ATHENS, GA – Despite a 4-for-7 day from senior Mary Catherine Vercoe, UNC Greensboro lost a pair of close games at the Sixth Annual Georgia Softball Classic on Friday, falling 4-3 to Marshall and 7-5 to Ball State.
Hannah Angel (4-2) took the loss against the Thundering Herd (5-4), allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings of work. Vercoe was 2-for-3 with a home run for the Spartans (6-6), while freshman Jordan Jewett was also 2-for-3.
Trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the fourth, Marshall pounded out four hits to plate three and take the lead. Caitlyn Jackson singled to center to lead things off, and Melanie Stoehr's single one out later brought in pinch-runner Melissa Loesing to tie the game. Angel coaxed a popup for the second out, but Kelly Nielson's double to right center plated Stoehr and Marcena Bertoldo singled to score Loesing.
Marshall took advantage of some sloppy UNCG defense to get on the board in the bottom of the first inning. After J.J. Bitner reached on a bunt single and stole second, she came around on a Spartan fielding error with two outs.
The Spartans answered with an unearned run of their own in the top of the second, when Jordan Jewett singled to bring in Kaitlyn Merkt, who reached on a dropped fly to lead off the inning.
UNCG went ahead in the top of the fourth, when Vercoe hit a home run to left field, her second of the season. After the Thundering Herd reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning, the Spartans got a run back in the top of the fifth when Vercoe knocked in Alex Emeterio. UNCG missed a chance for more, though, failing to score another run despite loading the bases with just one out.
Six different players accounted for Marshall's six hits.
Katie Murphree (3-2) picked up the win in the circle, allowing three runs – two earned – on six hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts in seven innings.
Against Ball State (1-0) later in the day, the Spartans spent much of the game playing from behind.
After the Cardinals' Alyssa Collins knocked in a run in the bottom of the first, Ball State added two more on a UNCG fielding error with two outs in the bottom of the second.
The Spartans would tie the game with a trio of runs in the top of the third, stringing together back-to-back-to-back hits with two outs. After Lyndsay Mouse singled to lead off and stole second, Ball State pitcher Elizabeth Milian got a pair of strikeouts. But Emeterio singled to drive in Mouse and Vercoe followed with a single to bring in Emeterio before Merkt's triple scored Vercoe to knot the score.
The Cardinals reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning, as UNCG starter Amber Harrell loaded the bases with three straight walks to open the inning. Harrell nearly worked out of the jam by striking out the next two batters, but Natalie Bejarano came through with a two-run single to put Ball State back on top to stay.
Ball State added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth on Lisa Rozanski's two-run double, but UNCG responded with two runs of its own in the top of sixth on Brittany Ausley's two-run single.
UNCG brought the tying run to the plate in the top of seventh, as Vercoe doubled with one out. Milian worked out of trouble, however, getting a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.
Harrell dropped to 2-3 after allowing seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits and seven walks in six innings. She struck out six. Milian (1-0) struck out 14 for the Cardinals, picking up the win by allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks in seven innings.
In addition to Vercoe's 2-for-4 effort, Emeterio and Mouse both went 2-for-3 for the Spartans.
Allie Pennock and Collins were both 2-for-3 for the Cardinals.
UNCG returns to action at the Sixth Annual Georgia Softball Classic at 9 a.m. Saturday against Tennessee State. The Spartans will take on IUPUI at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available for both games at GeorgiaDogs.com.
AGATE
Marshall 4, UNC Greensboro 3 (Feb 20, 2009 at Athens, Ga.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 010 110 0 - 3 6 1 (6-5)
Marshall............ 100 300 X - 4 6 4 (5-4)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel. Marshall - Katie Murphree.
Win-Katie Murphree(3-2) Loss-Hannah Angel(4-2) T-1:36 A-88
HR UNCG - MaryCatherine Vercoe (2).
Ball State 7, UNC Greensboro 5 (Feb 20, 2009 at Athens, Ga.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 003 002 0 - 5 8 1 (6-6)
Ball State.......... 122 020 X - 7 10 0 (1-0)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell. Ball State - Elizabeth Milian.
Win-Elizabeth Milian(1-0) Loss-Amber Harrell(2-3) T-2:12 A-116
- UNCG -
