TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – UNCG's softball team earned a split on day two at the Seminole Kick Off Classic, downing St. John's in the early game, 13-3, before falling to No. 23 Florida State in the late game by the same score. Both games ended in 5 innings.
UNCG (2-2) trailed 3-2 entering the fourth inning against St. John's (1-2), but rapped out nine hits and took advantage of three errors to score 11 runs and put the game out of reach. The Spartans nearly batted around twice in the frame, sending 17 batters to plate. Aisha Figueroa and Alex Emeterio had two hits each, while every member of the lineup reached base at least once via hit or walk.
The game against St. John's got off to a rough start, with the Red Storm scoring all three of its runs in the top of the first. Chrissy Montez hit an RBI single, Kristi Cady had an RBI triple and Myriah Rodgers rapped out an RBI double, all in consecutive at-bats off starter Alex Emeterio.
UNCG got a run back in the bottom of the second on Katelyn Bedwell's RBI double and added another run in the third when Figueroa scored on a wild pitch.
Raeanne Hanks (1-1) picked up the win with 4 innings of scoreless relief.
Aleshia Link (0-1) took the loss, allowing seven runs, only one of them earned, in 2/3 of an inning of work.
Emeterio finished 3-for-3 with a walk in the contest, while Figueroa, Bedwell and Kaitlin Merkt had two hits each.
After finishing pool play as the second seed in the four-team tournament, UNCG squared off the with third-seeded Florida State in the nightcap.
The Seminoles, who were no-hit by Cory Mattson on Friday in the tournament's first game, wasted little time getting their first hit off Mattson on Saturday, as Tiffani Brown led off the game with a bunt single.
FSU (2-2) didn't score in the inning but got to Mattson (1-1) in the second, batting around to knock her from the game. The Seminoles pounded out seven hits in the frame and left the bases loaded. Robin Ahrberg and Jen Lapicki each had two-RBI hits in the inning.
The Spartans got a run back in the bottom half when Merkt led off with her first home run of the season. The blast was the 24th of her career, moving her into a tie for third in school history with Kelly Allen (2004-06).
Lapicki had a bases-clearing double in the top of the third inning to make it an 11-1 contest, and Brown had a two-run home run in the top of the fourth to make it 13-1.
UNCG rounded out the scoring in the bottom of fourth, starting with pinch-hitter Katie Stripling getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the Spartans' second run of the game. Figueroa followed with an RBI single to plate pinch-hitter Kayla Hensley, who reached via single.
The Spartans threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, getting three straight singles from Merkt, Eileen Horsmon and Bedwell, but a fielder's choice ended the inning and the game.
Figueroa, Merkt and Horsmon had two hits each for the Spartans, while Brown, Lapicki, Shayla Jackson and Courtney Senas had two-hit games for FSU. Lapicki had five RBI.
Morgan Bullock (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 innings.
Mattson took the loss, allowing eight earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Hanks worked 1 1/3, allowing three runs, and Josie Felix finished out the game allowing two runs on two hits in 2 innings.
UNCG returns to action Sunday in the consolation game of the tournament, where it will take on St. John's at 10 a.m.
AGATE
UNCG 13, St. John's 3 (Feb 12, 2011 at Tallahassee, Fla.)
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St. John's.......... 300 0 0 - 3 6 3 (1-2)
UNCG................ 011 (11)X - 13 12 1 (2-1)
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Pitchers: St. John's - LAWRENCE, K.; LINK, A.(4). UNCG - Raeanne Hanks; Alex Emeterio(5).
Win-Raeanne Hanks(1-1) Loss-LINK, A.(0-1) T-1:45 A-0
Weather: Chilly
Florida State 13, UNCG 3 (Feb 12, 2011 at Tallahassee, Fla.)
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Florida State....... 083 20 - 13 13 0 (2-2)
UNCG................ 010 20 - 3 9 0 (2-2)
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Pitchers: Florida State - Morgan Bullock. UNCG - Cory Mattson; Raeanne Hanks(2); Josie Felix(4).
Win-Morgan Bullock(1-0) Loss-Cory Mattson(1-1) T-1:45 A-212
HR FS - Tiffani Brown (1).
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt (1).
Weather: Fair
- UNCG -
