SoCon Softball Results, March 29-31

Furman Rallies From 4-0 Deficit, Downs College of Charleston 7-4
(March 30)

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Caroline Evans' three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth capped a five-run inning, and lifted the Lady Paladins to a 7-4 win over the College of Charleston Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. The win snapped the Cougars 16-game win streak.

Trailing 4-0 after three and a half innings, Furman mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fourth. Sarah Scott's double to center with one out scored Jessica Matthews and pinch runner Kristen Arnold to cut the College of Charleston lead in half. In the sixth, Matthews drew a one out walk and stole second. After Kristen White pinch ran for Matthews, Scott walked to gave Furman runners at first and second with one out. Kelli Leachman loaded the bases with a single to center chasing CofC starter Rachael Stern. Karissa King entered the game as a pinch runner for Leachman and Carla Shepherd replaced Stern on the mound. Shepherd hit Joni Lockridge with a pitch forcing in White from third to cut the lead to 4-3. Natalie Smith entered the game to pitch for the Cougars. Smith got pinch hitter JoDee Eichelberger to ground back to the mound, but after Smith forced out the runner at home plate, catcher Katie Scott's throw to first hit Eichelberger allowing King to score.

After an intentional walk was issued to Meagen Johnson, Evans delivered the bases clearing double to give Furman a 7-4 lead. Pitcher Rachel Henley (6-6) retired the Cougars in the top of the seventh to pick up the win. The Kingston, Tenn., native surrendered just two hits in 3.1 innings of relief. Shepherd was saddled with the loss after Lockridge, the only batter she faced, scored the winning run.

Seven Lady Paladins collected a hit in the victory, while Keyta Lawson paced the College of Charleston (26-5, 5-1) with a 2-for-3 outing. Furman, 14-15 overall and 3-3 in the Southern Conference, returns to action Wednesday when it travels to Appalachian State for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

Mountaineers Edge Lady Mocs Softball 2-0
(March 30)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Appalachian State's Lael Rorie delivered the game-winning hit and also picked up the pitching win as the Mountaineers took the rubber game of a Southern Conference softball series 2-0 Sunday at chilly Frost Stadium.

For the third straight game, UTC (22-21 overall, 1-5 SoCon) got runners in scoring position, but could not get the key hits. In four of the first five innings, the Lady Mocs had a runner in scoring position with less than two outs, but could not get her home. The Lady Mocs stranded seven runners Sunday and 30 in the three-game series, while ASU stranded 10 runners Sunday.

Unlike Chattanooga, Appalachian State (10-18, 2-4) got the big hit at the big moment. The Mountaineers chased starter Abby Cotrell when they loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. Awbrey Winckler came in from the bullpen, but Rorie greeted her with a sharp single up the middle to score two runs.

UTC's best threat came in the fifth as the Lady Mocs got runners at first and third with one out. The Mountaineers went to the bullpen for Jordan Arnold, who won an 11-inning affair on Saturday. Arnold coaxed an infield pop-up for the second out and center fielder Mary Lutz made a nice grab on a deep fly to end the threat.

Rorie moved to 3-2 on the season and Arnold picked up her first save of the season. Cotrell dropped to 1-3 on the year. Christina Hicks had two of Appalachian State's six hits, while UTC's Grace Pickett had a pair of hits.

The Lady Mocs step out of league competition Wednesday when ACC foe North Carolina comes to town for a 3 p.m. doubleheader. UTC is on the road next weekend for a three-game set at East Tennessee State Saturday and Sunday.

CofC Cougars Rally Twice, Sweep Lady Paladins 3-2, 7-5
(March 29)

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The College of Charleston scored two runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth to rally from a 5-0 deficit to defeat Furman 7-5 in the second game of a Southern Conference softball doubleheader Saturday at Pepsi Stadium.

Trailing 5-0 entering the top of the fourth, the Cougars got on the board with an RBI single from Jacquie Rothey and sacrifice fly from Jessica Schwartzkopf to trim the Furman lead to 5-2.

In the sixth inning, Amanda Cone deliverd a two-run single up the middle scoring Rothey and Brooke Flowers. Schwartzkopf followed with a two-run double to left-center giving Charleston a 6-5 advantage. Schwartzkopf tacked on an insurance run in the seventh, drawing a bases loaded walk for the final 7-5 margin.

Furman jumped out to the early 5-0 lead thanks to three runs in the first and two in the third. Meagen Johnson put Furman on the board with a double to right-center scoring Caroline Evans. Kate Morrison drove home Joni Lockridge with a sacrifice bunt and Jessica Matthews singled to center field to score Johnson.

In the third, Ali McNulty cracked a one-out double to right field to drive in Morrison and Johnson.

Carla Shepherd earned the win in relief for the Cougars. Shepherd (7-1) gave up only one earned run and six hits in seven innings of work. Keyta Lawson and Flowers each registered two hits for the Cougars, while Schwartzkopf went 1-for-2 with four RBI.

Tabitha Dease suffered the loss for Furman to fall to 2-1 on the season. Dease, on in relief of starter Rachel Henley, allowed two runs on one hit and walked a batter without recording an out.

By going 4-for-4 in game one and 3-for-3 in game two, Johnson broke the Furman record for consecutive at-bats with a hit. Johnson who doubled in her final at-bat against Charleston Southern Thursday, has had a hit in each of her last eight at-bats. The record, six consecutive hits, was previously set by Amy Barringer in 1989.

With game one tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth, Johnson hit Rothey giving the Cougars a runner on first with no one out. Cone followed with an RBI double to give the College of Charleston a 3-2 lead.

Pitcher Rachael Stern (14-1) got Morrison to line into a double play in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the victory for Charleston. Stern picked up the win after going eight innings and allowing only one earned run.

Lawson paced the Cougars at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing, while Johnson's 4-for-4 performance led the Lady Paladins.

Johnson, who pitched eight innings and allowed three earned runs, took the loss for Furman. The Georgetown, S.C., native falls to 6-8 on the season.

Furman (13-15, 2-3 SoCon) and the College of Charleston (26-4, 5-0 SoCon) will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.

East Tennessee State softball splits Saturday's doubleheader with UNC Greensboro
(March 29)

Johnson City, Tenn. -- East Tennessee State split its doubleheader with Southern Conference opponent UNC Greensboro Saturday. The Buccaneers (14-13, 2-3 SoCon) earned a 5-3 victory in game one; however, UNCG (22-7, 4-1 SoCon) bounced back in the nightcap by defeating ETSU 12-4 in six innings.

ETSU got on the scoreboard first in game one when Jessica Lonsinger (Dale City, Va.) scored on a fielder's choice, but the Spartans evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning on a solo homerun by junior Penny Thompson (Franklin, N.C.).

In the top of the sixth inning, UNCG took over its first lead of the game when Kim Benningfield (Levittown, Pa.) scored the go-ahead run on a RBI single by Joni Gomez (Hope Mills, N.C.) to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Spartans.

The Bucs were able to retaliate in the bottom half of the frame, but not without some help from their opponent. Lonsinger got things started by smacking a RBI single to centerfield to score sophomore Lindsay Lane (Erwin, Tenn.). Then, Mary Beth Hazelwood's (Knoxville, Tenn.) line drive got past UNCG's leftfielder, as Sheryl Clark (Bradenton, Fla.) and Katie Lewis (Erwin, Tenn.) came around to score. The costly two-run error proved to be the difference in the game.

ETSU junior Tiffany McVay (Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.) earned the complete-game victory, improving to 7-4 on the mound for the Buccaneers this season. The loss was credited to Spartan freshman Melissa Johnson (Oak Park, Calif.). Miranda Byerly (Candler, N.C.) led ETSU at the plate, going 2-for-3, while Thompson was a perfect 2-for-2 for UNCG.

In game two, the Spartans didn't hesitate in their attempt to garner redemption. The visitors exploded for five runs in the first frame, thanks in large part to RBI doubles from Thompson, Moran, and sophomore catcher Christine Sweeney (West Palm Beach, Fla.). ETSU managed to cut the Spartan's lead in the bottom of the second inning, as Clark crossed home plate on a single by Rhea Holler (Peoria, Ariz.).

From there the two teams went back-and-forth in the slight drizzle, trading two runs each in the fourth inning. But UNCG extended its lead to 10-3 in the top half of the fifth highlighted by Hubbard's triple, which scored Jennifer Aguilar (San Jose, Calif.). The Spartans added two more runs in the top of the sixth to take a 12-3 advantage, until McVay's solo homerun with two outs in the bottom half of the frame made it the final score of 12-4.

Julia McChain (Dale City, Va.) was credited with the loss after lasting just 2/3 of an inning. Jennifer Fraser (Chattanooga, Tenn.) came in and pitched just over four innings of relief, allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs. Jolene Holthaus (Sidney, Ohio) finished the game on the mound for the Bucs, tallying a strikeout and a walk.

The Spartans relied on Johnson for the complete-game victory. Johnson allowed nine hits, three earned runs and struck out six. On offense, UNCG had six players who boasted a multi-hit game. As a team, the Spartans slugged out 14 hits in the contest, which was one shy of tying their season-high for hits in a game.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN 4-4, UNC WILMINGTON 1-3
(March 29)

WILMINGTON, N.C.