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Georgia Southern Stays Undefeated in the Tournament
Georgia Southern 6, Western Carolina 0
Box Score - PDF
Greensboro, N.C. – Georgia Southern’s Shelby Morrill went 3-for-4 and Sarah Purvis pitched 7.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball to keep the Eagles’ tournament record a perfect 2-0 with a 6-0 victory over Western Carolina in the 2013 SoCon Softball tournament. Purvis allowed one walk while striking out six.
Western Carolina starter Jordan Garrett was handed the loss, throwing 3.1 innings with four hits, three runs, no walks and three strikeouts.
In the top of the first inning, Alexa Lewis sent a 2-2 pitch over the fence in center for a lead-off homer. Western Carolina’s Jordan Garrett then gave up a two-out single, but got Tabby Douberley swinging to end the damage.
In the top of the fourth inning, Shelby Morrill singled to right field, followed by a double for Douberley to put runners on second and third with one out. Andrea Tarashuk then sent a fly ball deep to center field to score the pinch-runner Grossman on a sacrifice fly and extend the Eagle lead to 2-0. An RBI single by Kaitlyn Johnson made the score 3-0, then AJ Hamilton hit her second homer of the tournament, this time a two-run shot to left to make it 5-0 Georgia Southern.
Georgia Southern continued to swing a hot bat. In the top of the fifth, Alexa Lewis led off with a double off the right-field fence, but Western Carolina relief pitcher Mallory Broome was able to work around it, stranding the runner and keeping the GSU lead at 5-0.
Western Carolina tried to mount a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Haley Pace drew a one-out walk and Heather Chastain followed by reaching on an error. Then Karley Harkey singled to the catcher to load the bases with two outs, but Sarah Purvis got her sixth strikeout of the day to strand the WCU runners and keep the score at 5-0.
Georgia Southern added a run in the top of the seventh. Kourtny Thomas singled through the left side and Shelby Morrill tripled down the right-field line score the Eagles sixth run of the game.
Georgia Southern moves to 30-27 on the season and will face the winner of tonight’s 7:00 p.m. contest tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Western Carolina fell to 20-35 on the year and will face Samford at 9:30 p.m. tonight in an elimination game.
Samford 1, Furman 0
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Greensboro, N.C. – Samford’s Shelby Scott and Misha Aldridge combined to shutout Furman and advance Samford to the next round with a 1-0 elimination game victory. The duo allowed eight Paladin hits, no runs, one walk and one strikeout.
Furman’s Shelby Parker pitched 5.0 innings of four-hit ball, allowing just one unearned run, two walks and four strikeouts.
Samford’s Scott worked around runners on base in both the first and second innings, getting Furman to ground into two inning-ending double plays. In the bottom of the second, Samford drew a one out walk and then tried to mount a two-out rally with two consecutive singles. However, Shelby Parker got a grounder to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.
The game continued to be a pitcher’s duel with both teams leaving runners on base. In the bottom of the fifth, Samford’s Caroline Seay reached on an error by the second baseman and was moved over on a sacrifice bunt. Callie Brister then reached on a two-out error by the shortstop to put runners on the corners, but Shelby Parker got a pop up to end the threat.
In the top of the sixth, Furman’s Lauren Collier drew a two-out walk, then Ambree Muller singled through the right side and advanced on the throw to put runners at second and third for Hannah Pace, who was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Scott then got a pop up to end the inning with no damage done.
Samford’s Caitlin Bice drew a lead-off walk and Misha Aldridge singled through the left side to put two on with no out in the bottom of the sixth. New Furman pitcher Lauren Collier then got a strikeout for the first out of the inning, but Rachel Bickert reached on an error by the third baseman. Bice then scored on an RBI groundout to the second baseman to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead on the first run of the day.
After a great diving stop by Caroline Seay at second base for the first out of the inning, Scott gave up back-to-back singles to Furman before Aldridge replaced her at pitcher. Alridge then got a pop up in foul territory for the second out of the inning before getting a fly out to center to end it.
Samford moves to 16-34 on the season and will face the loser of the Western Carolina/Georgia Southern game at 9:30 p.m. The Paladins finish their season at 27-27.
College of Charleston 5, Chattanooga 3
Box Score - PDF
Greensboro, N.C. – College of Charleston’s two-run fifth inning proved to be the difference as the Cougars eliminated Chattanooga from the 2013 SoCon Softball Tournament, 5-3. The teams combined for 23 hits in the contest.
Lead-off hitter Ashton Jarrett led the Cougars, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Shortstop Lizzy Vaughn went 2-for-3 and turned in a highlight reel catch in the hole at short. Relief pitcher Hope Klicker earned the victory for CofC, throwing 4.2 innings of relief, giving up four hits, one run, one walk and three strikeouts.
Alyssa Taylor went 3-for-4 to lead the Lady Mocs, while Sarah Beth Roberts went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Starter Taylor Deason was handed the loss, throwing 4.1 innings with nine hits, four runs (three earned) one walk and four strikeouts.
College of Charleston started the game with consecutive infield singles, but Deason then got a strikeout and a 6-3 double play to end the Cougar’s early threat.
In the bottom of the second, Chattanooga’s Alyssa Taylor led off the inning with a single to the shortstop. After a ground out and a wild pitch to move the runner to third, Amanda Ross sent a bloop single over the third baseman's head to score Taylor and give UTC a 1-0 lead.
College of Charleston started their half of the third with a double to deep left by Carly Corthell. After a sacrifice bunt by Ashton Jarrett to move her to third, Lizzy Vaughn ripped a single through the right side to tie the game at one.
Chattanooga responded in the bottom of the third, leading off the inning with a single by Sam Taylor. Anyssa Robles then singled to left and Sarah Beth Roberts singled through the right side to score Taylor and give the Lady Mocs the lead back at 2-1. Then, with one out and the bases loaded, new CofC pitcher Hope Klicker got a double play to limit the damage and get out of the jam.
In the top of the fourth, Alison Pedigo send a one-out single through the left side, followed by a single by Becca Mueller that went just over the glove of the Chattanooga shortstop. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, then Kristy Giragosian grounded out to the third baseman to score pinch-runner Katy O’Brien. A walk and an infield single loaded the bases with two outs, but Chattanooga’s Jenny Garcia made a great diving catch in foul territory to end the Cougar rally.
CofC continued their hot hitting in the top of the fifth inning when Kelsey Hodgson singled to left center and then advanced on a wild pitch. Then, Mackenzie Maples singled to center field scoring Hodgson to give the Cougars their first lead of the game at 3-2. Maples moved up on a ground out and scored on an error by the Chattanooga first baseman to extend the Cougar lead to 4-2. Chattanooga’s Albritton got a pop up to the second baseman to end the CofC scoring.
The Cougars again added to their lead in the top of the sixth. Ashton Jarrett laid down a bunt single to start the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on an RBI single by Chandler Frisbie to push the Charleston lead to 5-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sam Taylor drew a lead-off walk, then Anyssa Robles sent a one-out double to center to put runners in scoring position with one out. Taylor then scored on a ground out to second to cut the CofC lead to 5-3. Hope Klicker then got a strikeout to grab the 5-3 victory for the Cougars.
College of Charleston moves to 35-19 on the season, while Chattanooga ends the 2013 campaign with a 26-28 overall record. The Cougars move on to face the loser of the Appalachian State/UNCG contest tonight at 7:00 p.m.