GREENSBORO, NC The UNC Greensboro softball team picked up its first Southern Conference win with a 7-5 win over Western Carolina on Sunday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Lady Catamounts took the league series with a 10-5 win and a 7-6 win in the early games.
UNCG (14-22, 1-5 SoCon) was led by Mary Catherine Vercoe who was 6-of-10 from the plate on the weekend with two RBI, two doubles and one run scored. Mary Greenway and Brittany Ausley were equally impressive from the plate both batting .500 for the weekend. Greenway was 6-of-12 from the plate with six runs scored and was 6-of-6 on stolen bases attempts increasing her season total to 34-of-34 while Ausley was 5-of-10 from the plate with two runs scored, one double, one home run and four RBI.
Amber Harrell, Hannah Angel and Mary Catherine Vercoe all saw action in the pitchers circle. In 13.0 innings of work Harrell allowed 15 runs on 12 hits and struck out 11 while Angel twirled 6.0 innings of action and allowed six runs on five hits while striking out 10. Vercoe saw action in 2.0 innings and took her first loss of the season.
Western Carolina took a 1-0 series lead with a 10-5 win in the first game of the series, which was delayed after six and a half innings of play on Saturday due to rain. The Spartans were trailing, 10-0 but managed to put five runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning to avoid the shutout.
The teams played a very close game in the second game. Western Carolina got on the board first with two runs in the first inning but the Spartans answered with back-to-back home runs from Brittany Ausley and Kaitlin Merkt to take the lead.
Western Carolina would respond and regained the lead when Keely Torgison hit a single to right field. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and two runners came home on a two-RBI single from Amber Hawkins, giving the Lady Catamounts the 4-3 lead.
The Spartans tied the game in the next inning. Greenway hit a leadoff triple and rounded the bases on a ground out from Brittany Ausley. The clubs were scoreless in the fourth but a two-run home run from Mollie Fowler put the lead back with Western Carolina but a pair of UNCG runs tied the game in the at 6-6 in the fifth inning.
Western Carolina hit a leadoff single in the sixth inning but after three walks form relief pitcher Mary Catherine Vercoe, a UNCG error sent Casey Camp around the bases, which proved to be all the Lady Catamounts needed to take the 7-6 win and 2-0 series lead.
The Spartans rebounded and took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning in the final game of the series. Mary Greenway reached on a passed ball and proceeded to steal second and third base and scored on an RBI single from Whitney Miller. Brittany Ausley hit a single which advanced Miller and a RBI double from Vercoe scored Ausley and Miller.
After two scoreless innings, Western Carolina battled back to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning. Beth Hauser reached on a UNCG error and the bases were loaded after two walks from Spartan pitcher Amber Harrell. Pinch runner Nicole Shook came home when Harrell walked Ashley Steinel. A sacrifice fly from Torgison sent another runner home while an RBI single from Jamie Swank tied the game at 3-3.
UNCG didn't take long to respond and regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Lauren Ross, who came in for starting pitcher Michelle Tating, had two quick outs and then gave up a pair of walks and two singles. A RBI single from Ausley scored Gabel and Greenway rounded the bases on a Western error. UNCG added two more runs in the sixth inning and held on for the 7-5 win.
The Spartans next host the USA National Team on Thursday night as part of their “Bound 4 Beijing” Pre-Olympic Tour. First pitch is set for 7 pm in UNCG Softball Stadium.
AGATE:
Game One
Western Carolina.... 012 007 0 - 10 7 1 (7-25, 1-9 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 005 0 - 5 11 1 (13-21, 0-4 SoCon)
Pitchers: Western Carolina - Lauren Ross. UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell; Hannah Angel(7).
Win-Lauren Ross(2-12) Loss-Amber Harrell(7-12) T-2:30 A-50
HR WCU - Heather Pritchard.
Game Two
Western Carolina.... 220 021 0 - 7 6 2 (8-25, 2-9 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 301 020 0 - 6 6 2 (13-22, 0-5 SoCon)
Pitchers: Western Carolina - Lilly McDonagh; Lauren Ross(5). UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel; Mary Catherine Vercoe(6).
Win-Lauren Ross(3-12) Loss-Mary Catherine Vercoe(0-1) T-2:30 A-106
HR WCU - Mollie Fowler.
HR UNCG - Brittany Ausley; Kaitlin Merkt.
Game Three
Western Carolina.... 000 300 2 - 5 5 1 (8-26, 2-10 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 300 202 X - 7 10 1 (14-22, 1-5 SoCon)
Pitchers: Western Carolina - Michelle Tating; Lauren Ross(4); Lilly McDonagh(6).
UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell.
Win-Amber Harrell(8-12) Loss-Lauren Ross(3-13) T-2:00 A-101
HR WCU - Lauren Ross.
