UNCG-CCU Game 1 UNCG-CCU Game 2
Conway, SC – The UNC Greensboro softball team earned a split of a doubleheader with Coastal Carolina, Wednesday, improving the Spartans to 14-6 on the season. UNCG dropped the opener, 5-3, before downing the Chanticleers, 3-2, in the nightcap.
UNCG got on the board first on Jennifer Bonilla's home run in the top of the second. However, the Lady Chanticleers (6-11) answered in the bottom of the third with three runs of their own. After Brittany Nelson led off with a double down the right field line and was sacrificed to third, Delane Oscarson homered to give Coastal Carolina a 2-1 lead. Sara Hostetler followed with a double to left field and eventually scored on Diana Mendez's single down the right field line for a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans tied the game up on a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth. After singles by Jennifer Hubbard and Stephanie Witt, Danielle Byrne's ground ball ended in an error, scoring Hubbard. Cara Klouser then singled to left to score Witt and knot the game at three.
In the eighth with the international tiebreaker, UNCG got their runner over to third with two down but couldn't push the run across. Coastal's Katey Allen came in to pinch run and was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Diana Mendez. However, it turned out to be a non-factor, as Kelly Freely's homered to seal the victory for Coastal Carolina, 5-3. Nelson picked up the win for the Lady Chanticleers to move to 2-4 on the season, while Vanessa Oakes (6-3) was saddled with the loss.
In the second game, UNCG struck first with two gone in the first, as Joni Gomez singled through the left side of the infield and then scored on Hubbard's double to right center, putting the Spartans up 1-0. Coastal tied it at one in the bottom of the sixth, as Feely reached on an error and later scored on a Lynee Hastings' double.
The Spartans responded in the top of the seventh, with two runs. Witt got on after being hit by a pitch and scored on an Adrianne Audley flair into right field. Audley would later score on a sacrifice fly by Joni Gomez to center.
Coastal would add another run in the seventh, but it was not enough as the Spartans held off the Lady Chanticleers for the victory. Lynsi Pierce picked up the victory to go 5-0 on the season, while Danyelle Gerdts took the loss for CCU.
UNCG will return to tournament play this weekend at UNC Charlotte.
