GREENVILLE, S.C. – UNCG's softball team dropped a Southern Conference doubleheader at Furman on Saturday, falling 3-0 in game one and 6-5 in game two as the Paladins earned the walk-off win to complete the sweep.
With the losses, UNCG fell to 11-21 overall and 3-5 in league play. Furman improved to 12-17 overall and 3-5 in the SoCon.
Furman pitcher Hannah Bradley tossed a five-hit shutout in game one, while UNCG stranded at least two runners in three innings and left the bases loaded in the sixth.
The Paladins got the only run they would need in the bottom of the second inning, with Natalie Clemmons hitting an RBI single to score Emily Boyer, who led off the frame with a double.
Clemmons gave Bradley some insurance in the fourth inning, hitting a bases-loaded single to score Boyer and Lauren Collier. Sarah Eidt was out at the plate trying to score on the play.
UNCG seemed to be in business in the top of the first inning, with Aisha Figueroa drawing a leadoff walk and Alex Emeterio hitting a one-out single to put runners on the corners. Emeterio was caught stealing second for the second out, and Eileen Horsmon drew a walk to again put runners at first and third. Bradley escaped the jam with a flyout to left.
The Spartans stranded a pair in the following inning, as well, with Toni MacReynolds and Ashley Reetz hitting consecutive two-out singles. Bradley struck out the next batter to keep UNCG off the board.
UNCG's last scoring chance came in the sixth inning, when the Spartans left the bases loaded. After Horsmon drew a two-out walk, Katelyn Bedwell singled through the left side and Heather Robb was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bradley was again up to the task, working a flyout to center to preserve the shutout.
Bradley (4-5) allowed three walks to go with UNCG's five hits. She struck out five.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson (8-11) allowed three runs on six hits and three walks, striking out two.
Reetz led UNCG with two hits in the contest, while Clemmons was 2-for-3 with three RBI for Furman.
The Spartans seemed poised to earn the split in game two, taking a 5-4 lead into the final inning. Furman had other ideas, however, scoring twice in the frame to complete its rally from a three-run deficit in the game.
Ambree Muller started the Paladins' seventh-inning rally with a leadoff walk, and two outs later, Jessie Homesley was hit by a pitch. Collier kept the two-out rally going with a hot shot off of Figueroa's glove at third, and Clemmons singled up the middle to bring in Muller. UNCG second baseman Dominique Madruga was able to knock down the hit to keep it on the infield, but Robb, the shortstop, couldn't handle Madruga's throw to second, allowing Homesley to cross the plate with the winning run.
Furman led 2-0 after the first inning on Collier's two-run double, but UNCG chipped away at the lead and eventually pulled ahead 5-2.
Aubrey Baldwin's RBI single drew the Spartans within a run in the second inning, and Madruga scored on a Furman error to tie it in the third.
UNCG took its first lead of the day the following inning, starting with Reetz and Baldwin drawing consecutive one-out walks. Figueroa followed with an infield single to load the bases, and Madruga was hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run. Emeterio followed with a bases-loaded walk to plate another run and Horsmon lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 5-2 in UNCG's favor.
The Paladins would get two of those runs back in the bottom half when Hannah Pace hit a two-run homer with one out to pull Furman back within a run at 5-4.
Lakyn Shull (5-5) picked up the win for Furman with five innings of relief, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks, striking out five. Starter Shelby Parker allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in two innings.
UNCG starter Erica Navarette (2-7) took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings.
Bedwell was 2-for-4 to lead the Spartans the plate in game two, while Collier was 2-for-4 for Furman.
The teams will wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. contest Sunday. Live stats can be found at UNCGSpartans.com, courtesy of FurmanPaladins.com. Furman's scheduled streaming broadcast for Sunday's game has been canceled.
AGATE
Furman 3, UNCG 0 (Mar 24, 2012 at Greenville, S.C.) (Game 1)
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UNCG................ 000 000 0 - 0 5 2 (11-20, 3-4 SoCon)
Furman.............. 010 200 X - 3 6 0 (11-17, 2-5 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson and . Furman - Hannah Bradley and .
Win-Hannah Bradley(4-5) Loss-Cory Mattson(8-11) T-1:25 A-0
Weather: 73, partly cloudy
Furman 6, UNCG 5 (Mar 24, 2012 at Greenville, S.C.) (Game 2)
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UNCG................ 011 300 0 - 5 6 1 (11-21, 3-5 SoCon)
Furman.............. 200 200 2 - 6 8 1 (12-17, 3-5 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Erica Navarette and . Furman - Shelby Parker; Lakyn Shull(3) and .
Win-Lakyn Shull(5-5) Loss-Erica Navarette(2-7) T-1:56 A-103
HR FUR - Hannah Pace (1).
Weather: 73, partly cloudy and windy
- UNCG -
