GREENVILLE, S.C. – UNC Greensboro took two of three games from Furman on Sunday, finishing off Saturday's suspended game 5-0 before taking a 3-0 win in game two. The Paladins grabbed a 4-3 win in game three to avoid the sweep. UNCG senior Amber Harrell struck out her 600th career batter in the final contest.
With the wins, UNCG improved to 23-23 overall and 10-7 in the Southern Conference. The Spartans, who entered the weekend tied for third with Furman (21-20, 9-8 SoCon), now hold sole possession of third.
Saturday, the Spartans jumped on top of Furman with three runs in the first on an RBI single from Alex Emeterio and back-to-back RBI doubles from Eileen Horsmon and Kaitlin Merkt.
UNCG made it 5-0 in the third when Emeterio led off with a solo home run, her fifth of the season, and Whitney Sirois later added a sacrifice fly.
After heavy rain in the area forced the game to be suspended Saturday, the contest resumed Sunday in the top of the fourth inning, with neither side scoring the rest of the way.
Harrell (11-11) was in control for the Spartans both days, allowing just one hit in the first three innings Saturday and closing out the two-hitter Sunday for her second shutout of the season. She struck out nine in the game to move her to 599 for her career.
Emeterio was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Lana Mackey (15-8) took the loss for Furman, allowing five runs – four earned – on six hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings Saturday. Kayla Suskauer worked the final 3 2/3 Sunday, allowing just two walks and striking out six.
The Spartans made it two straight in game two, with starter Cory Mattson (10-11) throwing a four-hitter for her third shutout of the season.
Horsmon staked Mattson to the only run she would need in the fourth, hitting a two-out solo home run in the top of the fourth, her fourth of the season. The Spartans added two more in the fifth on Kristen Gabel's two-run single.
Mattson worked out of a few jams to earn the shutout. The Paladins loaded the bases with one out in the third inning, but Mattson got a fielder's choice and a foulout to escape unscathed.
Mackey led off the fourth with a triple for Furman, but Mattson fielded Brythe Blankenship's bunt and nailed Mackey at the plate. The Paladins had one more excellent opportunity, as a two-out error in the seventh put runners at first and second, but Mattson got a groundout to end the game.
Suskauer took the loss, allowing three runs on a walk and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Needing just one strikeout for her milestone 600th in game three, Harrell whiffed Mackey, the opposing pitcher, for the third out in the first inning.
Furman scored its first runs of the series in the second inning, taking advantage of a pair of UNCG errors to score all four of its runs in the game.
Alex Bimonte had an RBI single in the frame, and later scored on Harrell's error. With two down, Jessie Homesley and Morgan Hughey added RBI singles of their own to make it a 4-0 game.
Mackey was rolling early, surviving back-to-back singles from Emeterio and Horsmon in the first and a two-double from Brittany Ausley in the third before the Spartans finally got on the board in the sixth.
Emeterio hit a one-out double and Horsmon followed with a walk before Kaitlin Merkt hit her eighth home run of the season to make it a 4-3 contest.
Mackey struck out the next two batters to end the inning, then struck out two of the three in the seventh to nail down the win. She allowed three runs on six hits and a walk, striking out 11.
Harrell took the loss, allowing four runs – only one of which was earned – on seven hits and a walk, striking out six.
Emeterio and Horsmon had two hits each for the Spartans. Bimonte and Stephanie Field had two hits each to pace Furman.
UNCG returns to action Tuesday with its final nonconference games of the season. The Spartans will take on Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 5, Furman 0 (Apr 24, 2010 at Greenville, S.C.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 302 000 0 - 5 6 1 (22-22, 9-6 SoCon)
Furman.............. 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 (20-19, 8-7 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell and Whitney Sirois. Furman - Lana Mackey; Kayla Suskauer(4) and Alex Bimonte.
Win-Amber Harrell(11-10) Loss-Lana Mackey(14-8) T-2:10 A-59
HR UNCG - Alex Emeterio.
Weather: 65, cloudy
UNC Greensboro 3, Furman 0 (Apr 25, 2010 at Greenville, S.C.) (Game 1)
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UNC Greensboro...... 000 120 0 - 3 5 2 (23-22, 10-6 SoCon)
Furman.............. 000 000 0 - 0 4 0 (20-20, 8-8 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson and Whitney Sirois. Furman - Kayla Suskauer; Hannah Bradley(5) and Alex Bimonte.
Win-Cory Mattson(10-11) Loss-Kayla Suskauer(3-5) T-1:42 A-0
HR UNCG - Eileen Horsmon.
Weather: 74, sunny
Furman 4, UNC Greensboro 3 (Apr 25, 2010 at Greenville, S.C.) (Game 2)
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UNC Greensboro...... 000 003 0 - 3 6 3 (23-23, 10-7 SoCon)
Furman.............. 040 000 X - 4 7 0 (21-20, 9-8 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell and Whitney Sirois. Furman - Lana Mackey and Alex Bimonte.
Win-Lana Mackey(15-8) Loss-Amber Harrell(11-11) T-1:38 A-101
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt.
Weather: 75, sunny
- UNCG -
