CULLOWHEE, NC – Freshman pitcher Cory Mattson picked up the first win of her career and hit her first collegiate home run and Kaitlin Merkt and Whitney Sirois had three hits each as UNC Greensboro hammered out three home runs and 14 hits to beat Western Carolina and win the three-game series on Sunday, 11-3 in six innings.
Merkt and Emily Akiyama also had home runs for the Spartans (9-12, 2-1 SoCon), with Merkt and Mattson going back-to-back in the sixth inning. Mattson's blast came just one day after senior pitcher Hannah Angel hit her first career roundtripper.
Merkt scored four runs in the game as UNCG won the series 2-1.
Danielle Reese and Chelsea Schaffer had solo home runs and two hits each for Western Carolina (5-10, 1-2 SoCon). Amber Hawkins also had two hits for the Catamounts.
UNCG blew the game open with a five-run fifth inning, sending eight batters to the plate and getting five hits to open up an 8-1 lead. Akiyama's two-run homer was the big blow, while Mattson had a sacrifice fly and Kristen Gable had an RBI double.
The Spartans added three more runs in the top of the sixth, with Lyndsay Mouse's sac fly bringing in Brittany Ausley before Merkt and Mattson hit consecutive one-out homers.
UNCG drew first blood in the contest, plating two runs in the top of the first. Ausley scored the game's first run on an RBI single from Mary Catherine Vercoe, and Merkt came in on Alex Emeterio's single and an error by Catamount left fielder Keri Burnside.
The Spartans added another run in the third on Whitney Sirois' RBI single, which scored Merkt.
Mattson, meanwhile, was cruising. After hitting the game's first batter, she sat down the next nine in a row, not allowing a hit until Reese's homer led off the fourth inning.
After the Spartans opened up their 8-1 lead in the fifth, Schaffer led off the bottom half of that inning with another solo shot, and the Catamounts added another run on Reese's RBI double.
In addition to Merkt and Sirois both going 3-for-4, Emeterio and Akiyama both had two-hit days. Every UNCG starter reached base at least once.
Mattson (1-1) allowed three runs – two earned – on seven hits and a walk in six innings. She struck out a career-best eight.
Lauren Ross (3-3) took the loss, allowing seven runs, three of them earned, on 10 hits and two walks in 4.2 innings.
The Spartans return to action March 14-15, when they host Chattanooga. UNCG will play a doubleheader with the Lady Mocs starting at 1 p.m. March 14, then close the series with a game at 1 p.m. the following day.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 11, Western Carolina 3 (Mar 08, 2009 at Cullowhee)
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UNC Greensboro...... 201 053 - 11 15 1 (9-12, 2-1 SoCon)
Western Carolina.... 000 120 - 3 7 4 (5-10, 1-2 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson. Western Carolina - Chere Monday; Lauren Ross(1);
Katie King(6).
Win-Cory Mattson(1-1) Loss-Lauren Ross(3-3) T-1:47 A-115
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt (2); Emily Akiyama (2); Cory Mattson (1).
HR WCU - Danielle Reese (1); Chelsea Schaffer (1).
Weather: Sunny
- UNCG -
