CHARLOTTE, N.C. – UNCG split on its first day at the First Pitch Classic, falling to host Charlotte 3-0 and downing Eastern Kentucky 10-1 in 5 innings on Friday.
UNCG (3-4) got a pair of solid pitching performances on the afternoon, with freshman Josie Felix (1-0) picking up her first career win in the second game on the strength of a two-hitter.
In game one, Charlotte's Katy Hackett (3-0) struck out 15 and held UNCG to just four hits in picking up the win. Freshman Aisha Figueroa had two of the Spartans' hits on the afternoon, rapping out singles in the first and third innings.
The Spartans had runners at first and second with one out in the first and sixth innings, but Hackett struck out the next two batters in both frames to escape damage.
Meanwhile, Charlotte (4-2) scored single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings. Jalisa Rock had an RBI single in the third, Tenaya Tucker hit a solo homer in the fifth and Chelsea Ingersoll scored on a UNCG error in the sixth.
Tucker finished the contest 3-for-4 for the 49ers.
Cory Mattson (1-3) took the loss in the circle for the Spartans, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and eight walks in 7 innings.
UNCG found its offense in the second game, batting around to score six runs in the first inning. The Spartans hit four singles and drew four walks in the opening frame to jump out to a lead it would not relinquish.
The Colonels (0-2) got a run back in the bottom half of the frame without the benefit of a hit. Diane Gallagher was hit by a pitch with one out, and moved up a base on a two-out walk. An error on a ball that should have ended the inning allowed Gallagher to score EKU's lone run of the contest.
UNCG put two more runs on the board in the second, getting an RBI single from Kaitlin Merkt before Merkt later came around on an error.
Merkt put the game out of reach and into run-rule territory in the fifth, hitting her second home run of the season, a two-run shot that made it 10-1.
Merkt was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the contest, while April Langley and Jordan Jewett had two hits each, as well.
Felix allowed just two hits and walked one in the win. Stacye Toups took the loss for the Colonels, as she allowed six runs on four walks and three hits in just a third of an inning.
UNCG will take on St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by its first game of bracket play, either at 2 or 4 p.m.
AGATE
Charlotte 49ers 3, UNCG 0 (Feb 18, 2011 at Charlotte, N.C.)
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Charlotte 49ers..... 001 011 0 - 3 6 0 (4-2)
UNCG................ 000 000 0 - 0 4 1 (2-4)
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Pitchers: Charlotte 49ers - Hackett. UNCG - Cory Mattson.
Win-Hackett(3-0) Loss-Cory Mattson(1-3) T-1:55 A-0
HR CHA - Tucker.
Weather: 70 Degrees, Clear Skies
UNCG 10, Eastern Kentucky 1 (Feb 18, 2011 at Charlotte, N.C.)
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UNCG................ 620 02 - 10 10 2 (3-4)
Eastern Kentucky.... 100 00 - 1 2 2 (0-2)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Josie Felix. Eastern Kentucky - TOUPS, S.; ESPERAS, N.(1); DRIVER, H.(4).
Win-Josie Felix(1-0) Loss-TOUPS, S.(0-1) T-1:30 A-0
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt.
Weather: 70 Degrees, Clear Skies
- UNCG -
