College of Charleston
UNC Greensboro
Cougars drop pair of games to UNC Greensboro
3/20/2010 11:00:00 PM | Softball
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston (8-14, 0-2) dropped a pair of games to UNC Greensboro (10-14, 3-2) in their first Southern Conference series of the season by 11-7 and 5-1 scores on Saturday, March 20 in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
In Game 1, the two teams matched each other on the scoreboard with three scoreless innings before the Spartans notched a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch and single down the right field line. The College of Charleston answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning as junior outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.) got hit by a pitch and came around to score on a wild pitch while senior designated hitter Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) reached on a double and tied on the game on a steal of home.
The score would stay that way until the top of the seventh inning when UNCG erupted for three runs on an error and a two-RBI double by sophomore first baseman Alex Emeterio. The Cougars responded by putting the first two runners on-base in the home half of the inning by hit-by-pitch and walk. They would then score a run on a fielder's choice two plays later before sophomore third baseman Kelley Dillon (Hanahan, S.C.) doubled home the tying runs with a shot to left center.
Neither team could push across a run in the eighth or ninth inning as the game headed to the tenth still tied at 5-5. With the international tiebreaker taking effect, were each team starts with a runner on second base, the Spartans advanced the runner on a sacrifice bunt before taking a 6-5 lead on a single by redshirt-junior shortstop Kaitlin Merkt.
CofC answered back in the bottom of the tenth as Dillon stole third and then scored on a sacrifice fly by redshirt-junior Katie Pesature (Brewster, N.Y.) to tie the game at 6-6. It would not be tied again as UNC Greensboro exploded for five runs on four hits in the top of the 11th to make it 11-6. A sacrifice fly by Kristie Shifflett in the bottom of the 11th put the score at the final margin of 11-7.
Emeterio went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three walks to lead the Spartans while senior third baseman Emily Akiyama finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Merkt posted a 3-for-6 performance with an RBI and senior outfielder Laura Olenderski went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Senior outfielder Brittany Ausley and sophomore pitcher Cory Mattson accounted for the other RBIs with one apiece. Mattson, pitched eight innings, allowing four hits, two runs, three walks and struck out 11 batters to get the win.
For the College of Charleston, Dillon notched two RBIs and Woodall went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Sophomore outfielder Katie Forbes (Odessa, Fla.), Kristie Shifflett and Pesature each added an RBI. Junior pitcher Kasie Meeks (Manchester, Tenn.) threw seven innings of relief but allowed nine runs, five earned, and struck out a career-high six batters to fall to 1-2 on the season.
In the nightcap, UNC Greensboro picked up right where they left off, scoring five runs in the first inning on three hits and two errors. That would be all they would need as freshman Raeanne Hanks pitched four innings, allowing only three hits and a Katie Forbes homerun in the fourth before Mattson entered the game and threw three innings of scoreless relief to earn her first save of the season.
Merkt led the Spartans attack in the 5-1 victory as she delivered two RBI and scored a run while Akiyama and Emeterio added the only other RBIs. Olenderski came away with her fifth hit of the day as she went 2-for-3.
For the Cougars, redshirt-senior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) finished the game 2-for-4 while Forbes accounted for the only CofC RBI with her first homerun of the season. Senior pitcher Terri Mesko (McDonough, Ga.) pitched a complete game, allowing six hits, five runs and struck out a season-high 10 batters as she fell to 3-6 on the season.
The College of Charleston wraps up their first Southern Conference series of the season when they host UNC Greensboro tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
NOTES
In a time of 3:19, Game 1 was the Cougars' longest of the season.
