For video of coach Jennifer Herzig's postgame comments, click here.
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Alex Emeterio hit a towering home run to dead center in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 2-all tie and Eileen Horsmon had a two-run blast as UNCG completed a three-game sweep of Samford with a 3-2 win on Sunday.
The victory sent seniors Kaitlin Merkt, Kayla Hensley, April Langley, Katie Stripling and Kristen Gabel out winners on Senior Day.
After Samford (11-37, 7-14 Southern Conference) tied the contest with pair of runs in the top half of the sixth, Emeterio put UNCG (24-27, 10-11 SoCon) back on top for good with a no-doubter to straightaway center with two outs. The homer was her first of the season.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson and Samford starter Nicole Bobrowski were locked in a pitchers' duel for much of the game. Bobrowski retired 12 straight Spartans after allowing Langley's leadoff single in the first, while Mattson put down 12 straight after a two-out double by Robyn Harmon in the first. Mattson didn't allow another hit until Arica Dykes' leadoff single in the sixth.
The Spartans finally got to Bobrowski in the fifth, with Jordan Jewett lacing a single up the middle to get things going. After a fielder's choice erased her at second, Horsmon sent the first pitch she saw from Bobrowski out to center for the 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs got both runs back the following inning. Dykes' single and a Brianna Chambers walk put runners on first and second with one out, and Harmon followed with an RBI single to knock Mattson from the game. Reliever Raeanne Hanks got an Amanda Jordan groundout for the second out, but Chambers was able to score on the play to knot things at 2. After a Bobrowski walk, Hanks struck out Lakan Smith looking to prevent further damage.
After Emeterio's homer put UNCG back on top, Hanks nailed down the win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning, striking out Dykes to end the game.
Hanks (7-3) picked up the win with 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief, while Mattson took the no-decision after being charged with two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Bobrowski (2-10) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in six innings.
Langley, Emeterio, Jewett and Horsmon had UNCG's four hits on the day, while Harmon was 2-for-3 to lead the Bulldogs.
The three-game sweep was UNCG's first of the season and first since taking three straight from Furman on May 3-4, 2008.
UNCG returns to action next weekend when it completes the regular season at Elon with a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday.
AGATE
UNCG 3, Samford 2 (May 01, 2011 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Samford............. 000 002 0 - 2 3 1 (11-37, 7-14 SoCon)
UNCG................ 000 021 0 - 3 4 0 (24-27, 10-11 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Samford - Nicole Bobrowski. UNCG - Cory Mattson; Raeanne Hanks(6).
Win-Raeanne Hanks(7-3) Loss-Nicole Bobrowski(2-10) T-1;30 A-107
HR UNCG - Alex Emeterio (1); Eileen Horsmon (3).
Weather: 69 degrees, mostly cloudy
- UNCG -
