BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kaitlin Merkt was 3-for-3 with the first two-home run game of her career and UNC Greensboro had Samford down to its last strike, but the Bulldogs' Amanda Jordan hit a three-run, walk-off home run to give the home squad a 5-4 win Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams. The Spartans must now wait to learn their postseason fate.
A win would have clinched a spot in the four-team Southern Conference Championship for the Spartans (25-28, 12-11 SoCon). UNCG's postseason status now rests in the hands of Furman and Georgia Southern, who split a doubleheader Sunday. Should Georgia Southern win Monday's contest, UNCG and Furman would finish the season tied at 12-11 in the SoCon standings and the Spartans would advance to the tournament by virtue of taking the regular-season series against the Paladins. Should the Paladins win Monday, GSU and Furman would be tied at 13-10, putting both into the tournament and leaving UNCG out.
The Spartans were in control of Sunday's contest against the Bulldogs (19-31, 10-14 SoCon) from the get-go, but saw Samford rally with five runs in the last three innings.
UNCG starter Amber Harrell had retired six straight Samford batters heading into the seventh, and got a flyout to left to lead off the inning. Katie England followed with a single to right, but Harrell struck out Amanda Barrs for the second out of the inning.
Alex Adams singled to left to keep the Bulldogs' hopes alive, bringing Jordan to the plate with the game on the line. Already a strikeout victim three times on the day, Jordan fell behind 0-2 before sending Harrell's next offering out to left for the walk-off win.
The loss wasted a career day from Merkt, who put UNCG on top 3-0 in the first inning with a homer that drove in Brittany Ausley and Alex Emeterio, who both singled. She added a solo shot in the fourth, her career-high 11th home run of the season, to make it a 4-0 game. Merkt's four RBI moved her season total a team-best and career-high 38 on the year.
Samford cut the lead in half in the fifth inning, thanks to some wildness from Harrell. Aaren Fisher drew a leadoff walk, then took second on a wild pitch. England followed with a single up the middle to plate Fisher with the Bulldogs' first run of the day, and Barrs' single put runners on the corners. Another wild pitch allowed England to score, but Harrell settled down to retire the next three batters in order.
UNCG stranded 11 runners in the contest, including eight in the first three innings. The Spartans got to starter Stephanie Royall early, but left the bases in the first and second innings in addition to scoring the three first-inning runs. UNCG also left the bases loaded in the sixth.
Harrell fell to 13-14 on the season. She allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. She struck out 10.
Barrs (5-15) picked up the win with two innings of one-hit relief.
Ausley and Kristen Gabel had two hits each as UNCG pounded out 11 on the day. England was 3-for-4 to lead the Bulldogs.
UNCG finishes the regular season with a 12-11 mark in SoCon play, its first winning league record since 2003, when the Spartans were 14-6 in the SoCon.
AGATE
Samford 5, UNC Greensboro 4 (May 09, 2010 at Birmingham, Ala.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 300 100 0 - 4 11 1 (25-28, 12-11 SoCon)
Samford............. 000 020 3 - 5 8 0 (19-31, 10-14 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell and Whitney Sirois. Samford - Stephanie Royall; Kayla Burris(3); Amanda Barrs(6) and Anna Kimbrell.
Win-Amanda Barrs(5-15) Loss-Amber Harrell(13-14) T-1:55 A-347
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt 2 (11).
HR SAM - Amanda Jordan (3).
Weather: Sunny, 68
- UNCG -
