GREENSBORO, NC The UNC Greensboro softball team took both ends of a non-conference doubleheader with St. Francis (PA) Wednesday afternoon at the UNCG Softball Stadium. UNCG defeated St. Francis 4-3 in game one and wrapped up the sweep with a 4-1 win in the late game.
UNCG (9-8) got on the board first scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning in the first game. Sophomore catcher Leslie Furness got things started with a home run to center field which gave the Spartans the early 1-0 advantage. First baseman Jennifer Bonilla tacked on another UNCG run on a RBI single from Heather Branche.
The Spartans opened the sixth inning with a single by Kara Clouser through centerfield. St. Francis (PA) pitcher Jerrica Smith walked Emily Akiyama to put two Spartans on base with only one out. Both Clouser and Akiyama advanced when hit Laura Olenderski was hit by a pitch. Whitney Sirois got her second RBI of the year when she hit a single down the right side to scored Clouser and give UNCG a 3-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning.
St. Francis (PA) (1-6) had a huge seventh inning scoring three unanswered runs to tie the ballgame up. The Red Flash opened the inning with a runner on base after UNCG pitcher Amber Harrell walked Hilary McNelis. St. Francis answered with back-to-back singles to load the bases. Leslie Furness was able to get one out at home plate but a single on the next play scored one Red Flash and another single brought home Erin Tedford and Christina Aulbach to notch the game at 3-3.
The Spartans couldn't connect on anything in the bottom of the seventh and the game went into extra innings. The game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the ninth inning but a home run by Adriane Audley, her fourth of the season, gave UNCG the 4-3 win in game one.
Amber Harrell twirled 6.1 innings of work and allowed three runs on seven hits and had six strikeouts. Hannah Angel pitched 2.1 innings of relief and allowed no runs on one hit and had two strikeouts.
UNCG continued right where it left off in the second game. The game was scoreless through the first inning with both teams failing to get a hit. The Spartans brought out the heavy guns in the bottom of the second inning and managed to put four runners around the bases.
Furness got things started with a leadoff double and Bonilla followed with a single to right field, which advanced Furness to third base. Clouser kept the hits coming for the Spartans and drove in Furness for the first run of the game. Sirois added the fourth hit of the inning, which brought Bonilla around the bases. Lyndsay Mouse, who reached on an error by the St. Francis (PA) shortstop, also came home on an error by the third baseman. The final run came when Audley drove in Sirois with an RBI single.
The teams were scoreless until St. Francis (PA) got on the board with a RBI single through left field. The 4-1 score held as UNCG improved to 9-8 on the season.
Senior righty Vanessa Oakes got the start and in her second complete game of the season she allowed one run on one hit and had four strikeouts.
Clouser was 3-for-3 at the plate with one run scored while Bonilla had 13 putouts. Furness, Bonilla and Sirois were all 3-for-1 at the plate, with one run scored each.
The Spartans are next in action Mar. 3-4 when they head to Elon, NC for the Elon Tournament.
