SoCon Softball Results from Friday

UNCG Softball Powers Past ETSU For Doubleheader Sweep
Greensboro, NC - The UNC Greensboro softball team pounded out 16 hits and five home runs in a doubleheader sweep of East Tennessee State, Friday afternoon, at Campus Field. The Spartans edged ETSU 5-3 in game one before downing the Lady Bucs 8-1 in game two.

In game one, UNCG (22-18, 3-5 SoCon) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jennifer Hubbard opened the inning with a leadoff home run. Joni Gomez followed with a walk and later scored on a RBI double by Adriane Audley. The Spartans tacked on a third run in the second inning, as Gomez doubled home Vanessa Massie.

ETSU (21-22, 3-5 SoCon) posted two runs in the third inning, closing the gap to 3-2. Mary Beth Hazelwood led off with a double and advanced to the third on a wild pitch. Danielle Spetar then drove in Hazelwood with a RBI single. A Lindsay Lane triple down the right field line would score Spetar and give ETSU their second run of the inning.

UNCG would post single runs in the fifth and sixth innings en route to the victory. Joni Gomez highlighted the fifth inning with a mammoth home run to center, while Danielle Byrne followed in the sixth inning with a solo shot of her own.

Byrne tossed a complete game seven-hitter for the win, allowing three earned runs, while striking out six. Tiffany McVay took the loss for the Lady Bucs giving up three earned runs in just 1.2 innings of work.
Offensively, Gomez paced the Spartans going 2-for-2 with two runs driven in. Hubbard, Byrne and Audley each chipped in with one hit and one RBI.

Hazelwood recorded three hits for ETSU and one RBI, while Danielle Spetar posted a 2-for-4 effort.

In game two, Gomez went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and three runs batted in, as UNCG exploded for eight runs on 10 hits in cruising to an 8-1 victory.

After taking a 3-0 lead over the first three innings, highlighted by a Gomez home run in the first, the Spartans tallied four runs on three hits in the fourth inning to break the game open. Following a Vanessa Massie double, Kara Clouser and Heather Branche were each walked, loading the bases for Gomez. Gomez delivered with a clutch single, scoring Massie and Clouser. Jennifer Bonilla then plated Gomez and Branche with a double to right center.

ETSU scored their lone run in the top of the sixth on a solo home run by Mary Beth Hazelwood, but it was not enough as UNCG held on for the victory.

Vanessa Oakes earned the win for UNCG going all seven inning, allowing just four hits and one earned run, while striking out five. Belinda Berrera took the loss for ETSU after allowing seven earned runs in 3.2 innings.
Byrne went 3-for-3 with one RBI and Jennifer Hubbard went 2-for-4 to lead the Spartans offensively. Bonilla went 1-for-4 with two runs batted in.

UNCG and ETSU will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.

Eagles Split Twinbill with Elon

STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern used seven hits and four runs to down Elon 4-0 in game one, but could not pull out any late inning heroics, as the Phoenix took game two, 7-4 in nine innings.

After two and a half scoreless innings, Georgia Southern (21-19, 3-5 Southern Conference) started swinging in the bottom of the third. Shanita Black opened the inning with a double to center field and advanced to third on an Aurora Johnson ground out to the pitcher. The next batter, Kim Griffin hit an RBI single to score Black for the early 1-0 lead. The Phoenix (25-15-1, 7-4 Southern Conference) recorded their first hit of the afternoon in the top of the fourth inning as Jenny Dupont singled to center field.

The Eagles struck again in the fifth inning as Black reached first on a bunt single. Johnson's double to center field allowed Black to score her second run of the game. With two outs, Sam Steiner reached first base on an error, advancing the runner to third. Lindsay Jones' double to center field brought two runs home, giving the Eagles the eventual 4-0 win. Cary Moone recorded a two hit shutout in the win while recording eight strikeouts to put her at 136 on the year.

Game two saw Elon get on the boards first as Christina Melton blasted a home run over the left field fence, giving the Phoenix the 1-0 advantage after four. Georgia Southern would bounce back in the sixth inning as Johnson opened with a double to right field. Courtney Jones entered the game as Johnson's pinch runner and advanced to third on a Maria Laurato single to third. Steiner's single down the left field line brought home Jones, to tie the game, 1-1.

The Phoenix scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning as Melton opened the inning with a walk and would reach second on a Suzanne Speed ground out second. the next batter, Natalie Layden, reached first on a throwing error by Tiffany Urena, scoring the go ahead run. Dani Concepcion and Dupont recorded back to back RBI singles to bring in two more runs for the Phoenix, extending their lead to 4-1.

Georgia Southern bounced back in the bottom of the seventh as Carolynn Chin singled to the shortstop. After a Heather Smith foul out to the catcher, Black singled to center field, advancing Chin to second as Johnson stepped to the plate. She slammed her fourth roundtripper of the season over the center field fence to tie the game at 4-4, and send the game to extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Elon recorded three more runs in the top of the ninth for the 7-4 win. Goss reached on an error by Logan Free, Concepcion walked, and Gustin reached on an error by Lindsay Jones to load the bases with no outs. A Dupont single to right field scored Goss, with the bases still loaded. Borgaard's single to right field brought home Concepcion and Gustin, giving them the 7-4 win.

The Eagles and Phoenix will complete the series on Saturday, with the first pitch to be thrown at 1:00 p.m.


Chattanooga Takes Two at Appalachian; 2-0, 3-2

Boone, N.C.?Lacey Swarthout was dominant for seven innings in Game One and one and a third innings of relief in Game Two, to earn a win and a save in Chattanooga?s Southern Conference softball doubleheader sweep at Appalachian State University.

Swarthout retired the first 17 batters she faced, before yielding a walk to Wendy Lewis in the sixth inning. The first Mountaineer on the base paths, Lewis quickly stole second base, but with two outs in the frame, Amber Handy struck out to end the home team?s first scoring threat. Diana Cook registered a one-out single, in the seventh, to break up Swarthout?s no-hit bid.

Swarthout struck out eight and walked one to improve to 18-15 on the year. Mountaineer hurler Jordan Arnold spread eight hits and three walks while tossing a complete game of her own. Arnold struck out five and walked three to move to 6-7 on the year.

Chattanooga got on the board in the second inning when Bryn Favor singled to center field and Amanda Hoiness came home from second base to give UTC a 1-0 edge. Hoiness reached on a one-out single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.

In the sixth, Chattanooga added an insurance run when Stefani Thomas registered an RBI double to plate Grace Pickett. Pickett had opened the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Thomas, who was acting as a pinch hitter, knocked a double into right-center field to pad the lead, at 2-0.

In the night?s second game, Appalachian trailed 3-0 in the sixth inning before putting together its first two runs of the day. With one out, Mary Lutz reached safely on a base hit and Cook reached on a walk. After a ground out moved both runners to up one base, Lindsay Glover singled to left field and to score both runners and cut the margin to 3-2.

Glover moved all the way to third on the play and then Swarthout returned to the circle, this time in relief of starter Brittney Whittier. The Game One starter earned the save after leaving Glover stranded at third base and working a scoreless seventh.

Chattanooga found a successful template to produce a run in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. UTC had the leadoff batter reach safely with a hit and came around to score in each frame.

In the third inning, Jeannie Cochran singled and quickly stole second base. Cochran advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. After Melissa Ramirez walked, Cochran scored on a fielder's choice for the first run of the game.

In the fourth, Pickett started the inning with a double. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to give Chattanooga a 2-0 advantage.

Teri Herbert led off the fifth inning with a single and scored one batter later on Ramirez?s RBI double. Herbert?s run made the margin, 3-0 in favor of the Mocs.

Whittier improved to 13-2 with the win. For Swarthout it was her sixth save of the year. Appalachian starter Jennifer Hurley fell to 4-9 with the loss.

Appalachian and Chattanooga conclude their Southern Conference three-game series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.