Saturday's SoCon Softball Results

UNCG Softball Edges ETSU, 2-1, For Series Sweep
Stephanie DeFeo Earns Her 100th career victory
Greensboro, NC - Freshman Kara Clouser?s two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning propelled the UNCG Greensboro softball team to a 2-1 victory and three-game series sweep over ETSU, Saturday afternoon, at Campus Field. With the victory UNCG moves to 23-18 on the season and 4-5 in Southern Conference play.
Both teams struggled to mount any offense in the early stages of the contest, as UNCG?s Vanessa Oakes and ETSU?s Belinda Berrera locked into a pitcher?s dual. The Lady Bucs were the first team to break through offensively, as Tiffany McVay connected on a solo home run to right field in the second inning.
ETSU (21-23, 3-6 SoCon) held the 1-0 advantage until the sixth inning. In the sixth, the Spartans posted two runs on three hits to take their first lead of the day. Adriane Audley opened the inning with a single to right center. Audley then advanced to second on a passed ball before moving to third on a ground out by Danielle Byrne. With the tying run on third, Vanessa Massie singled over the pitcher?s head, but Audley was unable to score from third. Clouser then doubled home both Audley and Massie with a clutch one out base hit which found the left field gap.
The one-run lead would prove to be enough for Oakes as she retired the Lady Bucs in order in the top of the seventh to seal the win. Oakes tossed a complete game six-hitter for her team leading 10th victory on the season, allowing just one earned run, while striking out two.
Offensively, Vanessa Massie went 2-for-3 at the plate the pace the Spartan attack, while Clouser was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. At the top of the order, Jennifer Hubbard and Joni Gomez served as the team?s catalyst, combing to go 2-for-2 with three walks.

The victory was the 100th career win for UNCG head coach Stephanie DeFeo. DeFeo, now in her fourth season as a collegiate head coach, has a career record of 100-103. In just two seasons at UNCG, Defeo has gone 61-36.
Janine Sprague went 3-for-3 to lead ETSU offensively, while Belinda Barrera was saddled with the loss despite giving up just two earned runs in 6.0 innings of work, striking out seven.

UNCG will return to action on Wednesday, April 14, with a doubleheader against ACC foe North Carolina. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 pm. ETSU will return home to face Tennessee Tech on April 15.


Eagles Outlast Elon, 3-2

STATESBORO, Ga. - Kim Griffin's RBI single to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning proved to be the game winner, as Georgia Southern defeated SoCon foe Elon 3-2 Saturday afternoon at Eagle Field, taking the weekend series 2-1.

Georgia Southern (22-19, 4-5 Southern Conference) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Shanita Black opened with a walk with Aurora Johnson at the plate. Johnson reached first on a throwing error by the third base man Christina Melton in a sacrifice bunt attempt which allowed Black to score the first run of the game.

Elon (25-16-1, 7-5 Southern Conference) struck back in the top of the third as Paige Goss reached first on an error by GSU's Cary Moone. After two strikeouts, Jenny Gustin stepped to the plate and hit a single to center field, advancing Goss to second. The next batter, Jamie Dupont doubled to the left field fence, scoring both Goss and Gustin, giving the Phoenix the 2-1 lead .

GSU's Logan Free slammed her second home run of the season to open up the bottom of the third, tying the game at 2-2 after three.

The Eagles added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth as Free opened with a walk, with Carolynn Chin pinch running. Black's sacrifice bunt advanced Chin to second and Johnson's single to left field put runners on the corners with Griffin at the plate. Her single to left field brought Chin home to score the go-ahead run for the Eagles, as they would hold the Phoenix in the final two innings for the 3-2 victory.

Georgia Southern's Moone recorded seven strikeouts and no walks on the day, allowing six hits and one earned run while Elon's Megan Borgaard struck out two, walked four and gave up three earned runs.

The Eagles head to Athens, Georgia on Thursday, April 15 for a non-conference tilt against intra-state rival Georgia. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m.


Mocs Finish Sweep with 3-2 Win

Boone, N.C.?Teri Herbert went 2-for-3, with a pair of triples and Bryn Favor notched her first home run of the year to lead Chattanooga to a 3-2 win over Appalachian State University in Southern Conference softball action. With runners in scoring position and two away, Caitlyn Ryan?s deep fly to left field was caught to end the inning.

Once again, Chattanooga (33-20, 8-1 SoCon) starting pitcher Lacey Swarthout (20-15) held Appalachian in check for the first five innings. Swarthout allowed only two hits and two base on balls over the first five innings, before allowing four consecutive base hits which yielded two runs for ASU to cut the deficit to 3-2.

After the first two batters of the sixth inning went down, Mountaineers Diana Cook, Christa Hicks, and Lindsay Glover each singled to center field to load the bases for Sarah Gough. With the Apps trailing 3-0, Gough responded with a two-run single to right field and advanced to second on the throw to the plate.

In Game Two of yesterday?s doubleheader, Swarthout came in relief to earn a save in a similar situation, but she got out of the jam on her own on Ryan?s deep fly out to end the rally.

Gough finished the game 2-for-2, with two RBIs and a pair of singles to pace the Mountaineers at the plate. The Mocs? offense saw Cochran, Herbert and Robyn Johnson record two base hits each.

Chattanooga started the scoring in the top half of the third inning. Jeannie Cochran knocked a one-out single up the middle and Herbert followed with the first of her two triples to plate Cochran for a 1-0 UTC lead.

In the top of the fifth, Favor opened the inning with a solo home run over the high left field fence to extend Chattanooga?s lead to 2-0. Two batters later, Cochran tripled to right field. Then, Melissa Ramirez registered an infield single, which allowed Cochran to score and give UTC a 3-0 advantage.

Appalachian (13-26) received five innings of work from starting pitcher Jordan Arnold (6-8), who allowed three runs on eight hits and walked three. Marie Watson pitched the final two innings in relief.

Appalachian enjoys a seven-day break before returning to action next Saturday, April 17, when it entertains UNC Greensboro in a Southern Conference doubleheader. Chattanooga continues its road swing when it travels to Birmingham Southern on Tuesday. First pitch from Birmingham is slated for 6 p.m.


Cougars Take Two from Paladins

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - Brittany Pohlen doubled in Amanda Cone with a walk off run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the College of Charleston softball team to a 5-4 win over Furman to earn a Southern Conference doubleheader sweep. The Cougars took the first game 8-0 led by Jacquie Rothey?s three RBI performance.

The Cougars improve to 30-15 on the season and 6-2 in SoCon play with the sweep while Furman falls to 9-34 overall and 4-4 in conference play. Rachael Stern earned both wins to improve to 15-7 on the season while Rachael Henley earned both losses for Furman dropping to 7-16.

In the first game Rachael Stern struck out eight scattering four hits and pitched the six inning complete game. Bridget Loudermilk got the Cougars on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a double to left field driving in Rothey and Leshe Russell. Rothey added three more to the total with her double into left field that plated Brooke Flowers, Erica Nabors and Katie Ballard. The Cougars tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game early.

The second game lasted 2 hours and 58 minutes and went nine innings before the Cougars plated the game winning run. Stern pitched the top of the ninth striking out two to earn the win. Darcy Johnson led the way offensively for the Cougars with two RBI. The game was back and forth for the first four innings with CofC scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game up a four.

In the bottom of the ninth, Cone walked and was sacrificed over to second base by Loudermilk. Pohlen knocked in the game winning run with a double to the left-center gap. Karen Myers and Megan Jaudon each went 1-for-3 for the Paladins.

The teams will wrap up their Southern Conference weekend series tomorrow at 1:00 at Patriots Point.