GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro rallied from down two runs to tally a 4-3 Southern Conference softball victory over Georgia Southern on Sunday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium.
After Georgia Southern (26-31, 10-8 SoCon) pushed across two runs in the top half of the third inning, UNCG immediately answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good, 3-2.
Eagle starter Logan Free set down the first two hitters of the inning, before Heather Branche singled to right to start the rally. Senior Krista Judge followed with a single to left. After a double steal that put both runners in scoring position, Adriane Audley laced a single through the left side that scored both Spartan runners and tie the game at 2-2. Audley later moved to third on a wild pitch and Jennifer Bonilla walked to put runners on the corner. Senior Gwen Johnson then put down a perfect bunt single that scored the go-ahead run by Audley.
The Spartans tacked on an insurance run in the fourth with back-to-back doubles. Lyndsay Mouse began the frame with a double over the head of Eagle centerfielder Shanita Black. That hit chased Free from the game and Melissa Laliberte was called upon to take over the pitching duties. Pinch hitter Leslie Furness greeted Laliberte's 1-2 pitch with a double to right centerfield to make it a 4-2 lead in favor of the Spartans.
GSU cut its deficit to one run when Heather Smith scored Black with a double to center. Black singled to open the inning and went to second on her 29th stolen base of the year. Smith was 3-for-4 on the afternoon with a single, double and triple.
The Eagles' runs in the third came by way of a Black RBI triple and a run scoring single by Gina Sterchi.
UNCG senior Danielle Byrne started in her final home game and gave up two runs on four hits over 3.0 innings of work. Hannah Angel was handed the ball to begin the fourth inning and worked the final 4.0 innings to pick up the win. She allowed one run on three hits and struck out six Eagle hitters.
Mouse was 2-for-3 with a run scored for UNCG, while Audley was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
Free (12-11) got the loss after allowing all four runs on five hits over 3.0 innings of work.
Before the game, UNCG honored its four seniors, Kelly Allen, Byrne, Judge and Johnson for their hard work and dedication to the Spartan softball program.
UNCG wraps up the regular season portion of its schedule when the club visits College of Charleston next weekend for a three-game conference series in Charleston, SC. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 pm and a single game on Sunday at 1 pm.
AGATE
Line Score 123 456 7 R-H-E
GSU 002 010 0 3-7-0
UNCG 003 100 x 4-8-0
GSU: Logan Free, Melissa Laliberte (4) and Sam Steiner UNCG: Danielle Byrne, Hannah Angel (4) and Kelly Allen
W: Angel (6-16). L: Free (12-11). SV: None.
- UNCG -
