ATHENS, GA – UNC Greensboro lost a pair of games at the Sixth Annual Georgia Softball Classic on Saturday, falling 6-3 to Tennessee State and 6-1 to IUPUI on the second day of play at the tournament.
UNCG (6-8) was led at the plate by Brittany Ausley, Mary Catherine Vercoe and Jordan Jewett, who had three hits each on the day.
Tamara Perkins' three-run home run highlighted a four-run seventh inning as Tennessee State earned a comeback victory over UNCG to start the day. The Spartans were just three outs away from picking up the win in that game, holding a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh. But Perkins hit a three-run shot out to left with one out to score Melanie Cruz and Nichole Vincent to put the Tigers (4-1) ahead. Tennessee State would add another run on Christy Hill's two-out RBI single to make it a three-run spread.
UNCG – which had already rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the game – tried valiantly to put together another comeback, loading the bases with two outs to bring the winning run to the plate. Vercoe got the rally started with a one-out single, and Whitney Sirois reached on an error with two down to put runners at first and second. Jewett singled to left to load the bases, but TSU pitcher Caitlin Eaton (3-0) retired pinch-hitter Leslie Furness to end the game.
The Tigers had taken a 2-0 lead in the third inning, when Jill Gardner scored on a UNCG error and Eaton knocked in Bridget Metzger with a single to right.
UNCG got a run back in the bottom of the fifth when Vercoe's single brought in Ausley, and the Spartans went ahead for the first time on the day with a pair of runs in the sixth. Sirois led off the inning with a double, and pinch-runner Kristen Gabel came in on Jewett's single and a TSU throwing error to tie the game. With two outs, Ausley doubled to bring in Jewett with the go-ahead run.
Vercoe and Jewett had two hits each for the Spartans, while Eaton paced the Tigers' offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate.
Hannah Angel (4-3) dropped her third straight decision for UNCG, taking the hard-luck loss after allowing just two earned runs – six runs total – on seven hits and two walks in seven innings. The Spartans' defense committed four errors behind Angel in the game.
Eaton picked up the win in relief, allowing just one earned run on four hits in two innings pitched. Starter Megan Hedrick last five innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and six walks before giving way to Eaton in the sixth.
Later in the day, the Jaguars (1-6) scored five unanswered runs to pick up their first win of the season.
Amy Raker's RBI single got IUPUI on the board in the top of the first inning, but UNCG answered with a run in the bottom half on Furness' RBI double, which plated Ausley.
That would be about the last of the Spartans' offense on the day, though, as UNCG could only string together three more hits the rest of the way – as many as it had in the first inning alone.
IUPUI took the lead in the top of the second on Sarah Oppelt's two-run single, then added two more in the fourth on Cassie Harvey's two-run home run. The Jaguars scored their sixth run on Leah Prewitt's bases-loaded infield single in the top of the seventh.
Oppelt finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI for IUPUI, while Cayleigh Harvey was 2-for-3.
Jessica McGown (1-2) allowed just one run on six hits and a walk in seven innings.
Ausley was 2-for-2 for the Spartans in the game.
Amber Harrell (2-4) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on nine hits and four walks in seven innings. With six strikeouts in the game, she moved into seventh place in school history with 338 for her career.
UNCG wraps up play at the Sixth Annual Georgia Softball Classic at 1 p.m. Sunday, when it will face the host Bulldogs, who are ranked 16th in the nation in the latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll.
AGATE
Tennessee State 6, UNC Greensboro 3 (Feb 21, 2009 at Athens, Ga.)
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Tennessee State..... 002 000 4 - 6 7 2 (4-1)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 012 0 - 3 7 4 (6-7)
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Pitchers: Tennessee State - Megan Hedrick; Caitlin Eaton(6). UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel.
Win-Caitlin Eaton(3-0) Loss-Hannah Angel(4-3) T-2:21 A-103
HR TSU - Tamara Perkins (2).
Hedrick,M faced 1 batter in the 6th.
IUPUI 6, UNC Greensboro 1 (Feb 21, 2009 at Athens, Ga.)
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IUPUI............... 120 200 1 - 6 9 0 (1-6)
UNC Greensboro...... 100 000 0 - 1 6 0 (6-8)
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Pitchers: IUPUI - Jessica McGown. UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell.
Win-Jessica McGown(1-2) Loss-Amber Harrell(2-4) T-1:44 A-153
HR IUPUI - Cassie Harvey (1).
- UNCG -
