WILMINGTON, NC The UNC Greensboro softball team picked up two wins over Mt. St. Mary's (MD) and Delaware State in first day action at the UNC Wilmington Seahawk Classic on Saturday. UNCG defeated Mt. St. Mary's 1-0 and Delaware State, 11-9
Mary Catherine Vercoe led the way for the Spartans on Saturday with a .571 batting average and was also 4-of-7 from the plate. Kaitlin Merkt also hit two roundtrippers and had four RBI on the day.
In the late game the Spartans got things going in the first inning with three early runs to take a 3-0 lead but Delaware State battled back and used six runs in the top of the second to pull ahead 6-3.
UNCG was able to get back in the game in the next inning and tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third with scores from Whitney Miller and Brittany Ausley. Ausley hit a double to advance Miller who walked and both were sent around the bases with a RBI single from Merkt.
The Spartans took a 6-8 lead with two more runs in the bottom of the third but weren't able to put the game out of reach until the bottom of the sixth inning. With Delaware State leading, 6-8 UNCG used four runs in the bottom of the inning to steal the win.
Merkt had a leadoff home run, her second of the day and Kayla Hensley and Lyndsay Mouse walked, while a single from Mary Greenway loaded the bases. An error scored Hensley and both Mouse and Greenway also came home on the error. Delaware State tacked on a home run in the top of the seventh but ended the game with two strikeouts.
Amber Harell picks up the win and moves to 3-3 on the season. She threw 6.1 innings of work and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out 10. Mary Catherine Vercoe pitched 0.2 innings of relief and allowed six runs on four hits.
In the first game of the afternoon, UNCG used a run in the top of the second inning which proved to be all it would need to post a, 1-0 win over Mt. St. Mary's (MD).
UNCG used a home run to centerfield from shortstop Kaitlin Merkt to get on the board early. In the top of the second inning with nobody on base and one out the Irvine, CA native slammed her first career home run over the centerfield wall.
The Spartans had another scoring opportunity in the fourth inning. Whitney Miller posted a leadoff single to put one runner on base and despite Kristen Gabel, who was pinch running for Miller, getting caught stealing second base, the Spartans put another runner on with a single from Brittany Ausley.
Whitney Sirois was able to get on base on the fielders choice but the Spartans couldn't advance either one home as Ausley was picked off at second base and Merkt flied out to centerfield to close the inning.
Hannah Angel (3-2) had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the seventh inning when Mt. St. Mary's Kristin Fusco hit a single to third base. Angel went the distance and allowed no runs on one hit. The Eastbend, NC native allowed no walks and struck out a season-high 11 batters.
Mary Catherine Vercoe led UNCG from the plate going 2-for-3 with a double. Miller was 1-for-2 from the plate while Mary Greenway and Merkt were 1-for-3 for the game.
AGATE:
Game One
UNC Greensboro...... 010 000 0 - 1 6 0
Mount St. Mary's.... 000 000 0 - 0 1 0
Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel. Mount St. Mary's - A. Hanson.
Win-Hannah Angel(3-2) Loss-A. Hanson(0-1) T-1:30 A-65
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt (1).
Game Two
Delaware State...... 060 200 1 - 9 8 6
UNC Greensboro...... 322 004 X - 11 11 2
Pitchers: Delaware State - RUARK,B.; WATERS,A.(6). UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell;
MaryCatherine Vercoe(7).
Win-Amber Harrell(3-3) Loss-RUARK,B.(2-1) T-2:40 A-55
HR DSU - DEMERS,N. (1); TABOR,S. (1); HOLLOMAN,A. (1).
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt (2).
- UNCG -
