CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC Greensboro rallied from a 7-1 deficit to tie it late, but Delaware pinch-runner Samantha Pettie slid in just under Whitney Sirois' tag on a play at the plate as the Blue Hens won it in the bottom of the seventh Friday at the Carolina Classic, 8-7.
With the game knotted at 7 and two out in the bottom of the seventh, Delaware (1-0) got a one-out single and a two-out walk to bring nine-hole hitter Bertie Lake to the plate. UNCG pitcher Raeanne Hanks (1-1) got ahead of Lake 0-2 on a pair of called strikes, but Lake deposited her third pitch into shallow right.
Pettie motored around third and headed for home, beating right fielder Jordan Jewett's throw by just an eyelash to give the Blue Hens the win.
UNCG (1-4) trailed 7-1 after two innings, but took advantage of some timely hitting and a porous Delaware defense to knot things up at 7 in the sixth.
After drawing within 7-3 on a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth, the Spartans pulled even with a four-spot in the top of the sixth. Emily Akiyama got things going with a double down the left field line, and April Langley's single to center scored pinch-runner Laura Olenderski. Langley advanced to second on the throw home and took third on a wild pitch, and Kristen Gabel worked a one-out walk to put runners on the corners.
Senior Brittany Ausley hit her second double of the day to the gap in left center, scoring Langley. Gabel came in on a passed ball to draw UNCG within one, bringing Alex Emeterio to the plate with Ausley on third.
Emeterio hit a grounder to Blue Hens' second baseman Lindsay Novak that Novak bobbled, and Emeterio hustled down the line and slid headfirst into first base to beat Novak's throw. Ausley scored on the play, giving the Spartans new life.
Hanks retired the side in order in the bottom half of the inning on just eight pitches, but UNCG couldn't push across the go-ahead run in its half of the seventh.
The Blue Hens jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, when Michelle Grap hit a two-run home run down the left field line.
Delaware tacked on five more runs in the fifth to blow the game open. Jenny Richards' RBI single got the scoring started in the second frame, and Richards and Lake scored on Novak's bunt single that UNCG starter Amber Harrell threw away for a two-base error. After Grap drew a walk, Hanks came on in relief of Harrell. Amanda Stacevicz and Cecile Egan added RBI singles to close the book on Harrell.
The Spartans scored their first run in the top of the second, with Langley scoring from third on one of Delaware's five errors.
UNCG picked up two runs in the fourth inning without the benefit of a hit. A pair of walks and another Blue Hen error loaded the bases, and Sirois and Akiyama scored on Grap's second miscue of the inning.
Hanks took the hard-luck loss despite a solid effort out of the bullpen, as she allowed just one earned run on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings of work. Harrell surrendered seven earned runs on seven hits and two walks in an inning-plus of work, but UNCG's late rally took her off the hook for the loss.
Lake (1-0) picked up the win for the Blue Hens in relief, as she came on in the sixth and allowed three runs – one earned – on two hits and a walk. Anne Marie Pagano left with a 7-3 lead but took a no-decision. She allowed four runs – one earned – on three hits and five walks in 5-plus innings.
UNCG resumes play at the Carolina Classic on Saturday when will face St. Joseph's at 1:30 p.m. and tournament host North Carolina at 4 p.m.
AGATE
Delaware 8, UNC Greensboro 7 (Feb 19, 2010 at Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 010 204 0 - 7 5 2 (1-4)
Delaware............ 250 000 1 - 8 12 5 (1-0)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell; Raeanne Hanks(2) and Whitney Sirois. Delaware - Anne Marie Pagano; Bertie Lake(6) and Gina Knutson.
Win-Bertie Lake(1-0) Loss-Raeanne Hanks(1-1) T-2:00 A-117
HR Delaware - Michelle Grap (1).
Harrell faced 5 batters in the 2nd.
Pagano faced 1 batter in the 6th.
- UNCG -
