CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Kaitlin Merkt and Heather Robb hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the sixth inning and the Spartans scored five runs in the seventh to turn the contest into a romp as UNCG took a 10-1 win over Western Carolina on Sunday to win the weekend series.
A day after scoring the most runs in a Southern Conference game in school history in an 18-3 win, UNCG (15-18, 6-3 SoCon) hit double digits against the Catamounts (15-21, 2-10 SoCon) for the fourth time in the last six games between the teams.
UNCG bolted out to a 3-0 lead with single runs in each of the first three innings. After Kristen Gabel reached on an error to start the game, Aisha Figueroa sacrificed her to second and Merkt knocked her in with an RBI double.
A Kayla Hensley sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the second, while Robb's sac fly made it 3-0 in the third.
The Catamounts got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of two UNCG errors as Erin Foster came around to score.
Merkt and Robb – UNCG's No. 1 and 2 home run hitters – went back-to-back to lead off the sixth, making it a 5-1 contest. Merkt's homer was her third of the series, as she hit one in each game.
The Spartans blew it open in the top of the seventh, sending 10 batters to the plate. With the bases loaded, pinch-hitter Ashley Reetz hit into a fielder's choice, but Gabel was safe at home on another of Western's five errors on the day. Jordan Jewett and Katelyn Bedwell followed with back-to-back RBI singles, and Hensley's two-run single capped the scoring.
Merkt, Figueroa and Jewett had two hits each to lead the Spartans. Figueroa and Jewett had two steals each on the day. Hensley had three RBI.
Cory Mattson (8-9) picked up the win, scattering four hits and allowing just an unearned run. Amber Steinhardt (7-7) took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits in 5 innings. Katie King allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in 2 innings.
The Spartans return to action when they step out of conference play to host Liberty on Wednesday for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 10, Western Carolina 1 (Apr 03, 2011 at Cullowhee, N.C.)
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UNCG................ 111 002 5 - 10 10 2 (15-18, 6-3)
Western Carolina.... 000 010 0 - 1 4 5 (15-21, 2-10)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson. Western Carolina - Amber Steinhardt; Katie King(6).
Win-Cory Mattson(8-9) Loss-Amber Steinhardt(7-7) T-1hr 46 A-349
HR UNCG - Kaitlin Merkt (8); Heather Robb (4).
Weather: Sunny
Steinhardt faced 2 batters in the 6th.
- UNCG -
