Softball 3/10/2006 7:00:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

Ohio and Pittsburgh down softball team at Winthrop Invite

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCK HILL, SC The UNC Greensboro softball team lost both of its games on Friday afternoon at the Winthrop Invitational at Terry Field. The Spartans fell 6-5 against Ohio, while Pittsburgh won 8-2 in the nightcap.

In the first game of the day, Ohio (8-7) scored twice in the top half of the seventh inning for a come-from-behind victory over the Spartans. After UNCG had retired the first two batters of the inning, Kristen Salvatore's RBI single to right center tied the game 5-5. Salvatore moved up to second on the throw in from the outfield and Robin Miller, who moved up to third on the play, scored the game-winning run when Debbie Szalejko lined a single to center.

Ohio took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, before UNCG answered back with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Senior left fielder Krista Judge reached on a one-out infield single. She then stole second, went to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1. Senior center fielder Gwen Johnson would reach on a fielder's choice and later score an unearned run on a Bobcat throwing error for a 2-1 Spartan lead.

Johnson plated Judge with a run-scoring single in the third to give UNCG a 3-1 lead. Ohio got a run back on an RBI groundout by Szalejko in the fourth. The Bobcats then struck for two more in the fifth to take the lead back, 4-3.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Johnson singled through the left side and senior Kelly Allen followed with a walk. Freshman catcher Leslie Furness then singled to center. On the play, the Ohio centerfielder misplayed the ball that allowed both Johnson and Allen to score, giving the Spartans a 5-4 lead.

Candace Warden (2-2) came in relief and picked up the win by working 5.0 innings. She gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out two hitters.

Vanessa Oakes (2-4) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits over 7.0 innings. Judge, Johnson and junior second baseman Adriane Audley each went 2-for-4 for the Spartans.

Szalejko, Salvatore, Kelly Rodriguez and Alicia Catlette each notched two hits for the Bobcats.

In the nightcap, Jess Dignon doubled to left center and came around to score on an RBI single by Jess Thomas to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. The Panthers would add two more runs, both on wild pitches in the third, to take a 3-0 lead.

Johnson pounded out an opposite-field home run to right to get UNCG to within 3-1, but Pittsburgh answered right back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to lead 7-1. Dignon did the most damage with a two-run double to center, scoring Sheena Hellen and Joey Scarf.

Audley picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice in the fifth for the Spartans.

Laura Belardinelli (2-4) garnered the victory for Pittsburgh as she worked 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and struck out four hitters. Freshman Hannah Angel (2-4) allowed eight hits and eight runs (six earned) over 6.0 innings for the Spartans.

Allen went 2-for-3 for the Spartans, while Johnson blasted her team-leading fifth homer of the year.

Dignon was 2-for-4 with a runs scored and two RBI for the Panthers. Scart was 1-for-3 with three runs scored.

AGATE

Line Score 123 456 7 R-H-E

Ohio 100 120 2 6-11-4

UNCG 201 020 0 5-9-2

Ohio: Michelle Sauter, Candace Warden (3) and Marian Davis

UNCG: Vanessa Oakes and Leslie Furness

W: Warden (2-2). L: Oakes (2-4). SV: None.

Line Score 123 456 7 R-H-E

UNCG 000 110 0 2-5-2

Pittsburgh 012 401 0 8-8-0