GREENSBORO, NC College of Charleston's Katie Forbes was 2-for-4 with four RBI in game one and had a hand in both Cougar runs in the seventh inning of game two as UNC Greensboro was swept in a Southern Conference doubleheader on Saturday, 7-2 and 2-1.
UNCG freshman Alex Emeterio hit a solo home run in game one's losing effort, blasting a ball off the base of the new Spartan statue beyond the center field fence. The hit was UNCG's lone safety of the game.
Freshman Cory Mattson (3-5) took the loss after surrendering five runs on five hits in 1.2 innings. Hannah Angel came on and worked 5.1 innings of solid relief, allowing two runs on two hits for the Spartans (19-28, 7-10 Southern Conference).
Terri Mesko (10-9) picked up the win for College of Charleston, allowing two runs on just one hit and three walks. She struck out eight.
The Cougars (20-23, 11-8 SoCon) jumped on the board with two runs in the top of the first, as Forbes sent a looping line drive off the glove of UNCG shortstop Kayla Hensley to bring in Amber Shifflett and Christal Kotchman.
CofC added another three runs in the second, starting with Kotchman's RBI single that scored Kristi Woodall. After a wild pitch moved Kotchman and Tiffany Harmon up a base each, Kristie Shifflett laced a double to right center to score them both and make the score 5-0.
Emeterio followed with her mammoth home run, her third of the season, to lead off the second inning, but that was the last hit UNCG would get in the game. That didn't stop the Spartans from scoring again, however, as UNCG used a Brittany Ausley walk and a College of Charleston error on a sacrifice attempt to put runners at the corners with no one out in the sixth. Mary Catherine Vercoe lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Ausley, making the score 7-2.
The Cougars got a two-run home run from Forbes in the top of the fifth inning. In addition to Forbes' two-hit effort, Amber Shifflett was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Game two was a pitchers' duel that saw the Spartans in control for the majority of the contest before the Cougars rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh.
UNCG got on the board in the second inning to stake starter Amber Harrell to a one-run lead, but the Spartans would strand nine in the contest.
Down 1-0 heading into the seventh, Amber Shifflett got the Cougars going with a single through the right side. After Kristie Shifflett sacrificed her over and a groundout moved her to third, Amber Shifflett came in on Forbes' double to the gap in left center to tie the game. Katie Nutaitis followed with a single through the right side to score Forbes with what would prove to be the winning run.
Despite Vercoe's one-out single in the seventh, the Spartans could not find the answer as the game ended in odd fashion. Emeterio lifted a flyball to left, and pinch-runner Angel advanced on a close play at second. But College of Charleston appealed the call and Angel was called out, having been ruled to have left first base early.
The Spartans led for most of the game after Lyndsay Mouse led off the second with a double to left center and Whitney Sirois followed with a single to put runners at the corners with no one out. One out later, Kayla Hensley singled down the left field line to bring in Mouse with the first run of the game.
Harrell had outstanding defense behind her all game. After she got into trouble in the third with consecutive walks to lead off the frame, she got an inning-ending double play when Jordan Jewett chased down a flyball in shallow right and fired to third to nail Amanda Lonergan trying to advance.
Harrell retired the next nine batters she faced in order, but the Spartans were unable to scratch across another run in that span. Vercoe led off the bottom half of the third inning with a single to right, and Emeterio followed with a double off the wall in left center to chase Charleston starter Shannon Howard. Forbes then came in from right field and shut the door, sandwiching a pair of strikeouts around a groundout to keep UNCG from adding on.
Forbes was solid the rest of the way, allowing just one base-runner in each of the remaining innings and benefitting from the Cougars' rally to improve to 2-0. She allowed just three hits and a walk in five innings pitched.
Harrell, who saw her bid for her second shutout of the season fall just one out short, was saddled with her 12th loss of the season, falling to 5-12 despite allowing just two runs on four hits and a pair of walks.
The Spartans will wrap up their series against College of Charleston on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday will also serve as UNCG's Senior Day, and seniors Angel, Mouse, Vercoe and Leslie Furness will be honored before the game.
AGATE
Coll. of Charleston 7, UNC Greensboro 2 (Apr 25, 2009 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 1)
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Coll. of Charleston. 230 020 0 - 7 7 2 (19-23, 10-8 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 010 001 0 - 2 1 0 (19-27, 7-9 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Coll. of Charleston - Terri Mesko and Amanda Maurer. UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson;
Hannah Angel(2) and Whitney Sirois; Leslie Furness.
Win-Terri Mesko(10-9) Loss-Cory Mattson(3-5) T-1:52 A-0
HR COFC - Katie Forbes (1).
HR UNCG - Alex Emeterio (3).
Weather: 84 degrees and sunny
Game: UNCG4251
Coll. of Charleston 2, UNC Greensboro 1 (Apr 25, 2009 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 2)
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Coll. of Charleston. 000 000 2 - 2 4 0 (20-23, 11-8 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 010 000 0 - 1 9 0 (19-28, 7-10 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Coll. of Charleston - Shannon Howard; Katie Forbes(3) and Kelley Dillon.
UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell and Whitney Sirois.
Win-Katie Forbes(2-0) Loss-Amber Harrell(5-12) T-1:47 A-87
Weather: 89 degrees and sunny
Howard faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
Game: UNCG4252
