.
During the Holiday Inn Invitational, in which the Bucs posted a 2-2 record, Fox went a combined 6-of-14 with two RBI and three stolen bases.
The Golden Eagles responded in the top of the third, manufacturing four runs on five hits to tie the game at 4-4.
ETSU's eventual game-winning run came in the fourth inning when Latosha Rectenwald drew a two-out walk before being driven home by a Cowart single through the right side.
Nine of ETSU's ten batters versus Tennessee Tech recorded hits.
On the mound for the Bucs, Carter earned her third consecutive victory, allowing four earned runs in seven innings of work.
In the Bucs' second and final game of the day, Radford's Kelsey Weddle pitched a complete-game shutout, striking out three batters en route to helping the Highlanders (4-11) to a 9-0 victory in five innings.
Radford took control early on, scoring three times in the first inning due largely to back-to-back home runs by Whitney Davis and Becky Mantel. The Highlanders pushed their lead to 9-0 with a six-run third inning highlighted by a Summer Robinson grand slam.
ETSU will continue non-conference play Wednesday, March 11 as the Bucs visit Presbyterian College for a double-header with games beginning at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.
Western Carolina 6, Belmont 5 (9 inn.)
Winthrop 4, Western Carolina 2
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Western Carolina softball (7-10) split day three action Sunday at the Winthrop Invitational defeating Belmont 6-5, in nine innings, before falling to host Winthrop 4-2 at Terry Field.
Western Carolina won its first extra-inning game of the season with the 6-5, nine inning, victory over Belmont. The Catamounts came back from being down 2-0 to take a 4-3 lead in the after its half of the seventh. The Bruins tied the game at four in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
Belmont jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Kat Hollingsworth hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the third inning.
Taylor Sigmon's homerun in the top of the fifth cut the Belmont lead to one, 2-1. The Bruins pushed its lead back to two when they scored a run in the bottom of the sixth. Trailing 3-1, Western Carolina rallied to take its first lead of the game, 4-3, in the top of the seventh inning. Sigmon led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a one out single by Heather Chastain. After freshman Anna Hughey pinch ran for Chastain, junior Crystal Cyr hit a three run homerun to give WCU a 4-3 advantage.
Starting Catamount pitcher Jordan Garrett got into a jam in the bottom of the seventh setting up the game-tying run for Belmont. Garrett gave up three walks to load the bases. Sigmon came into the game in relief with the bases loaded and walked Jess Andree to allow Belmont to score. Sigmon held Belmont in the next two batters forcing a fielder's choice groundout and a strikeout.
The International Tie-Breaker Rule came into effect in the eighth inning. Pinch runner Kassandra Flores was placed on second and scored on a Sigmon RBI double. Belmont tied the game in the bottom of the eight with a run of its own.
With the game tied 5-5, Western Carolina re-took the lead in the top of the ninth. With Mariscal placed on second, she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chastain. Mariscal scored off an RBI single by Amber Kimrey.
Sigmon shut down Belmont in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Bruins' runner Kayla Wells was placed on second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Wells was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice and Sigmon forced Jessica Wilson to pop up to end the game.
Sigmon takes the win and improves to 2-1 on the season. She tossed 2.2 innings giving up two hits, striking out two and allowing one unearned run. Garrett got the start and went 6.1 innings in the no decision allowing four runs on five hits and striking out seven.
Sigmon went 3-for-4 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI. Kimrey had a pair of hits.
As a team, Western Carolina had eight hits in the contest.
After two scoreless innings, Winthrop got on the board with a run in the top of the third. Sara Allen led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by K.J. Uyeno.
Western Carolina took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs. Back-to-back singles by Price and Sigmon placed Catamount runners on first and second. Price singled to left field picking up an RBI when Salvo scored. Sigmon scored the second run of the inning on an Eagle error.
Winthrop tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead and padded its lead with a run in the top of the seventh.
Sophomore Courtney Buchanan got the start and takes the loss falling to 0-3 on the season. Buchanan went five innings allowing three runs on four hits and struck out six. Sigmon closed out the game throwing two innings giving up one run on three hits and struck out three.
Salvo went 3-for-3 in the game with a run scored.
Western Carolina will travel to San Diego, California this week for the program's first trip out West. The Catamounts will compete in the San Diego Classic beginning March 13.
Missouri State 8, Samford 6
Oklahoma 14, Samford 0
NORMAN, Okla. - The Samford University softball team dropped a pair of contests against Missouri State University and No. 6 University of Oklahoma at Marita Hynes Field on the final day of the Courtyard by Marriott Tournament on Sunday, March 8.
The Bulldogs (15-8) tallied three home runs in the first game of the morning against the Bears (9-9) but fell 8-6 in the effort.
Samford out hit the Missouri State 14-8 on the day but left a total of nine base runners stranded throughout the game compared to MSU's seven.
The Bears jumped out in front early when MSU put up five runs in the inning which was capped off by a three-run home run by Elena Gambill.
SU responded in the top of the second inning with back-to-back solo home runs from Abby Sweeney and Abby Adams to close down MSU's lead 5-2.
Missouri State bounced back and extended its lead back out to five after the Bears posted a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.
Samford made another rally in the top of the sixth when Caitlin Bice came in for a pinch-hit three-run home run to close Missouri State's lead back down to 7-5.
MSU and SU traded a run each in the bottom of the sixth and the top of the seventh before the game ended. Adams doubled down the left field line to plate pinch runner Rebecca Leonard from second to make the final score 8-6.
The Bulldogs offensive production dwindled against the No. 6 Sooners (17-3) as the team managed to place just three hits in a 14-0 defeat
Oklahoma struck for six runs in the initial inning of play; Erin Miller put the Sooners on the board first with a three-run home run after two Sooners reached earlier in the inning on walks.
OU plated another six runs in the bottom of the third to eventually put the game out of reach.
The Bulldogs issued 10 walks to one strikeout while the Sooners struck out 10 Bulldogs with no walks allowed in the contest.
Samford returns home on Wednesday, March 11, when Mississippi State University comes to Samford Field for a single game that is set to start at 6 p.m.
UC Riverside 6, UNCG 2
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UNCG softball team left 11 runners in scoring position and fell short against host UC Riverside, 6-2, Sunday on the final day of the Highlander Classic at Amy S. Harrison field.
The Spartans drop to 11-6 on the season and UC Riverside improves to 20-6 on the season.
Chelsea Ponce earned the win improving to 14-3 in the circle for the Highlanders. Ponce threw five innings, allowing one earned run off five hits and had eight strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski suffered her first loss of the season (4-1) after throwing 4.2 innings and allowed three runs (zero earned) with four strikeouts.
Junior Danielle Vega went 2-for-4 at the plate and classmate junior Nicole Thomas had two doubles. Freshman Rachael McClaskey also finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
UNCG had a chance in the first inning after senior Dominique Madruga reached base after being hit to start the game. Madruga moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a ground out. With two outs, juniors Nicole Thoma and Lacey Leary earned walks to load the bases. The Spartans couldn’t push any runs across after a swinging strikeout ended the inning.
In the third inning, the Spartans put runners on first and second with no outs but three straight outs ended the rally. Vega singled to right field in the frame.
UC Riverside scored three runs off two hits and a error to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. With one out, the Highlanders put runners on after a single and a walk by Stephanie Tickemyer. After a Spartan error, Karina Romero singled home two runs to put UC Riverside ahead 2-0. The third run came home off a wild pitch.
The Highlanders added a insurance run in the fourth inning off a double by Taylor Wright and a two out RBI single from Jenna Curtan.
UC Riverside almost ended the game in the fifth inning after scoring two more runs off one hit and a UNCG error. With one out, the Highlanders loaded the bases and scored two runs off a fielding error. Bazonski was able to keep UC Riverside from scoring any more runs after getting a force out to end the frame.
The Spartans cut the lead to 6-2 with two runs in the sixth inning. UNCG loaded the bases with one out and scored two runs off a fielder’s choice as Lindsay Thomas picked up a RBI on the play.
In the seventh inning, Nicole Thomas doubled to start the frame but the Blue and Gold couldn’t push any more runs across as UC Riverside held on to the 6-2 victory.
UNCG heads to San Diego, Calif. to face Bryant Wednesday, March 11 at 5:30 p.m. eastern time in a neutral site game played at the University of San Diego.
Kansas 11, Chattanooga 3
DELAND, Fla. – Despite securing seven hits against No.25 Kansas, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team fell to the Jayhawks, 11-3 on Sunday morning.
Keeping the Mocs scoreless in the top of the first inning, the Jayhawks seized a 4-run lead in the bottom of the inning with a grand slam from Daniella Chavez. Chavez’s hit flew past right center driving in Chanin Naudin, Maddie Stien and Chaley Brickey.
Leading Chattanooga into the second inning, Criket Blanco outmaneuvered KU’s defense reaching first off a fielding error by Kansas third baseman Chanin Naudin. Blanco then advanced to second off a consecutive Kansas error. Anyssa Robles shadowed with a double to right field, her second of the year.
A wild pitch from Jayhawk Alicia Pille gave Blanco an opportunity for home plate. The second baseman registered her 11th run of the season and Robles advanced to third.
Alyssa Taylor hit a standing double to left center driving in Robles for Chattanooga’s second run of the game. However, the Mocs’ push was short lived as they gave up three more runs in the bottom of the inning, allowing Kansas to extend its lead to 7-2.
Cori Jennings who shut out the nationally ranked opponent on Saturday struggled on the mound as she walked five Jayhawks.
KU would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the third with the Jayhawks kept the bases loaded for most of the inning.
Chattanooga, which struggled to adjust to Pille’s pitches early in the game, looked to be piecing something together in the top of the fourth inning as Alyssa Taylor and Sam Taylor walked and Mariana Wilkerson single to center field, loading the bases for UTC.
With runners in scoring position, a sacrifice fly to right field from J.J. Hamill would run in Taylor, bringing the score to 9-3. The Mocs would retire the Jayhawks in order for a quick wrap up of the inning.
The next set of runs came in the bottom of the fifth, giving the Jayhawks an eight point lead to end the game early at 11-3.
Chattanooga will return to the field next weekend in the USF Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. March 13-15.