GREENSBORO, NC Charlotte got a sixth-inning grand slam from Keri Palma to break open a scoreless game one and outlasted UNC Greensboro in game two to sweep a doubleheader from the Spartans on Tuesday, 7-0 and 9-6.
The games wrapped up a season-long 14-game homestand for the Spartans (17-21).
Game one was an old fashioned pitchers' duel until the sixth inning, when Charlotte (25-12) exploded for all seven of its runs.
UNCG's Hannah Angel (10-8) and the 49ers' Emily Jeffery (17-6) were both cruising through five innings, but the wheels fell off for Angel and the Spartans in the top of the sixth. After getting a pair of first-pitch flyouts to start the inning, Angel hit Sarah Malene, just grazing her helmet. Whitney Williams hit a high chopper that Angel fielded, but her throw to first pulled Alex Emeterio off the bag, allowing Williams to reach and the floodgates to open.
Serena Smith walked to load the bases, and Palma sent the first pitch she saw from Angel out to left field to put the first runs of the day on the board. The 49ers continued to pile on, getting three more runs in the inning on consecutive RBI singles from Jaime West, Lorena Vela and Jenny Rumbles.
That was more than enough cushion for Jeffery, who carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and matched her career-high and school record with 14 strikeouts. Leslie Furness' clean single to right with two outs in the fifth was the Spartans' first safety of the day. Emeterio's single down the right field line to lead off the seventh was the only other hit Jeffery allowed.
UNCG's best scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning, when Kayla Hensley's walk and Furness' single put runners at first and second with just one out. Laura Olenderski sacrificed both runners over, but Jeffery got a strikeout to end the threat.
Angel was charged with all seven unearned runs on five hits and three walks in 5.2 innings.
Game two saw the 49ers jump out to a quick 2-0 lead on Tucker's two-run double, but the Spartans countered in the bottom half, knotting the score on Emeterio's two-run triple to the gap in right center.
Charlotte wasted no time regaining the lead, getting an RBI single from Williams and a two-run base knock from Smith to make it 5-2.
The Spartans got a run back in the fourth on Cory Mattson's RBI single up the middle, but Charlotte answered with a run in its half of fifth to restore its three-run lead.
UNCG made it interesting in the bottom half of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs after loading the bases with no one out. Brittany Ausley drew a leadoff walk, Jordan Jewett singled through the right side and Gina Allen hit Lyndsay Mouse with a pitch to load the bases. The 49ers summoned Erin Buchan from the bullpen, and Buchan struck out Whitney Sirois looking on three pitches for the first out.
Emeterio's fielder's choice brought in Ausley and Whitney Miller came up with a clutch two-out single to right to knock in Jewett, but Buchan got her second strikeout of the inning to end the frame.
Charlotte refused to cede momentum, as Palma's two-run single in the sixth plated Rumbles and Malene, and the 49ers tacked on their final run on Williams' RBI single in the seventh.
The Spartans got a leadoff walk from Jewett in the bottom of the seventh, and after a wild pitch and a groundout moved her to third, Jewett came in on Sirois' groundout to second. The rally would go no further, however, as Buchan got Emeterio to ground out to second to end the game.
Miller was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in game, while Jewett scored a career-high three runs. Emeterio was 1-for-4 with three RBI.
Tucker went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI for the 49ers, who also got two-hit games from Malene, Williams and Smith.
Amber Harrell took the loss for the Spartans, falling to 5-10 on the year after allowing eight runs on 12 hits and four walks in 5.2 innings. She struck out six.
Buchan (2-1) picked up the win for the 49ers with three innings of solid relief. She allowed one run on a hit and a walk.
The 49ers scored all 16 of their runs on the day with two outs.
UNCG returns to action on Thursday when it travels across town to take on North Carolina A&T for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
AGATE
Charlotte 7, UNC Greensboro 0 (Apr 14, 2009 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 1)
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Charlotte........... 000 007 0 - 7 6 0 (24-12)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 (17-20)
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Pitchers: Charlotte - Emily Jeffery and Tenaya Tucker. UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel;
Cory Mattson(6) and Leslie Furness.
Win-Emily Jeffery(17-6) Loss-Hannah Angel(10-8) T-1:37 A-0
HR CHA - Keri Palma (4).
Weather: 58 degrees and cloudy
Game: UNCG4141
Charlotte 9, UNC Greensboro 6 (Apr 14, 2009 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 2)
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Charlotte........... 230 012 1 - 9 13 0 (25-12)
UNC Greensboro...... 200 120 1 - 6 7 0 (17-21)
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Pitchers: Charlotte - Katy Hackett; Gina Allen(4); Erin Buchan(5) and Jaime West.
UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell; Cory Mattson(6) and Whitney Sirois.
Win-Erin Buchan(2-1) Loss-Amber Harrell(5-10) T-2:20 A-72
Weather: 59 degrees and mostly cloudy
G. Allen faced 3 batters in the 5th.
Game: UNCG4142
