CHATTANOOGA, TN – Jennifer Bonilla's two-run eighth-inning home run gave UNC Greensboro a 2-0 victory over Chattanooga in game one of a Southern Conference softball doubleheader at Jim Frost Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Mocs then came back for a 7-6 victory in 10 innings to gain a split in the twinbill.
In the top half of the eighth, a one-out single from Krista Judge brought Bonilla to the plate and she delivered a blast over the leftfield fence to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. UNCG pitcher Vanessa Oakes then retired the Lady Mocs in order in the bottom of the inning to earn the win and improve her record to 9-7 on the year.
The Spartans had a good chance to score in the fourth as Bonilla was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Koury Duncan came in to pinch run. Kelly Allen and Lyndsay Mouse drew consecutive walks to load the bases, but Ashley Frizzell struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
Chattanooga's best chance to push a run across came in the third inning when the Lady Mocs had runners at second and third with two outs, but Ashley Cuticchia flew out to right field to end the scoring threat.
Chattanooga was able to put a runner on second in the sixth inning but couldn't get a run in. Meanwhile, the Spartans didn't get another runner on base until Judge singled in the eighth.
Oakes gave up only four hits and struck out two hitters to garner the game one victory for the Spartans. Bonilla went 2-for-3 with her second homer of the year. Mouse and Judge accounted for the other two hits for UNCG.
Frizzell gave up the two runs on only four base hits and struck out 11 batters, but wound up with the loss as she fell to 11-16 on the season. Toni Hutchison went 2-for-3 and Cuticchia and Tara Tembey each recorded one hit for UTC.
In game two, the two teams combined for 23 hits and 13 runs. The Spartans scored two in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 6-2 lead. UTC scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to get to within one run at 6-5, before Ashlan Clarkson sent the game into extra innings with a solo blast to lead off the home half of the seventh inning.
With neither team able to score in the eighth or ninth innings, UNCG placed Kara Clouser at second in accordance with the international tie break rules. Heather Branche popped up for the first out, and then Clouser was called out for leaving early. The Spartans got a single by Adriane Audley, but failed to score after Judge grounded out to second to end the inning
Alyssa Edwards was then placed at second for the Lady Mocs to start the home half of the 10th. Hutchison drew a walk and Robyn Johnson sacrificed the pair over with a bunt to first. Cochran then dumped a single into the outfield plating Edwards for the game winner.
Leslie Furness went 4-for-5 with a home run, double and two RBIs to lead the Spartans. Allen was 2-for-5 with her fourth homer of the season and 22nd of her career to go with two RBIs. Audley and Branche each tallied a hit and an RBI.
Pitcher Danielle Byrne (2-5) entered the game in the eighth inning and worked two scoreless frames before giving up the winning run on an unearned run in the 10th. Byrne struck out two and gave up three hits in 2.1 innings. Hannah Angel worked the first 7.0 innings and gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits and walked six batters with four punchouts.
Chattanooga pitcher Jaycee Wood (12-11) struck out 12 batters in 10 innings of work. She walked three and gave up six earned runs. Hutchison went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and three RBI. Cochran was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI while Clarkson went 1-for-4 with a walk and a game-tying RBI.
The teams will meet in the rubber game Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
AGATE
Game One 123 456 78 R-H-E
UNCG 000 000 02 2-4-0
Chattanooga 000 000 00 0-4-1
UNCG: Vanessa Oakes and Leslie Furness Chattanooga: Ashley Frizzell and Ashleigh Bull
W: Oakes (9-7). L: Frizzell (11-16). SV: None.
Game Two 123 456 789 10 R-H-E
UNCG 000 222 000 0 6-13-2
Chattanooga 110 003 100 1 7-10-2
UNCG: Hannah Angel, Danielle Byrne (8) and Leslie Furness Chattanooga: Jaycee Wood and Robyn Johnson
W: Wood (12-11). L: Byrne (2-5). SV: None.
- UNCG -
