CHARLOTTE, N.C. – UNCG swept a pair of games from St. Francis (Pa.) at Charlotte's First Pitch Classic on Saturday, 3-1 and 8-6, to advance to Sunday's championship game.
The Spartans (5-4) rallied past the Red Flash (1-3) in both contests. UNCG will face Eastern Kentucky in the title game at 1 p.m. Sunday.
In game one, St. Francis jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, as Kaitlin Andler knocked in Karlie Miller with an unearned run.
The Spartans answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a lead they would not relinquish. Alex Emeterio led off with a single, and Kaitlin Merkt followed with a triple to bring her home. One out later, Katelyn Bedwell singled to knock in Merkt with the go-ahead run.
UNCG added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, with Jordan Jewett hitting an RBI single to bring in Merkt, who doubled to lead off the inning.
Freshman Josie Felix picked up her second straight win to improve to 2-0 on the season, allowing just one unearned run on seven hits in 7 innings. She did not walk a batter and struck out two.
Michelle Spisak (0-1) took the loss for the Red Flash, allowing two runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings pitched.
Merkt, Bedwell and Jewett had two hits each in the contest. Andler and Jasa Mitchell had two hits each for St. John's.
UNCG finished 2-1 in pool play to grab the second seed in the tournament, while St. Francis finished as the third seed, meaning the two would meet again later in the afternoon in bracket play.
St. Francis carried a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth in the second game, but the Spartans exploded for six runs in the inning before even recording an out to reclaim the lead. Heather Robb hit an RBI triple to bring in the first run of the inning, and pinch-hitter Katie Stripling hit an RBI double to pull UNCG within a run. A Kristen Gable single and an Aisha Figueroa walk loaded the bases for senior April Langley, who laced a bases-clearing triple to break the game open. Emeterio followed with an RBI single to make it a six-run frame and put UNCG up 8-5.
The Red Flash got a solo home run from Taylor Darnielle to lead off the seventh, but reliever Raeanne Hanks worked around a one-out walk after that to nail down the win.
UNCG held a 1-0 lead in game two after one inning, as Figueroa led off with a single and came in on Merkt's RBI single.
The Red Flash struck for three runs in the third to take the lead, taking advantage of a walk, a wild pitch and two errors in the inning.
St. Francis made it 4-1 game on Paige Smith's RBI single in the fourth, but the Spartans got a run back in the bottom of the fifth on Merkt's sacrifice fly.
Langley finished the game 1-for-3 with three RBI, while Merkt was 1-for-2 with two RBI. Robb was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Figueroa was 1-for-1 with two runs, a walk and a sacrifice.
Hanks worked 3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk to improve to 2-1 on the season. Starter Cory Mattson allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks in 4 innings.
Michelle Andrews (0-1) took the loss for the Red Flash, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in an inning pitched. Starter Megan Layne allowed six runs on eight hits and four walks in 5 innings.
With the sweep, the Spartans earned a date in the title game against fourth-seeded Eastern Kentucky, which beat Charlotte twice on Saturday. UNCG downed EKU 10-1 in 5 innings on Friday.
AGATE
UNCG 3, St. Francis (Pa.) 1 (Feb 19, 2011 at Charlotte, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Francis (Pa.)... 100 000 0 - 1 7 1 (1-2)
UNCG................ 000 201 X - 3 8 1 (4-4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: St. Francis (Pa.) - Michelle Spisak; Michelle Andrews(4). UNCG - Josie Felix.
Win-Josie Felix(2-0) Loss-Michelle Spisak(0-1) T-1:30 A-0
Weather: 60 Degrees, Clear Skies
UNCG 8, St. Francis (Pa.) 6 (Feb 19, 2011 at Charlotte, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Francis (Pa.)... 003 101 1 - 6 8 0 (1-3)
UNCG................ 100 016 X - 8 10 2 (5-4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: St. Francis (Pa.) - Megan Layne; Michelle Andrews(6). UNCG - Cory Mattson; Raeanne Hanks(5).
Win-Raeanne Hanks(2-1) Loss-Michelle Andrews(0-1) T-2:00 A-0
HR STF - Taylor Darnielle.
Weather: 60 Degrees, Clear Skies
- UNCG -
