GREENSBORO, NC – Teri Mesko broke her own school record with 14 strikeouts to lead the College of Charleston to a 10-3 win over UNC Greensboro in game one of a Southern Conference softball doubleheader at UNCG Softball Stadium Saturday. The Cougars were able to take the sweep with a 7-5 win in the late game.
College of Charleston (31-20, 13-4 SoCon) jumped on the Spartans in the top of the first inning in game one. The Cougars used back-to-back doubles from Kristie Shifflett and Jennifer Golden to take the early 1-0 advantage. UNCG (25-33, 5-12 SoCon) tried to counter in the bottom of the inning and got a leadoff triple from Mary Greenway but Mesko ended the threat by striking out the next three batters to end the inning.
The Cougars were able to add three more runs to their tally in the second inning to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Katie Pesature hit a leadoff single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. She then stole third base and was plated with a RBI single from Amber Shifflett. College of Charleston added two more runs with a two RBI double from Kristie Shifflett which scored Izmena Cabrera and Mesko.
UNCG held the Cougars scoreless until the top of the fifth when Kolby Schooley hit a bases loaded home run which pushed the lead to 7-0. The Spartans were able to cut the College of Charleston lead to 7-2 in their half of the inning. UNCG was able to get two runners on base after Mesko walked Whitney Miller and Heather Branche was hit by a pitch. Miller was plated with a RBI single from Brittany Ausley and Branche came around the bases when Jennifer Bonilla hit an RBI single.
The Spartans added one more run in the sixth inning but College of Charleston added three more runs to take the win. Amber Harrell (10-13) suffered the loss for the Spartans after allowing seven runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work. Hannah Angel pitched 2.1 innings of relief and allowed three runs on two hits. Branche led the Spartans from the plate by going 1-for-2 with a run scored. She also had one RBI.
The Spartans were able to rebound in the second game and put the first on the board in the first inning. College of Charleston walked Greenway who then advanced to second on a stolen base and was plated when Ausley hit an RBI single.
UNCG held the 1-0 lead until the top of the third inning when the Cougars were able to score three runs. Cabrera hit a leadoff single while her teammate Amber Shifflett reached on a fielder's choice to put two runners on base. Both runners crossed home plate when Jennifer Golden hit a two RBI double to give the Cougars the 2-1 lead. They added another run when Pesature hit a sacrifice fly to score Golden, extending the lead to 3-1.
College of Charleston added two runs in the fifth inning but it was UNCG's three runs in the bottom of the fifth that cut the lead. The Spartans recorded three consecutive singles from Bonilla, Leslie Furness and Lyndsay Mouse to load the bases. Third baseman Kara Clouser was able to clear the bases with a three RBI double and pull the Spartans to within one.
College of Charleston responded with two runs in the top of the sixth inning to extend their lead to 7-4 and UNCG was able to add one more run in the bottom of the inning but it wasn't enough as both teams were held scoreless in the seventh inning giving the College of Charleston their 13th SoCon victory.
Angel (5-9) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 5.1 innings of play. She issued four walks and had two strikeouts. Harrell pitched 1.2 innings of relief and allowed no runs on no hits.
The teams will meet for the series finale tomorrow afternoon. UNCG will honor seniors Adriane Audley, Jennifer Bonilla, Heather Branche, Kara Clouser, Koury Duncan and Vanessa Oakes prior to the game. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.
NOTE: This weekend's series between the College of Charleston and UNCG will NOT be running live on Spartan All Access as previously released. The games will be available on-demand at www.uncgspartans.com.
AGATE
GAME ONE
COFC................ 130 031 2 - 10 8 1
UNCG................ 000 021 0 - 3 8 0
E - A. Shifflett. LOB - COFC 9; UNCG 8. 2B - K. Shifflett 2; Golden; Branche. 3B - Greenway. HR - Cabrera; Schooley. HBP -Branche. SB - Pesature; Greenway; Mouse. CS - Greenway.
Win - Mesko (16-9). Loss - Harrell (10-13). Save - None. WP - Mesko 3; Harrell. HBP - by Mesko (Branche). PB - Furness. Umpires - HP: Art Stowe 1B: Anthony Tutt 3B: Eddie Walker Start: 1 pm Time: 2:11
GAME TWO
COFC................ 003 022 0 - 7 11 2
UNCG................ 100 031 0 - 5 8 3
E - Schooley 2; Bonilla; Audley; Olenderski. DP - COFC 1. LOB - COFC 11; UNCG 9. 2B - Golden; Howard 2; Clouser. HBP -Clouser; Olenderski 2. SH - Small; Ausley. SF - Pesature; Bonilla. SB - Greenway; Clouser; Olenderski.
Win - Sansouci (10-4). Loss - Angel (5-9). Save - Howard (1). HBP - by Sansouci (Clouser); by Sansouci (Olenderski); by Howard (Olenderski). PB - Pesature. Umpires - HP: Anthony Tutt 1B: Art Stowe 3B: Eddie Walker Start: 3:40 pm Time: 1:55 Attendance: 151
- UNCG -
