Samford 4, Chattanooga 3
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Samford University softball team spoiled UT-Chattanooga's senior day activities via a 4-3 victory on Saturday, May 2, at Frost Stadium. The win gave the Bulldog head coach Mandy Burford her 100th career victory during her 4th season at the helm of the program.
Samford (31-19, 10-6 SoCon) jumped out on top early after a pair of back-to-back hits from junior Megan Dowdy and freshman Shelby Maze to lead off the game. Dowdy and Maze were brought home on a two RBI single from junior Callie Brister with two outs on the board to put Samford ahead 2-0 in the top of the first.
Dowdy scored again for the Bulldogs in the top of the third after a Caroline Wilder single to left center field. Dowdy reached earlier in the inning on a lead-off single into right field.
Redshirt junior pitcher Mollie Hanson controlled the game to pick up here 18th win of the season. The Dothan, Alabama native went the distance going seven innings with eight strikeouts to only one walk.
The Bulldogs tacked on a much needed insurance run in the top of the seventh to take a 4-0 lead over the Mocs. Senior Shelby Scott pinch hit for freshman Lexi Higgins and ripped a double to the gap in right center field. From there senior Caroline Seay pinch ran for Scott and was eventually brought home a timely hit from Maze up the middle.
The run proved to be an important one as Chattanooga came roaring back in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a three-run home run by Anyssa Robles to bring the score to 4-3. The picked up another single from Kailey Palazzolo before Hanson ended the contest with a strikeout and a pop up from Sam Taylor.
Samford tallied 10 hits in the contest with Dowdy and Maze going 2-for-4 each while Wilder, Brister, Scott, Hannah Taylor, Abby Adams and Abbie Miranda each recording a hit in the effort.
The Bulldogs will face off against the Mocs tomorrow to close out the series with a doubleheader and a chance to earn the SoCon regular season championship.
UNCG 10, Furman 3
Furman 4, UNCG 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Freshman Lindsey Bert tossed a complete game, belted a two-run homer and drove in three runs to lead Furman to a 4-3 victory in game two and a doubleheader split with UNCG in Southern Conference softball action on Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. UNCG snapped Furman's nine-game winning streak with a 10-3 decision in game one.
The split moved the Paladins, winners of 10 of their last 11 games, to 29-22 overall and 10-7 in SoCon play, while the Spartans moved to 23-20 overall and 6-10 in the league.
In the opening game of the series, UNCG plated 10 runs on 12 hits, including six runs in the top of the fourth, en route to a 10-3 victory over the Paladins.
Sidney Grkman delivered a two-out, two-run single to highlight a three-run second inning for the Spartans as they opened up a 4-0 lead after an inning and a half. Allison Geiner singled to drive in the first run in the fourth and Danielle Vega doubled to plate Geiner after Dominique Madruga scored on a passed ball. After Elise Smith replaced Alex Sappington in the circle, UNCG's Tory Wright delivered the big blow of the frame with a three-run homer to right field.
Furman got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run double to the right center field gap by Elise Smith. Andrea Abbatiello plated the Paladins' third run on a grounder as Katharine Olson scored, but reliever Nicole Thomas did not allow a hit over the next three innings to finish the game.
Thomas, who allowed three runs on four hits in four innings, earned the win to improve to 8-8. Starter Alicia Bazonski got a no decision despite limiting Furman to a hit in three innings of work.
Sappington (6-11) took the loss after allowing seven runs on 10 hits in three and 1/3 innings. She did not allow a walk and struck out one.
Vega finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI for UNCG, while Gabrielle Cubbage collected two hits and scored two runs. Wright went 1-for-4 with three RBI.
In the nightcap, Bert fanned six batters in a complete-game effort to improve to 21-11 in the circle and collected three RBI as Furman prevailed 4-3.
Furman got on the board first as Muller walked and scored on fellow senior Natalie Clemmons' double off of the center field wall in the bottom of the first inning. Lindsay Thomas tied the game for UNCG with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third. In the bottom of the frame, Sieara Bishop reached on a one-out double down the left field line and Bert put Furman in front with two outs by launching a two-run blast over the left field fence.
UNCG struck back in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Vega singled with one out and Nicole Thomas followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Lindsay Thomas cleared the bases with a double down the right field line.
Taylor Jenkins opened the bottom of the fifth by shooting a line drive past the shortstop that split the gap and went to the fence for a leadoff triple. Bert lined out to right field for the sacrifice fly to drive in Jenkins and give Furman a 4-3 advantage before retiring six of the final seven batters she faced to secure the win for the Paladins.
Bazonski, who allowed four Paladin runs on nine hits in four and 1/3 innings in the circle, suffered the loss for UNCG. Lindsay Thomas doubled and drove in three runs to power the Spartans offense.
Elise Smith and Emma Ogburn each collected two hits apiece to lead the Paladins' 10-hit attack.
Prior to the game, Furman honored seniors Ambree Muller, Taylor Jenkins, Natalie Clemmons and Hope Smith who are playing their final weekend series as Paladins this weekend.
Furman and UNCG cap the three-game series and the regular season schedule with the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
ETSU 2, Mercer 1 (10 inn.)
ETSU 7, Mercer 6 (8 inn.)
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - ETSU defeated league opponent Mercer twice Saturday, as the Bucs notched their third-consecutive one-run win; however, unlike Wednesday's 14-13 victory at App State, ETSU didn't merely hold on to earn the wins. In both extra-inning games of Saturday's doubleheader, ETSU earned the wins in thrilling, walk-off fashions.
Redshirt senior Nicole Fox clinched the Bucs' Game One victory over Mercer with a walk-off triple down the left field line in the 10th inning to score Kelsey Chernak. In the day's second game, sophomore Danielle Knoetze drove home Latosha Rectenwald on a single through the left side to seal ETSU's 7-6, eight-inning victory.
Senior pitcher Whitney Leon turned in an impressive performance in Game One, tossing a career-high 204 pitches while allowing no earned runs en route to notching the win in the circle.
The Bears (33-20, 9-7 SoCon) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in Game Two, but the Bucs (15-30, 3-14 SoCon) battled back.
A three-run, fourth-inning homer by Casey Horner trimmed ETSU's deficit to 6-4 before Taylor Carter knotted the game with a two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh.
ETSU will conclude regular-season competition Sunday, May 3 as the Bucs will try for the series sweep versus Mercer, with the series finale set to begin at 12:00 p.m.
Prior to the game, the Bucs will honor the contributions of the outgoing senior class, made up of Alex Everett (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), Fox, Horner, Leon, and Rectenwald.