BOONE, N.C. - Senior Emily Akiyama's two-run double capped a two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning as UNC Greensboro won game two of a Southern Conference doubleheader against Appalachian State on Saturday, 4-2, to salvage the split. The Mountaineers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh in game one for a 3-2 win.
UNCG (16-21, 5-5 SoCon) was twice down to its last strike in game two, but got clutch at-bats in the eighth for the win. Tied at 2 with two out, freshman Eileen Horsmon got the rally going with a single to right field. Kaitlin Merkt then worked the count full before singling through the left side, bringing up Akiyama.
The Kirkland, Wash., senior delivered, falling behind 0-2 before lacing a double to right to bring in Horsmon and Merkt for the go-ahead runs.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson finished the job in the bottom of the eighth, working around a one-out Spartans error to nail down her career-high ninth win of the season.
Appalachian State (19-16, 6-7 SoCon) led twice in the game, but saw the Spartans rally both times. The Apps jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning, with McKenzie Phillips and Michelle Lighton hitting back-to-back two-out singles to put the Mountaineers on the board.
The Spartans tied the game in their next at-bat, as Akiyama's sacrifice fly scored Alex Emeterio. The Apps got the run back in the bottom half of the fourth, however, again getting the job done with two outs. Sarah Rappe, Megan Rembielak and Katie Boyd strung together back-to-back-to-back singles with two down to make it 2-1 in ASU's favor.
UNCG would tie it at 2 in the fifth on Emeterio's double and Merkt's RBI single.
The Spartans' 3-6 hitters - Emeterio, Horsmon, Merkt and Akiyama - combined for six of UNCG's seven hits and all four RBI in the game. Akiyama had three RBI, while Horsmon and Merkt had two hits each.
Michelle Gorzelle went 2-for-4 to lead the Apps at the plate in game two.
Mattson (9-10) allowed two runs on eight hits and five walks in eight innings, striking out eight.
Frannie Seader (5-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief. Starter Caitlin Wainwright allowed a run on one hit and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Just like in game two, game one saw the teams tied at 2 heading to the bottom of the seventh. UNCG starter Amber Harrell struck out Hannah Dow to lead off the inning, but Dow reached first on a wild pitch. A sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Hayley Grabner to second, and Rappe's single moved Grabner to third.
Harrell induced a flyout to left from Rembielak for the second out of the inning, but Grabner was able to score on left fielder Brittany Ausley's throwing error, giving the Mountaineers the walk-off win.
The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, with Ausley rapping a one-out double and Emeterio bringing her in with an RBI single.
The Apps took their first lead of the game in the bottom half of the inning, with Allie Cashion's two-run single driving in Rappe and Rembielak, who each reached on infield singles.
UNCG tied it in the top of the fourth inning, stringing together three straight hits at the bottom of the order. Senior Whitney Sirois delivered a single to right to drive in Akiyama with the tying run.
The game would stay tied until the decisive seventh, thanks in large part to an outstanding defensive play by UNCG right fielder Laura Olenderski in the sixth.
With the bases loaded and one out, Gorzelle lifted a fly ball to right that Olenderski was able to put away. Boyd tried to tag up from third, but Olenderski gunned down the SoCon's Preseason Player of the Year at the plate for the inning-ending double play.
Ausley was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored for UNCG, while Emeterio and Sirois were both 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Rappe and Rembielak were both 2-for-4 with a run scored to pace App.
Harrell (5-10) was saddled with the loss for the Spartans, allowing three runs - two earned - on seven hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings. She struck out six.
Seader picked up the win with three innings of scoreless, two-hit relief. She struck out five. Dow worked the first four innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out three.
The rubber game of the series will be Sunday at 1 p.m. UNCG will be looking for its first series win over App since the 2003 season.
AGATE
Appalachian State 3, UNC Greensboro 2 (Apr 10, 2010 at Boone, N.C.) (Game 1)
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UNC Greensboro...... 001 100 0 - 2 7 1 (15-21, 4-5 SoCon)
Appalachian State... 002 000 1 - 3 7 1 (19-15, 6-6 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell and Whitney Sirois. Appalachian State - Hannah Dow; Frannie Seader(5) and Michelle Lighton.
Win-Frannie Seader(5-2) Loss-Amber Harrell(5-10) T-1:37 A-0
Weather: 60 degrees
UNC Greensboro 4, Appalachian State 2 (Apr 10, 2010 at Boone, N.C.) (Game 2)
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UNC Greensboro...... 000 101 02 - 4 7 3 (16-21, 5-5 SoCon)
Appalachian State... 001 100 00 - 2 8 2 (19-16, 6-7 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson and Whitney Sirois; Katie Stripling(5). Appalachian State - Caitlin Wainright; Frannie Seader(4) and Michelle Lighton.
Win-Cory Mattson(9-10) Loss-Frannie Seader(5-3) T-2:10 A-159
Weather: 60 degrees
- UNCG -
