WOODSTOCK, Ga. – UNCG dropped a 7-1 game to Western Kentucky but rebounded with a 9-3 win over Evansville as the Spartans earned a split on Friday, the first day of the Buzz Classic.
Against WKU (10-4), Kaitlin Merkt hit an RBI single for the Spartans (8-9) in the first inning to knock in Aisha Figueroa, who singled the lead off the game.
Western Kentucky tied the game in the bottom of the second on Megan Johnson's RBI single, then scored three runs in the third to take a lead it would not relinquish. Mallorie Sulaski, Amanda Walden and Amanda Thomas had RBI in the inning.
The Hilltoppers added two more runs in the fifth on Lauren Smith's two-run single, then added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Thomas.
The Spartans' best chance for a comeback was in the fifth, but UNCG left the bases loaded. Kristen Gabel got things going with a one-out single and Figueroa followed by reaching on an error. One out later, Alex Emeterio reached on a walk to load the bases, but WKU starter Kim Wagner got a popout to get out of trouble.
Figueroa was 2-for-4 in the contest but reached base in all four at-bats. She reached base twice on errors by WKU shortstop Thomas.
Wagner (4-2) picked up the win, allowing one run on four hits in 6 innings.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson (3-6) took the loss, allowing seven runs on nine hits in 6 innings.
The Spartans bounced back in the nightcap, exploding for four runs in the bottom of the first against Evansville (1-10) after giving up two in the top half.
The Purple Aces drew first blood in the first with some savvy base-running. Katie Sears drew a leadoff walk, stole second, then went to third on a wild pitch. After a walk to Kelci Alsip, the two worked a double steal for Evansville's first run.
A sacrifice moved Alsip to third and after another walk, Alsip came home when Alicia Betancur got caught in a rundown between first and second.
UNCG came roaring back in the bottom half, with Emeterio hitting an RBI single to score Figueroa and Merkt following with a two-run home run to make it 3-2. After a Jordan Jewett walk, Toni MacReynolds hit an RBI double to make it a two-run game.
The Spartans added another run in the second on another RBI single from Emeterio. Two more runs came in in the third inning, with Jewett scoring on an Ally Johnson groundout and Heather Robb coming around on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.
Evansville got a run back in the fifth on Kacey Rogers' bases-loaded walk, but the Spartans answered with a pair in the bottom of the sixth on Emeterio's RBI single and Merkt's run-scoring double.
Emeterio finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI, while Merkt was 2-for-3 with three RBI of her own. Figueroa, Robb and MacReynolds also had two hits each.
Amy Gaertner was 2-for-4 to lead the Purple Aces.
Josie Felix (3-2) picked up the win, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. Her counterpart, Kendall Kautz (0-3), took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits in an inning of work.
UNCG returns to action at the Buzz Classic on Saturday, taking on Massachusetts at 11 a.m. and Connecticut at 4 p.m.
AGATE
Western Kentucky 7, UNCG 1 (Mar 04, 2011 at Woodstock, Ga.)
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UNCG................ 100 000 0 - 1 4 2 (7-9)
Western Kentucky.... 013 021 X - 7 9 2 (10-4)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson. Western Kentucky - Kim Wagner; Dana Nathanson(7).
Win-Kim Wagner(4-2) Loss-Cory Mattson(3-6) T-1:36 A-0
Weather: 44 degrees, cloudy
UNCG 9, Evansville 3 (Mar 04, 2011 at Wooodstock, Ga.)
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Evansville.......... 200 010 0 - 3 4 0 (1-10)
UNCG................ 412 002 X - 9 14 1 (8-9)
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Pitchers: Evansville - Kendall Kautz; Taylor Perry(2); Samantha Meyer(3). UNCG - Josie Felix.
Win-Josie Felix(3-2) Loss-Kendall Kautz(0-3) T- A-0
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt.
Weather: Cold and windy :(
Kautz faced 1 batter in the 2nd.
Perry faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
- UNCG -
