CHARLOTTE, NC – Kaitlin Merkt's solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning was all the offense UNC Greensboro could muster on Sunday as the Spartans fell to tournament host Charlotte 3-1 in the championship game of the Green and White Classic.
With the Spartans (6-4) trailing 3-0 heading into their last at bat, Merkt hit a blast to left center, her first of the 2009 campaign, to make things interesting. Pinch-hitter Mary Catherine Vercoe was then hit by a pitch, bringing the tying run to the plate with no one out.
Classic Most Valuable Pitcher Katy Hackett (3-0) worked out of the jam, getting a fielder's choice to erase pinch-runner Laura Olenderski at second, then getting a groundout and a lineout to end the game.
The 49ers (4-1) handed UNCG pitcher Hannah Angel (4-1) her first loss of the season.
Charlotte struck quickly, using a pair of walks and a pair of hits in the top of the first to bring in Lorena Vela. After Vela drew a one-out walk, Serena Smith and Jamie West had consecutive singles to load the bases. Keri Palma brought Vela in with a bases-loaded walk to get the 49ers on the board.
Charlotte added what would prove to be the winning run in the sixth, when Tenaya Tucker's single to left scored Palma. The 49ers added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, when Classic MVP Sarah Malene singled to lead off the inning, then stole second. Vela's base hit brought Vela in for Charlotte's third run of the game.
The Spartans threatened in the first inning, when Alex Emeterio hit a two-out double and Leslie Furness followed with a walk. But Hackett struck out Merkt looking to end the threat.
UNCG only got two more runners into scoring position until the seventh inning, doing so in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Sirois was stranded at second after a one-out single and a sacrifice, and in the sixth, Brittany Ausley was stranded at third after reaching on an error.
Hackett allowed just one run on three hits in denying UNCG coach Jennifer Herzig another win over her alma mater – the Spartans beat Charlotte 3-2 in eight innings on Friday – and her first tournament crown.
Angel allowed three earned runs on eight hits and three walks in falling for the first time this season.
Malene led the 49ers at the plate on the afternoon with a 2-for-4 effort.
UNCG returns to action next weekend at the Sixth Annual Georgia Softball Classic, where it will face Marshall and Ball State on Friday, Tennessee and IUPUI on Saturday and the host Bulldogs on Sunday.
AGATE
Charlotte 3, UNC Greensboro 1 (Feb 15, 2009 at Charlotte, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Charlotte........... 100 001 1 - 3 8 1 (4-1)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 000 1 - 1 3 1 (6-4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Charlotte - Katy Hackett. UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel.
Win-Katy Hackett(3-0) Loss-Hannah Angel(4-1) T-1:55 A-100
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt.
Weather: Sunny, 50 degrees
- UNCG -
