GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG saw seventh-inning rallies fall short twice Saturday as it dropped a pair of close games to Minnesota at the Spartan Classic, falling 1-0 in the first game and 8-6 in the second contest.
The Spartans (6-8) will now play in the tournament's consolation game at 11 a.m. Sunday against Morehead State (4-9), which suffered a pair of mercy-rule setbacks to Kansas (13-1) on Saturday. Minnesota (7-6) will take on the Jayhawks for the Spartan Classic title at 1 p.m.
In UNCG's first game Saturday, starter Josie Felix was locked in a pitchers' duel with the Golden Gophers' Sara Moulton, with Minnesota scratching across the lone run of the game in the sixth inning.
Kari Dorle got the rally going for the Gophers with a one-out single up the middle, and after Jessie Hathaway's bunt single put runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Natalie Neal singled up the middle to bring in pinch-runner Kristin Coonrod. Felix escaped further damage with a strikeout and a lineout, but that was the only run Minnesota would need.
The Spartans had their chances in the seventh, as Kaitlin Merkt reached on an error to lead off the frame. Jordan Jewett followed with a flyout to deep center, and pinch-runner Ashley Reetz, who tagged up the move to second, was called out for leaving first base early to seemingly kill the rally.
Down to its last out, UNCG sent pinch-hitter Ally Johnson to the plate, and Johnson reached on another Minnesota error to give the Spartans new life once more. Moulton got out of the jam, however, getting Katelyn Bedwell to ground out to third to end the game.
Alex Emeterio had UNCG's lone hit of the contest, a double to the gap in left center in the first inning. Moulton then retired the next 12 in order before Bedwell reached on an error in the fifth. A Kristin Gabel walk gave UNCG multiple base-runners for the first time on the afternoon, but Moulton got a grounder to end the inning.
Felix (2-2) took the loss despite a solid performance, allowing one run on seven hits and a walk. She struck out a career-high five.
Moulton (6-4) allowed one hit and one walk and struck out eight.
Game two against the Gophers again saw UNCG stage a late-inning rally, but it once again fell short.
Trailing 8-3 going into the seventh, the Spartans seized the momentum with three runs and threatened for more. April Langley's leadoff double was followed by Gabel's RBI single to right, and a walk to Reetz and an Aisha Figueroa single up the middle loaded the bases with no one out to chase Alissa Koch.
Jewett followed with a sacrifice fly deep down the left field line to score Gabel, and Emeterio's grounder scored Reetz to make it an 8-6 affair. Moulton nailed down her first collegiate save with a strikeout looking to end the threat, however, sending the Gophers to Sunday's title game.
Figueroa, Emeterio, Bedwell, Langley and Gabel had two hits each as UNCG matched its season high with 12 hits in the game.
Aubrey Davis was 3-for-5 with two runs for Minnesota, while Dannie Skrove was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Cory Mattson (2-5) took the loss, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and eight walks in 6 innings. Koch (1-2) picked up the win with 4 1/3 innings of relief of Moulton, allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out seven.
Moulton, who started the game, earned the save after re-entering in the seventh. She allowed three runs on four hits and five walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Kansas 14, Morehead State 0 (5) – Kristin Martinez and Ashley Spencer combined on a two-hitter and Rosie Hull and Marissa Ingle had two hits each as Kansas scored early and often in a 14-0 win over Morehead State in 5 innings Saturday. Mariah Montgomery was 1-for-3 with three RBI for the Jayhawks, who scored multiple runs in each inning but the fourth.
Kansas 11, Morehead State 0 (5) – Kansas scored five runs in the first inning and got three-hit, three-RBI games from Brittany Hile and Maggie Hull in cruising past Morehead State 11-0 in 5 innings to reach Sunday's title game of the Spartan Classic. Alex Jones and Kristin Martinez combined to four-hit the Eagles.
AGATE
Minnesota 1, UNCG 0 (Feb 26, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Minnesota........... 000 001 0 - 1 7 3 (6-6)
UNCG................ 000 000 0 - 0 1 2 (6-7)
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Pitchers: Minnesota - Sara Moutlton. UNCG - Josie Felix.
Win-Sara Moutlton(6-4) Loss-Josie Felix(2-2) T-1:48 A-102
Weather: 49 degrees and sunny
Minnesota 8, UNCG 6 (Feb 26, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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UNCG................ 030 000 3 - 6 12 2 (6-8)
Minnesota........... 210 311 X - 8 10 0 (7-6)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson and Ashley Reetz. Minnesota - Sara Moutlton; Alissa Koch(3).
Win-Alissa Koch(1-2) Loss-Cory Mattson(2-5) T-2:20 A-115
Weather: 55 degrees and sunny
Koch faced 4 batters in the 7th.
Kansas 14, Morehead State 0 (Feb 26, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Kansas.............. 425 03 - 14 9 0 (12-1)
Morehead State...... 000 00 - 0 2 2 (4-8)
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Pitchers: Kansas - Kristin Martinez; Ashley Spencer(5). Morehead State - Kelcey McMurray; Ashley Boyd(3); Ashley Imperial(3); Jami Whitcomb(5).
Win-Kristin Martinez(5-0) Loss-Kelcey McMurray(2-1) T-1:45 A-67
Weather: 41 degrees, sunny
A. Boyd faced 4 batters in the 3rd.
Kansas 11, Morehead State 0 (Feb 26, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Morehead State...... 000 00 - 0 4 1 (4-9)
Kansas.............. 523 1X - 11 12 1 (13-1)
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Pitchers: Morehead State - Ashley Imperial; Jami Whitcomb(3). Kansas - Alex Jones; Kristin Martinez(4).
Win-Alex Jones(2-0) Loss-Ashley Imperial T-1:35 A-56
Weather: 53 degrees
- UNCG -
