ELON, NC UNC Greensboro settled for a split in two games at the Elon Softball Invitational on Sunday with a 8-0 win over Norfolk State and a 6-5 loss to tournament host Elon.
 
The 8-0 win over Norfolk State was UNCG's third shutout in two days after defeating St. Francis (PA). 2-0 and Bucknell, 5-0 on Saturday. Brittany Ausley had three hits in the two games on Sunday with two runs scored, while Mary Greenway had two hits and four runs scored.
 
Vanessa Oakes picked up the win in the shutout over Norfolk State, striking out 10 and limiting the opposition just three hits. Oakes did not walk a batter and improved her record to 3-1 on the season. Jennifer Bonilla helped Oaks' cause, driving in four runs.
 
Leading 1-0 in the fifth, the Spartans struck for four runs in the inning. Ausley led off when she reached on an error, but was forced at second on Greenway's grounder. Greenway stole second and then scored on Adriane Audley's double to right center. After Leslie Furness singled to put two runners on, Bonilla ripped a two-run double to center to make it 4-0. Bonilla came around to score one batter later when Lyndsey Mouse tripled into the left field corner.
 
The Spartans ended the game with three runs in the eight, two of them coming on Bonilla's two-run single.
 
In the nightcap, UNCG lost to Elon when the Phoenix pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh. Losing pitcher Amber Harrell opened the hitting by hitting a batter. The next batter hit a grounder to third that was misplayed to put runners at first and second. Melanie Helterbran followed with a single to right to load the bases. Harrell then struck out Brandi Jones for the first out of the inning. But Jamie Rao lined a single through the right side of the infield to plate the game-winner.
 
After Elon struck first in the bottom of the first, UNCG scored three times in the third. Two of those came in the form of a Lyndsey Wilson two-run single to center. The lead was extended to 4-1 in the fourth when Ausley doubled to left and came around one batter later when a sacrifice bunt was misplayed.
 
Elon scored four times in the fifth to regain the lead before UNCG tied it in the top of the sixth. Again, it was an Ausley double that set the table. This time she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Audley.
 
Harrell, who came into the game in relief of Angel in the fifth and pitched out of further damage, retired the Phoenix in order in the sixth. But the two Spartan miscues to open the seventh proved to be costly.
 
UNCG (12-9), which went 3-1 in the tournament and has now won seven of its last nine, returns to action on Tuesday when it hits the road to face Longwood in a doubleheader that is slated for 2 pm.
 
 
AGATE
Norfolk State....... 000 000 -  0  3  2
UNC Greensboro...... 100 043 -  8 10  0
 
Note: 2 outs, 3 runners LOB when the game ended.
 
Velazquez, Spracklin (6). Oakes. Win - Oakes (3-1).  Loss - VELAZQUEZ (0-4).  Save - None.
 
E - TILLAR; VELAZQUEZ. LOB - NSU 3; UNCG 10. 2B - Audley; Bonilla. 3B -Mouse. SH - VELAZQUEZ. SB - PETWAY; EURE; Greenway 3; Furness; Wilson 2. CS- Ausley.
 
 
UNC Greensboro...... 003 101 0 -  5  8  3
Elon................ 100 040 1 -  6  8  4
 
Note: 1 out, 3 runners LOB when the game ended.
 
Angel, Harrell (5). Schroeder, Lilley (4). Win - LILLEY (2-3).  Loss - Harrell (3-5).
 
E - Furness; Wilson; Clouser; DAHLEN; WEBER; CREWE; LILLEY. LOB - UNCG 9; Elon 9. 2B - Ausley 2; Audley; Bonilla; Wilson; ZEIGLER. HBP - Greenway; Wilson; ZEIGLER. SH - Greenway 2. SF - Audley. SB - Greenway; Audley; DAHLEN; RAO. CS - Branche.