GREENVILLE, SC Lyndsay Mouse crushed a two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh to snap a 2-all tie and Mary Catherine Vercoe hit a two-run double as UNC Greensboro downed Furman 3-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game Southern Conference series sweep.
With the Spartans (10-14, 3-3 SoCon) down to their last out in the seventh, Mouse took Lana Mackey's 3-2 offering out to left field to put UNCG on top. The homer was her second of the season both of which came in the last two days against the Paladins (10-16, 2-4 SoCon).
Hannah Angel retired the side in order in the bottom half of the frame, evening her record at 6-6 with three innings of scoreless relief. She allowed just two hits and a walk.
Freshman Cory Mattson pitched the first four innings, allowing one earned run and two total in four solid innings. She struck out three, allowing four hits and a walk.
Furman had an early 1-0 lead in the contest, scoring an unearned run when Brythe Blankenship scored on a UNCG fielding error in the second. The Spartans quickly answered in the top of the third, with Vercoe putting the squad on top with a double to left center that scored Alex Emeterio and Brittany Ausley.
The Paladins picked up the equalizer in the fourth when Kate Termini doubled to bring in Morgan Hughey, who doubled to lead off the inning.
With the score tied at 2, UNCG missed a golden opportunity to blow the game open in the fifth, leaving the bases loaded. Mackey got a pair of quick outs to lead off the inning, but Mouse and Emeterio strung together back-to-back singles and Vercoe walked to load the bases. Mackey escaped without damage, however, inducing a fielder's choice from the bat of Whitney Miller to end the inning.
Mackey took the loss, falling to 5-8 after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. She struck out nine.
Ausley and Mouse both had two-hit games for the Spartans, who got six of their seven hits from the top four batters in the lineup. Six different Furman batters accounted for the Paladins' six hits.
With the win, UNCG snapped a two-game skid to the Paladins, who swept Saturday's doubleheader with a pair of walk-off wins.
The Spartans have a busy week ahead, as they return to action on Tuesday for a doubleheader with Harvard at 1 p.m. UNCG will face crosstown rival North Carolina A&T on Wednesday for a doubleheader at 2 p.m., then hosts Appalachian State on March 28-29 to kick off a 10-game homestand.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 3, Furman 2 (Mar 22, 2009 at Greenville, S.C.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 002 000 1 - 3 7 1 (10-14, 3-3 SoCon)
Furman.............. 010 100 0 - 2 6 0 (10-16, 2-4 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson; Hannah Angel(5). Furman - Lana Mackey.
Win-Hannah Angel(6-6) Loss-Lana Mackey(5-8) T-1:43 A-126
HR UNCG - Lyndsay Mouse (2).
Weather: 61, sunny
Game: UNCG3221
