GREENSBORO, N.C. – Alex Emeterio went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI as UNCG downed Morehead State 3-2 in the consolation game of the Spartan Classic on Sunday. Kansas topped Minnesota 1-0 in the title game later in the afternoon.
Emeterio put the Spartans (7-8) on the board in the top of the first inning, lacing a double to the gap in right center to score Aisha Figueroa, who led off the game with an infield single.
UNCG made it a 3-0 contest in the third inning, with April Langley drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second before Emeterio brought her in with an RBI single to right. Emeterio moved to second on a Morehead State error on the play.
Kaitlin Merkt followed with a single up the middle to score Emeterio and give the Spartans an early three-run cushion.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson worked out of a couple of early jams, getting an infield fly and a strikeout as Morehead State (4-10) left the bases loaded in the second and working around a double and infield single in the fourth.
The Eagles finally broke through against Mattson in the sixth. A pair of hits and a hit batter loaded the bases, and Stephanie Etter came in on Sam Woodall's fielder's choice that erased the runner at third. Kayla Ashbrook followed with an RBI single up the middle, but Mattson got a groundout to escape further damage.
She then worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to lock up the win.
Heather Robb also had a two-hit game for the Spartans, going 2-for-3 with singles in the second and sixth innings.
Mattson improved to 3-5 on the season, allowing two runs on seven hits. Her counterpart, Kelcey McMurray fell to 2-2 after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks in 3 innings. Ashley Imperial finished the game for the Eagles, throwing 4 innings of three-hit ball.
UNCG returns to action next weekend at the Buzz Classic in Woodstock, Ga. The Spartans open play at the Buzz against Western Kentucky at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by a contest against Evansville.
Kansas 1, Minnesota 0 – Kansas' Marissa Ingle smoked a double down the left field line to score Ashley Newman from first in the top of the seventh inning as the Jayhawks downed Minnesota 1-0 in the Spartan Classic championship game. Pitcher Kristin Martinez tossed a two-hitter for Kansas, improving to 6-0 on the season.
AGATE
UNCG 3, Morehead State 2 (Feb 27, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UNCG................ 102 000 0 - 3 8 0 (7-8)
Morehead State...... 000 002 0 - 2 7 1 (4-10)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson. Morehead State - Kelcey McMurray; Ashley Imperial(4).
Win-Cory Mattson(3-5) Loss-Kelcey McMurray(2-2) T-1:51 A-115
Weather: 57 degrees and sunny
Kansas 1, Minnesota 0 (Feb 27, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas.............. 000 000 1 - 1 7 0 (14-1)
Minnesota........... 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 (7-7)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Kansas - Kristin Martinez. Minnesota - Sara Moulton.
Win-Kristin Martinez(6-0) Loss-Sara Moulton(6-5) T-1:58 A-78
Weather: 73 degrees and sunny
- UNCG -
