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Georgia Southern Powers Past Chattanooga
Georgia Southern 6, Chattanooga 2
Box Score (PDF)
Greensboro, N.C. – Shelby Morrill and AJ Hamilton each hit a homer as Georgia Southern advanced past Chattanooga, 6-2. Sarah Purvis threw a complete game, allowing eight hits and two runs while walking one and striking out three.
For the first time all day, the designated home team, Georgia Southern, allowed no runs in the top of the first. Then in the bottom half, after a two-out double by Kourtny Thomas, Shelby Morrill sent a ball deep over the right-field fence to put the Eagles up 2-0 in the first inning.
SoCon Pitcher of the Year Sarah Purvis worked around a two-out double in the top of the second. Then, in the bottom half, Kaitlyn Johnson drew a one-out walk and AJ Hamilton hit a shot over the centerfield wall to extend the Georgia Southern lead to 4-0. New Chattanooga pitcher Taylor Deason then got a ground ball and a diving catch by Jenny Garcia in foul territory down the left-field line to end the Georgia Southern scoring.
In the bottom of the fourth, Georgia Southern got two consecutive two-out singles from McLendon and Lewis before Lexi Allen send a double to deep right center to put the Eagles ahead 6-0. Kourtny Thomas then singled through the left side, but a good throw by Garcia got Allen at the plate to end the inning.
Chattanooga led off the top of the fifth with singles by Kaiti Dutton and pinch-hitter Tyler Templet. Sam Taylor then followed with a single through the right side and an error by the Georgia Southern right fielder allowed Dutton to score from second for Chattanooga’s first run of the game. Templet then scored on a sacrifice fly by Anyssa Robles to cut the Georgia Southern lead to 6-2, which was the final score.
Georgia Southern improves to 29-27 (14-9 SoCon), while Chattanooga falls to 26-27 (10-11 SoCon). The Eagles will face Western Carolina tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Chattanooga will face College of Charleston tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. in an elimination game.
Western Carolina 3, College of Charleston 1
Box Score (PDF)
Greensboro, N.C. – Amber Steinhardt went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Jordan Garrett threw a complete game to advance Western Carolina past College of Charleston, 3-1, in game two of the 2013 SoCon Softball Tournament.
Lizzy Vaughn went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk for the Cougars. Starting CofC pitcher Hope Klicker went 5.0 innings giving up six hits, three runs (two earned), no walks and six strikeouts.
College of Charleston’s Hope Klicker struck out the side in the top of the first, but not before Western Carolina’s Amber Steinhardt sent a two-out shot just inside the left-field foul pole to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead.
After a quick second inning by both teams, Western Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a Steinhardt two-out single, her second RBI of the day.
Steinhardt continued her solid day at the plate with a lead-off single in the top of the sixth. Two batters later, Haley Pace sent an RBI single to center to score Steinhardt from second and push the Catamounts’ lead to 3-0. New College of Charleston pitcher Valerie Cassell then got a double-play and ground ball to end the WCU rally.
Down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh, College of Charleston’s Lizzy Vaughn singled through the right side to score Carly Corthell from second to cut the Western Carolina lead to 3-1. Jordan Garrett then got Kelsey Hodgson to pop up to the shortstop to end the CofC rally.
Western Carolina improves to 20-34 (9-15 SoCon), while the Cougars fall to 34-19 (15-8 SoCon). The Catamounts will face the winner of the Georgia Southern/Chattanooga game tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. College of Charleston will face the loser of that game tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
Greensboro, N.C. – Samford pitchers Shelby Scott and Misha Aldridge combined to limit Elon to five hits en route to a 8-0 game one victory. The Bulldogs will face No.1 seed Appalachian State tonight at 5:00 p.m.
Abby Adams went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer for the Bulldogs, while Callie Brister went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and Alex Adams added a two-run double. Aldridge earned the win for the Bulldogs, throwing 4.0 innings of no-run ball with two strikeouts.
Tomeka Watson went 2-for-3 with a walk for the Phoenix, while Chelsea White and Keri Pervell combined to strikeout 10 Samford batters.
Samford started the game with consecutive singles by Megan Dowdy and Kayla Shaffer before Alex Adams sent a one-out double down the left-field line to put the Bulldogs in front 2-0.
Samford’s Shelby Scott did not allow a hit to the Phoenix until Elon’s Tomeka Watson sent a two-out double to left center in the bottom of the third. After giving up three singles in the first inning, Elon’s Chelsea White did not allow another hit to the Bulldogs until Abby Adams sent a three-run blast over the left-field fence in the top of the fourth to push Samford’s lead to 5-0.
Elon tried to mount a rally in the bottom of the fourth. An error, a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases with no outs for the Phoenix. However, Aldridge came on in relief of Scott and retired the Phoenix in order to get out of the jam and preserve the Bulldog’s 5-0 lead.
Samford added to their lead in the top of the seventh. Caroline Seay struck out but reached on a passed ball, then stole second and scored on a throwing error by Elon’s third baseman to extend the Samford lead to 6-0. Two batters later, Callie Brister sent a two-run homer over the fence in right-center to give Samford an 8-0 lead, which would be the final.
Samford improved its season record to (15-33, 6-18 SoCon), while Elon ended the 2013 campaign with a 21-31 overall record, 8-14 in SoCon play. The Bulldogs will face top-seeded Appalachian State (30-20, 17-7 SoCon) at 5:00 p.m. today.