GREENSBORO, NC – Freshman Brittany Ausley and senior Jennifer Bonilla both smashed a pair of home runs as UNC Greensboro defeated Morehead State, 12-6, in the third game of the 2007 Spartan Softball Classic.
The Spartans hit five home runs in the game as they won their home opener. The Spartans sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run fifth and looked to be on their way to an early ending to the game. But Morehead State sent eight batters to the plate, scoring four times, to cut the lead in half and stay alive.
UNCG (2-4) wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard. Ausley, in her first at-bat at UNCG Softball Stadium, lined a home run over the wall in left-center to stake the Spartans to an early 1-0 lead.
Morehead State (0-1) got the run back in the bottom half of the frame. Courtney Seiler led off the inning with a single and stole second. She moved to third on a single by Bri Jones, who then stole second. After a groundout, Brandy Bucher hit a grounder to third. The throw was made to cut down the run at the plate, but the ball was dropped on the tag to allow Seiler to score.
But the Spartans came right back with two runs in the second. For the second straight inning, UNCG smacked a lead-off home run as freshman Kaitlyn Merkt – in her first at-bat at UNCG Softball Stadium – went deep to left give UNCG the lead. Adriane Audley tacked on an insurance run later in the inning with an RBI double to give UNCG a 3-1 lead.
Bonilla made it 5-1 in the fifth and chased Morehead State starter Sarah Funston. Bonilla smashed a two-run home run well over the left field wall.
UNCG wasn't done in the inning, however, as Ausley smashed a grand slam to left center off reliever Alex Gjevre to give the Spartans a 9-1 lead.
Morehead State scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth, all of which were unearned after a pair of Spartan errors. Brandy Bucher drove in two of the runs on a double to left center and came around to score one batter later on a single by Sarah Funston.
Morehead State added a single run in the sixth before Bonilla slammed a three-run homer to give UNCG some breathing room once again.
Vanessa Oaks worked the first five innings for UNCG to pick up the win and go to 2-0 on the season. Amber Harrell worked the final two innings for the Spartans.
UNCG will face Kent State at 12 noon Saturday. Morehead State plays again today, facing Campbell in a game that begins at approximately 5:35 pm.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 12, Morehead State 6
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UNC Greensboro...... 120 060 3 - 12 11 3 (2-4)
Morehead State...... 100 041 0 - 6 5 1 (0-1)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Vanessa Oakes; Amber rHarrell(6) and Leslie Furness; Mary Greenway. Morehead State - FUNSTON; GJEVRE(5) and ELLIS, K.; QUINN.
Win-Vanessa Oakes(2-0) Loss-FUNSTON(0-1) T-2:20 A-150
HR UNCG - Brittany Ausley 2; Jennifer Bonilla 2; Kaitlin Merkt.
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G4: Campbell 2, Morehead State 0 (8 inn.)
GREENSBORO, NC – Campbell University pushed across a pair of unearned in the top of the eighth to defeat Morehead State, 2-0, in the fourth game of the 2007 Spartan Softball Classic.
Lauren Cavness went the distance top earn the win for Campbell (4-1-1). She fired a four-hit shutout, striking out six and walking five.
Kari Quinn was the tough-luck loser for Morehead State (0-2). She struck out 12 and allowed just two hits, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
The game was decided by the international tie-breaker after a scoreless first seven innings. In the eighth, with a runner on second, Robin Leathers hit a dribbler to third. The throw to first was dropped to give the Camels two on and no outs. Karlie Love followed with a bunt down the third base line that was again misplayed. Hilary Wheatley came around from second to score the game's first run.
Stephanie Pappas then followed with a dribbler to first and was tagged out, but Leathers came home on the play to score an insurance run.
Morehead State could not capitalize on the tie-breaker rule in the bottom half of the inning and dropped its second game of the day.
Campbell returns to action at 2:30 pm on Saturday when it faces UNCG. Morehead State returns to action when it faces Ohio at 10 am on Saturday.
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G1: Kent State 8, Ohio 1
GREENSBORO, NC – Brittney Robinson fired seven strong innings and helped her own cause with two hits and two RBI as Kent State defeated Ohio, 8-1, in the opening game at the 2007 Spartan Softball Classic.
Robinson struck out 11 and walked two to win the Golden Flashes' season opener. She also had two doubles at the plate, one that plated a pair and the other setting the stage for her to score.
Kent State (1-0) got on the board first, plating three runs in the home half of the second. The Golden Flashes got on the board when No. 9 hitter Jessica Kramb doubled down the right field line to score Katie Wheeler. Kent State made it 3-0 when Robinson helped her own cause with a two-run double to right-center two batters later.
Kent State plated two more in the third when Amy Hair singled through the right side to score a pair.
Ohio (1-4) got on the board in the top of the fourth when Maureen McKelvey led off with a single. She moved to third on consecutive ground outs and then scored on a single by Amanda Sacks. Sacks, however, was caught stealing second a few pitches later to end the threat.
The Golden Flashes got two more back, though, in the bottom of the fourth. Robinson led off with a double to left center. Jessica Toocheck followed with a shot to right-center that was just out of the reaching of the diving Debbie Szalejko. Toocheck raced around to third and then scored when the relay from the outfield was botched.
Kent State tacked on one more in the sixth when Jamie Fitzpatrick smacked a solo home run over the wall in left center.
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G2: Kent State 2, Campbell 0
GREENSBORO, NC – Jamie Fitzpatrick smacked her second home run of the afternoon and freshman Kylie Reynolds fired a two-hit shutout as Kent State picked up its second win of the day, 2-0, over Campbell University in Game 2 of the 2007 Spartan Softball Classic.
The Golden Flashes (2-0) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Jessica Toocheck drew a two-out walk and then came around to score when Jamie Fitzpatrick doubled to left center.
Kent State extended the lead to 2-0 in the fourth when Fitzpatrick smacked her second home run in as many games, a solo shot to left.
Meanwhile, Reynolds was dominant in the circle in her first collegiate start. She allowed just two hits – a swinging bunt single by Megan Paul with one out in the first and a double off the center field wall with two outs in the seventh by Shayla Collum. She struck out 16 batters and did not issue a walk in a complete game effort. At one point, Reynolds struck out 11 in a row and closed the game by recording 15 of the final 18 outs via the strikeout. Campbell (3-1-1) did not hit a ball out of the infield off the freshman until Collum's double in the final frame.
Campbell will play Morehead State at 4:30 pm. Kent State returns to action tomorrow at 12 noon when it faces tournament host UNC Greensboro.
- UNCG -
