SoCon Softball Results from Saturday

Appalachian State Silences Furman Bats, Sweeps Softball Doubleheader

Greenville, S.C. -- Three Appalachian State pitchers limited Furman to six total hits on their way to a 1-0, 2-1 doubleheader sweep of the Lady
Paladins in softball action Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
In game one, starting pitcher Jordan Arnold (8-9) allowed just two hits
while striking out two in the Mountaineers 1-0 victory.

The Mountaineers tallied the only run of the game in the top of the third
inning. Amber Handy reachen on a one-out single, stole second, stole third
and scored on a two-out single to center off the bat of Diana Cook.
Handy led Appalachian State at the plate going 2-for-4 with four stolen
bases. Kristyn Hurt also collected two hits for the Mountaineers.
Rachel Henley (9-19) took the loss for Furman surrendering only one run on
six hits in seven innings of work. The Kingston, Tenn., native struck out
nine and allowed just one walk.

Appalachian State got all the offense it would need in the second inning
of game two. Catcher Sarah Gough led off the frame with a double down the
left field line. After Hurt sacrificed her to third, Gough scored when
Candace Shelton reached on a fielder's choice.

Appalachian State upped its advantage to 2-0 after Shelton stole second
and scored on an RBI single by Wendy Lewis.

Furman mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Joni Lockridge led
off the inning with a single up the middle. Karen Myers was hit by a pitch
to give Furman runners at first and second. Kristy Goodrich followed with
an RBI single to center plating Lockridge to cut the lead in half. With
runners on second and third and no one out, Sarah Scott grounded out to
the pitcher and Myers was thrown out at the plate trying to advance on the
throw to first.

Mountaineer reliever Marie Watson, who earned her second save of the year,
got Danielle Franklin to strike out to end the Furman threat and give
Appalachian State the 2-1 victory.

Jennifer Hurley (7-9) picked up the win for ASU allowing one run on four
hits in six innings of work.
Goodrich (3-11) suffered the loss for Furman giving up two runs on five
hits in two innings in the circle. Erica Nesselroad pitched five innings
of one-hit relief to hold the Mountaineers in check.

Lindsay Glover paced the Appalachian State offense going 2-for-3, while
Lewis went 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Appalachian State improves to 18-30 overall and 6-11 in the Southern
Conference while the Lady Paladins fall to 12-41 and 5-9 in league play.

Appalachian State and Furman will conclude their three-game set with a
single game at 1 p.m. Sunday at Pepsi Stadium.


Lady Mocs Run Win Streak to 14 with Sweep Over Elon

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. ? Chattanooga needed an extra inning to dispose of Elon 2-1 in a Southern Conference softball doubleheader Saturday, but UTC made quick work of the Phoenix in the second game 7-2 at Frost Stadium.

The sweep gave UTC a 14-game winning streak, which is the third-longest in school history and longest in Coach Frank Reed?s tenure. UTC pitcher Lacey Swarthout and Brittney Whittier both continued their personal winning streaks. Whittier (15-2) captured her ninth consecutive win while Swarthout (22-15) won for the eight straight time.

Amanda Hoiness delivered the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the eighth inning of game one. UTC had consecutive one-out singles by Leslie Barron, Robyn Johnson and Grace Pickett to load the bases. Lindsey Galloway was used as a pinch-runner for Barron, and she scooted home on Hoiness? sharp single up the middle.

That made a winner of Swarthout, who pitched around 10 Elon hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Elon had the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth, but Swarthout wiggled out of trouble by getting back-to-back strikeouts and a fly-out to end the threat.

Elon (27-19 overall, 9-8 SoCon) also got the bases loaded with no outs in the seventh and Swarthout coaxed pop-up for the first out. Dani Concepion tied the game with a single to center, but a short fly-out and groundout ended the inning.

UTC (38-20, 13-1) had taken a 1-0 lead in the third when Barron (3-for-3) delivered a run-scoring single to right, which plated Teri Herbert, who had opened the inning with her sixth triple of the season.

Elon?s Jessica Swearengin went 4-for-4 in the contest and Christina Melton was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Jamie Dupont had a double. Pickett also had three hits for UTC.

Chattanooga continued its hitting ways in the second game as Bryn Favor and Melissa Ramirez both drilled two-run homers in the third. Favor?s blast easily cleared the left-field fence and Ramirez?s clout went deep to right-center.

Favor later added another RBI on a sacrifice fly. Jeannie Cochran, who extended her hitting streak to a team-best nine games, went 3-for-4 and drove in a run. Herbert also picked up a RBI on a 2-for-2 game, which included a pair of sacrifice bunts.

Elon?s Jenny Gustin went 2-for-4 and Paige Goss was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Megan Borgaard also drove in a run.

Whittier scattered eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Only one of her runs was earned. Elon?s Borgaard lasted just 2 1/3 innings with four hits, and she was relieved by Meredith Gay, who gave up five UTC hits.

The teams play the final game of their series Sunday at 2 p.m. at Frost Stadium.


ETSU Softball Splits In Conference Action

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. (April 24, 2004)