CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - UNC Greensboro starter Cory Mattson tossed her second career shutout and the Spartans got RBI doubles from Whitney Sirois and Brittany Ausley and another pinch-hit home run from Katie Stripling in a 4-0 win over Delaware in the Carolina Classic consolation game Sunday afternoon. The win was the 100th of UNCG coach Jennifer Herzig's career.
Mattson (1-2) allowed just seven hits and two walks in picking up her first win of the season. She struck out five.
UNCG (2-6) got on the board in the fourth inning when Emily Akiyama singled just inside the right field line and Sirois doubled to the gap in right center. After Jordan Jewett sacrificed Sirois to the third, Ausley followed with a double off the fence down the left field line to make it a 2-0 Spartan lead.
That's where the score stayed until the seventh, when Stripling added some more late-game heroics to her early season resume. Freshman Eileen Horsmon hit a two-out single to center, then Stripling hit a towering drive out down the left field line for her second pinch-hit, two-out, seventh-inning home run of the season. She also had one against Virginia Tech last weekend at the Jacksonville University Tournament, and had a pinch-hit single with two down in the seventh against St. Joseph's on Saturday.
Mattson made the lead stand, but Delaware (1-3) did make it interesting in the bottom half of the seventh. Mattson retired the first two batters of the inning on groundouts, but Jenny Richards singled to center and Lindsay Novak singled off Kaitlin Merkt's glove at short to put runners on first and second.
Mattson recovered nicely, striking out Michelle Grap looking to nail down Herzig's 100th win.
The Blue Hens didn't get a runner to third base in the contest, which saw UNCG play some solid defense. In the first inning, first baseman Alex Emeterio made a nice diving effort on a popped up sacrifice bunt attempt, but couldn't hang on when she hit the ground. Not giving up on the play, Emeterio rolled over and threw to second from her backside, nailing the lead runner.
Sirois gunned down Cecile Egan trying to steal second in the second inning, with her throw to Merkt easily beating Egan for the second out.
UNCG also turned a double play in the third, with Novak popping up another sacrifice attempt that Mattson charged in to catch. The sophomore quickly fired over to first, doubling off Richards to end the frame.
Mattson, who also pitched 9 strong innings Saturday against St. Joe's but took the hard-luck loss, earned a spot on the Carolina Classic All-Tournament Team.
Ausley was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the contest, joining Mattson on the all-tournament team. Ausley also had two hits against Delaware on Friday.
Richards was 3-for-4 for the Blue Hens on Sunday, while Egan was 2-for-3.
Amanda Stacevicz (0-2) took the loss in the circle, allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks in 7 innings of work. She struck out four.
UNCG returns to action Friday when it hosts the UNCG Spartan Classic. Cleveland State takes on Sacred Heart at 11 a.m., followed by Cleveland State vs. Niagara at 1 p.m. UNCG will take on Sacred Heart at 3:30 p.m. and Niagara at 5:30 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 4, Delaware 0 (Feb 21, 2010 at Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 000 200 2 - 4 8 1 (2-6)
Delaware............ 000 000 0 - 0 7 1 (1-3)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson and Whitney Sirois. Delaware - Bertie Lake; Amanda Stacevicz(1) and Gina Knutson.
Win-Cory Mattson(1-2) Loss-Amanda Stacevicz(0-2) T-1:58 A-75
HR UNCG - Katie Stripling.
- UNCG -
