GREENSBORO, N.C. – For the second straight day, UNC Greensboro posted the largest Southern Conference victory in school history, pounding out 14 hits in a five-inning, 17-1 win over Western Carolina on Sunday to clinch the series.
Alex Emeterio, Eileen Horsmon and Kaitlin Merkt had three hits each and Whitney Sirois hit a three-run home run in the first inning as the Spartans (19-22, 8-6 SoCon) cruised to the win.
UNCG jumped all over Western Carolina starter Amber Steinhardt, scoring six runs in the first. Brittany Ausley and Emeterio came in on a Horsmon single and a WCU error and Heather Robb drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Sirois belted a drive out to left field to blow the game open early.
The Spartans added another run in the second on another RBI single from Horsmon, then scored four in the third inning to put the game in mercy-rule territory. Merkt and Ausley had RBI doubles in the fourth, while Emeterio added a run-scoring single.
UNCG made it a record-setting day in the fourth inning, plating six more runs for the most lopsided SoCon win in school history, supplanting Saturday's 15-1 win over the Catamounts (7-35, 2-15 SoCon). Pinch-hitter Kayla Hensley had a two-run single in the frame, but the big blow was Merkt's monster homer, a two-run shot that hit the top of the scoreboard in right center on the way down.
The homer was Merkt's sixth of the season, matching the career high she set last year.
Western avoided the shutout in the top of the fifth, getting a two-out RBI single from Colby Liles that scored Jordan Fulton.
Amber Harrell (8-10) picked up the win for UNCG, allowing one run on five hits and two walks in five innings. A day after becoming the Spartans' career strikeout leader, Harrell whiffed six to run her career total to 577.
Steinhardt fell to 4-12 on the season, allowing 10 runs – just three of which were earned – off seven hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings. The freshman did lead the Catamounts at the plate with a 2-for-3 showing.
Ausley reached base four times for the Spartans, scoring each time.
The win, coupled with Georgia Southern's 7-2 loss at Samford, ties UNCG for third in the league standings with idle Furman. The top four teams in the league advance to the SoCon tournament May 13-14.
UNCG's 17 runs, 14 hits and four stolen bases were all season highs. In all, 16 of UNCG's 17 available players got into the game.
The Spartans return to action Thursday when they host crosstown rival North Carolina A&T for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 17, Western Carolina 1 (Apr 18, 2010 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Western Carolina.... 000 01 - 1 5 3 (7-35, 2-15 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 614 6X - 17 14 0 (19-22, 8-6 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Western Carolina - Amber Steinhardt; Katie King(3); Bekah Burkett(4) and
Danielle Reese. UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell and Eileen Horsmon; Whitney Sirois;
Katie Stripling.
Win-Amber Harrell(8-10) Loss-Amber Steinhardt(4-12) T-1:31 A-164
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt (6); Whitney Sirois (2).
Weather: 57 degrees, sunny
King faced 4 batters in the 4th.
- UNCG -
