Wednesday's SoCon Softball Results

Eagles Drop Two to #23 Georgia Tech

STATESBORO, Ga.-Georgia Tech's Tasha Waugh's two out solo home run in the top of the seventh inning gave the #23rd ranked Yellow Jackets the 1-0 win and the afternoon sweep of Georgia Southern in non-conference action at Eagle Field. Tech won the first game of the twinbill 1-0.

Georgia Southern (24-23) recorded the first hit of the afternoon in the bottom of the second, as Maria Laurato opened with a single to center field, ruining Jessica Sallinger's chance for a no-hitter. Tech tallied their first hit of the afternoon in the top of the fourth as Tara Knudsen singled to third base, but a pop up and a strike out left her stranded.

In the top of the sixth, Tech opened with a Kirin Kumar bunt single. She would advance to second on the next play on a Soraya Reddick sacrifice bunt. A Katie Donovan single to center field advanced Kumar to third. GSU's Cary Moone then struck out Knudsen as Liz Bartle stepped to the plate with two outs. Kumar would come in to score on a throwing error by Eagle catcher Sam Steiner as she attemped to catch Kumar stealing, but the ball went into the outfield, allowing the Yellow Jackets to score the lone run of the game, for the 1-0 win.

For Georgia Southern, Moone gave up four hits, threw five strikeouts with no earned runs. Tech's Sallinger threw 12 strikeouts, giving up two hits on the day.

Game two saw the Eagles spoil Erin Voeltz's perfect game in the bottom of the fourth as Kim Griffin singled to third base. Shanita Black tallied the second hit of the day for Georgia Southern, as she singled to the shortstop. She would end the inning as she was caught stealing second base.

After two straight ground outs in the top of the seventh, GSU's Logan Free was one out away from her first collegiate no-hitter when Waugh stepped to the plate. Her home run over the left field fence was the eventual game winner, giving Tech their second win of the afternoon.

Tech's Voletz allowed two hits and threw five strikeouts while GSU's Free gave up one hit, one run and threw six strikeouts.

The Eagles return to Southern Conference action Saturday, April 24, as they will face UNC Greensboro in a weekend series. First pitch of the Saturday double-header is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.



Lady Paladin Drop Twinbill at #25 South Carolina

Columbia, S.C. -- Stacey Johnson tossed a no-hitter in game one and freshman McKenna Hughes collected four hits and three RBI in the doubleheader to lead #25 South Carolina to a sweep of Furman 6-0, 8-2 Wednesday evening at Beckham Field.

In game one, Johnson (15-8) struck out six while allowing one walk and facing just 22 batters in the no-hit effort.

South Carolina got all the offense it would need in the first inning. Meghan Cornett reached when she was hit with a pitch, advanced to second on Hughes' double to right and scored on a two-out single by Amber Curtis.

After single runs in the third and fourth innings upped the Gamecock lead to 3-0, South Carolina put the game away in the sixth. The Gamecocks loaded the bases with three singles and Samantha Jennings scored on a wild pitch. With one out, Cornett laced a two-run single to center for the final 6-0 margin.

Rachel Henley (9-18) took the loss for Furman allowing five earned runs on ten hits. Henley recorded two strike outs and walked one.

Hughes went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored for the Gamecocks, while Cornett batted in three runs. Kristin White's sixth inning walk accounted for the Lady Paladins' only base runner of the game.

South Carolina struck for seven runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning, highlighted by Hughes' three-run double, to down Furman 8-2 in the nightcap. The Gamecocks used a crucial Furman error, along with six hits and a walk, to score six unearned runs in the fourth to take a 7-0 lead.

Lakerah Barr started a Lady Paladin rally in the sixth with a leadoff double to right field. JoDee Eichelberger followed with a bunt single and Megan Jaudon singled to right to drive home Barr. After Jessica Matthews bounced into a double play, Joni Lockridge singled to right to score Jaudon cutting the lead to 7-2. Pitcher Melanie Henles got Kristy Goodrich to ground back to the circle to end the rally.

South Carolina added an insurance run the bottom of the sixth and Henles set down Furman in order in the seventh to secure the 8-2 win.

With the victory, Henkes improved to 6-7 on the season. She surrendered just two runs on five hits while tossing a complete game.

Starter Erica Nesselroad (0-11) suffered the loss for Furman. The sophomore gave up seven runs, only one earned, in 3.2 innings of work.

Cornett and catcher Ashley Smith each collected two hits for South Carolina while Hughes went 1-for-3 with three RBI.

For Furman, Barr went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored while Jaudon and Lockridge each recorded an RBI.

Furman, now 12-39 on the season, return to action on Saturday when it hosts Appalachian State in a Southern Conference doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. at Pepsi Stadium. The Lady Paladins and Mountaineers will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.


Lady Bucs Split at State Line Classic

BRISTOL, TENN. (April 21, 2004)