No. 4 Western Carolina 3, No. 5 Mercer 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 4 seed Western Carolina took advantage of a fast start to claim a 3-2 win over No. 5 seed Mercer in the opening game of the Southern Conference Softball Championship at Frost Stadium on Wednesday.
The Catamounts (21-24) advance to play No. 1 seed UNCG (34-20) on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. The Bears (18-36) fall to an elimination contest on Thursday at 8 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.
Western Carolina opened the game with a bunt single from Brooklynn Brewington in the bottom of the first inning. Two batters later, Bailey Huneycutt singled to left field to place runners on first and second. Brewington and Huneycutt would each advance a base on a wild pitch, setting up an RBI single off the bat of Myra Twitty to score the first run of the game. Mattie Mentel came up after that and reached on a bunt single to bring the second run of the game across home plate to put the Catamounts up 2-0.
Mercer would tie the game in the third inning. Parris Wiggs opened the frame with a walk, which was followed by a single down the left field line by Alyssa Woods, placing runners on first and second for the Bears. Rebeca Laudino laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position in the team’s next at-bat. Bailey Ledvina stepped into the batter’s box after that and reached on a fielder’s choice bunt to score Wiggs, which led to an error by the Catamounts, allowing Woods to score and tie game at 2-2.
In the bottom of the frame, Western Carolina retook the lead. Twitty began the frame with a leadoff walk and advanced to third base on a groundout and a stolen base. Jeralynn Wells would then deliver an RBI single to left field to score Twitty and make the score 3-2.
The final four innings belonged to the Catamounts’ Jayme Eilers. Eilers (7-6) used 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and the seventh inning to toss her ninth complete game of the season and grab her seventh win of the season. The senior struck out four batters and allowed just one earned run in the contest.
Grace Taylor (11-19) received the loss in the game. Taylor threw four innings, striking out one batter and surrendering three earned runs on six hits inside the circle for Mercer.
Mantel was 2-for-3 for Western Carolina, while Twitty had one hit and one walk to accompany her RBI. Woods was 3-for-4 with a run scored as Mercer’s leadoff batter.
No. 2 Samford 4, No. 7 ETSU 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The No. 2 seed Samford Bulldogs defeated the No. 7 seed ETSU Buccaneers, 4-2, in the second game of the Southern Conference Championship on Wednesday at Frost Stadium.
Samford (23-29) advances to play Thursday at 3 p.m. against the winner of the No. 3 seed Furman and No. 6 seed Chattanooga game. ETSU (15-36) will play at 10 a.m. versus the loser of the Furman/UTC contest.
Both teams scored a pair of runs in the opening inning. Kemiah Michel and Sara Muir had back-to-back singles for ETSU to put runners on first and second with one out. Riley Nayadley crushed a double into center field on the next at-bat to score both runners and put ETSU ahead 2-0. The Bulldogs began the bottom of the frame with a walk from Sarah Squillace and a single by McKayla Cothran. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, setting the table for a two-run double by Grier Bruce down the left field line.
One inning later, the Bulldogs took the lead. Ansley Yantis drew a one-out walk to give Samford its first baserunner of the frame. Following a groundout that advanced Yantis to second, Squillace doubled to right center to score a run and put the Bulldogs ahead 3-2. Cothran came up after that and singled to right field to score Squillace to push the Bulldogs’ lead to 4-2.
That was all the SoCon Pitcher of the Year McKenzie Newcomb would need to close the door on the ETSU offensive attack. After giving up three hits and two runs in the opening frame, Newcomb (13-10) allowed just three more hits and zero runs for the remainder of the game en route to her ninth complete game of the season. The sophomore had a total of six strikeouts in the contest.
Brianna Bailey threw a complete game for ETSU inside the circle. Bailey (12-11) had four strikeouts and allowed four earned runs on five hits.
Cothran finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Squillace, Bruce and Merritt Cahoon accounted for the other hits for the Bulldogs in the game.
Nayadley and Michel both went 2-for-3 in the game to lead the Bucs at the plate. Muir and Cameron Young each had a hit for ETSU in the contest.
No. 6 Chattanooga 8, No. 3 Furman 3
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 6 seed Chattanooga seized control from the outset as the Mocs upset No. 3 seed Furman, 8-3, in the final game of day one at the Southern Conference Championship at Frost Stadium on Wednesday.
The Mocs (25-25) advance to take on No. 2 seed Samford on Thursday at 3 p.m. The Paladins (20-31) will face No. 7 seed ETSU on Thursday in an elimination game at 10 a.m.
Kaili Phillips and Emily Coltharp opened the game with back-to-back singles, followed by a walk from Olivia Lipari to load the bases. Acelynn Sellers hit a sacrifice fly to center field on the next at-bat, bringing the first run of the game across home plate. Addy Keylon was the next batter and she also hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Coltharp to make the score 2-0.
In the bottom of the inning, Furman had its first two batters reach base via a walk and an error. With batters on second and third base, SoCon Player of the Year Riley Ludlam hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Ashlee Lykins, making the score 2-1 in favor of Chattanooga.
Following a scoreless second inning, both squads scored runs in the third. Lipari hit an RBI triple to score Phillips to put the Mocs up 3-1. After a walk from Sellers, Keylon hit a sacrifice fly to foul territory in right field to make the score 4-1. Chattanooga’s final run of the frame came on an RBI single by Presley Williamson, making the score 5-1.
In the bottom of the third, Chrissy Fleming hit an infield single to start the frame, advancing to third on a wild pitch and a groundout. Ludlam hit an RBI double to right center to score Fleming to score the Paladins’ first run of the inning. SoCon Freshman of the Year Kiley Perry then crushed a double down the left-field line to bring Ludlam across home plate and make the score 5-3 with Chattanooga ahead.
The Mocs would get their remaining runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. Chattanooga’s fourth-inning run came on an RBI single by Lipari. In the sixth inning, Riley KoKinda scored on an error and Williamson scored in the seventh after Phillips was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Peja Goold (9-8) threw her fourth complete game of the season inside the circle for Chattanooga. Goold had seven strikeouts, giving up two earned runs on five hits. Sierra Tufts (10-14) received the loss for the Paladins after throwing 2 2/3 innings.
Lipari was 3-for-3 with a triple, a walk, three RBIs and a run scored. Phillips went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and three runs scored.
Ludlam, Fleming, Lykins, Perry and Caitlin Goldwait each had one hit for the Paladins.
2023 SoCon Softball Championship
Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wednesday, May 10
Game 1: No. 4 Western Carolina 3, No. 5 Mercer 2
Game 2: No. 2 Samford 4, No. 7 ETSU 2
Game 3: No. 6 Chattanooga 8, No. 3 Furman 3
Thursday, May 11
Game 4: No. 7 ETSU vs. No. 3 Furman, 10 a.m.
Game 5: No. 1 UNCG vs. No. 4 Western Carolina, 12:30 p.m.
Game 6: No. 2 Samford vs. No. 6 Chattanooga, 3 p.m.
Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 loser, 5:30 p.m.
Game 8: No. 5 Mercer vs. Game 6 loser, 8 p.m.
Friday, May 12
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 11: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 13
Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 3 p.m.