GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro took two of three games from Samford on Saturday, earning a 6-3 comeback win in the completion of Friday's suspended game before dropping game one of a doubleheader 2-1. The Spartans took the rubber match, 8-4.
Junior Brittany Ausley's three-run home run in the sixth inning of game one broke a 3-all tie and gave the Spartans (17-19, 6-6 Southern Conference) the series opener.
Game one picked up where it left off Friday, with the Spartans down 2-0 and batting in the bottom of the third.
The Bulldogs (12-22, 6-12 SoCon) opened up their two-run lead on a second-inning sacrifice fly from Whitney Terry and an RBI double from Kristy Lawrence in the third inning Friday before lightning halted play.
When play resumed Saturday, the Spartans battled back in the fifth inning, scoring two on a Jordan Jewett triple that scored Laura Olenderski and Ausley. Lyndsay Mouse followed with a double to the gap in left center, scoring Jewett to put UNCG on top 3-2.
The Bulldogs got the run back in the top of sixth, when Katie England got in ahead of the tag on Amy Gonzalez's fielder's choice.
With the score now tied at three, Ausley hit a towering home run down the third base line in the bottom half of the sixth to give UNCG starter Hannah Angel a comfortable margin heading into the seventh.
Angel worked around a pair of Samford hits in the top of the seventh, striking out pinch-hitter Tessa Frates to end the game.
Angel improved to 10-7 on the season after allowing three runs on three walks and eight hits.
Bulldogs starter Amanda Barrs (2-11) took the loss, as she allowed four runs on six hits and four walks in five innings of work.
Mouse was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of doubles in the game, while Jewett was 2-for-3 with two RBI. England led the Bulldogs at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing.
Game one of the following doubleheader saw Samford jump out to another 2-0 lead, but the Spartans would not be able to overcome this one. The Bulldogs jumped on UNCG starter Cory Mattson right off the bat, getting a Kylie Harmon single through the left side to lead off the game. After a pair of flyouts to right, Samford broke through on Barrs' single up the middle to score Harmon.
The Bulldogs added another run on a strange play in the second inning. With runners on second and third, Samford tried a squeeze play, but Mattson fielded the bunt and scooped the ball home in time to nail Amanda Jordan at the plate. UNCG catcher Whitney Sirois fired the ball to second and seemed to gun down Harmon at second to end the inning, but obstruction was called on Mouse, allowing Harmon to take second. Meanwhile, Terry snuck in from third while the Spartans were making the play on Harmon, putting Samford up 2-0.
The Spartans got a run back in the bottom of the third when Olenderski scored on a Samford error, but starter Stephanie Royall made her lead stand up. She picked up her seventh win of the season by allowing just an unearned run on four hits and a pair of walks.
Mattson took the loss despite a solid outing, falling to 2-3 after surrendering two runs – one earned – on three walks and seven hits.
Robyn Harmon was 2-for-4 to lead the Bulldogs in the game, while four players accounted for UNCG's four hits.
The Spartans wrapped up the long day with a convincing 8-4 win, falling just one pitch shy of a shutout and mercy-rule win. UNCG jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the first, with Ausley and Mouse scoring on Mary Catherine Vercoe's two-run double to right – effectively ending the extreme defensive shift the Bulldogs had used on her in the first two games – and Vercoe coming in on Sirois' RBI single.
UNCG blew it open in the fourth, plating five runs to hold an 8-0 lead. Jewett's two-run single to left center scored Emily Akiyama and Olenderski and Ausley came in on a Samford error that allowed Mouse to reach. Vercoe walked to load the bases, and Alex Emeterio was hit by a pitch to force in Jewett. Sirois followed with a sacrifice fly to right to score Mouse.
The Bulldogs staved off the mercy rule in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of three walks and a fielder's choice to load the bases with one out. Ausley turned in an outstanding defensive play for out No. 2, charging hard into foul ground and making a sliding grab and firing a strike to the plate to keep the runners in check.
Starter Amber Harrell looked as if she might work out of trouble, but a wild pitch allowed Barrs to score from third, spoiling the shutout and taking the mercy rule out of effect. Gonzalez grounded out to second on the next pitch to end the inning.
The Bulldogs added three more runs on Barrs' three-run homer in the top of the sixth for the final margin.
Kylie Harmon and Gonzalez had two hits each for the Bulldogs in the third game of the day, while Jewett and Sirois had two hits each for the Spartans.
Royall (7-8) took the loss, allowing seven runs – five of them earned – on five hits and four walks in 3.1 innings. Robyn Harmon made her first appearance of the season in the circle, working 2.2 innings of relief. She allowed one unearned run on two hits and three walks.
Harrell improved to 5-9 on the year, giving up four runs on six hits and eight walks.
The Spartans return to action on Tuesday when they host UNCG coach Jennifer Herzig's alma mater, Charlotte, for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 6, Samford 3 (Apr 10, 2009 at Greensboro, NC)
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Samford............. 011 001 0 - 3 8 1 (11-21, 5-11 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 033 X - 6 7 1 (16-18, 5-5 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Samford - Kayla Burris; Amanda Barrs(2) and Whitney Terry. UNC Greensboro -
Hannah Angel and Leslie Furness.
Win-Hannah Angel(10-7) Loss-Amanda Barrs(2-11) T-1:54 A-68
HR UNCG - Brittany Ausley (3).
Weather: 61 degree, 50% chance rain
Game notes:
Game suspended at 4:49 p.m. Friday by lightning.
Game resumed at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 11.
A. Barrs faced 1 batter in the 6th.
Samford 2, UNC Greensboro 1 (Apr 11, 2009 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 1)
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Samford............. 110 000 0 - 2 7 2 (12-21, 6-11 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 001 000 0 - 1 4 2 (16-19, 5-6 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Samford - Stephanie Royall and Whitney Terry. UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson and
Whitney Sirois.
Win-Stephanie Royall(7-7) Loss-Cory Mattson(2-3) T-1:50 A-0
Weather: 67 degrees and partly cloudy
UNC Greensboro 8, Samford 4 (Apr 11, 2009 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 2)
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Samford............. 000 013 0 - 4 6 2 (12-22, 6-12 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 300 500 X - 8 7 0 (17-19, 6-6 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Samford - Stephanie Royall; Robyn Harmon(4) and Whitney Terry. UNC Greensboro -
Amber Harrell and Whitney Sirois.
Win-Amber Harrell(5-9) Loss-Stephanie Royall(7-8) T-2::06 A-86
HR SAM - Amanda Barrs.
Weather: 66 degrees, mostly cloudy
- UNCG -
