College of Charleston
Western Carolina
Softball Splits with Western Carolina
3/24/2012 7:47:00 PM | Softball
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The College of Charleston softball team split its tale-of-two-game doubleheader with Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars produced timely hitting to come away with a 4-1 win in the opener but the Catamounts surged in the later game to thwart the Cougars' sweep with a 9-1 decision.
The teams conclude the series with a single game on Sunday, March 24 starting at 1 p.m.
In the opener, Kelsey Hodgson (Woodstock, Ga.) blasted her sixth home run of the season and five different Cougars got base hits while Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.) shut down the Catamounts from the pitching circle to earn the win.
In the second game, however, the Catamounts' bats sprung to life as they accumulated seven hits and benefitted from two Cougar errors to claim the second half of the twinbill.
GAME ONE: CofC: 4, Western Carolina: 0
Saylors limited the Catamounts to four hits - three of which did not leave the infield - while the Cougars made the most of their base runners and came away with the win.
Hodgson's first-inning homerun which exploded off the bat and carried over the fence in right center was the only offensive output for either team in the first five innings.
In the sixth, the Cougars drew three walks to load up the bases with two outs in the inning. Courtney Clark (Tampa, Fla.) entered the game in a crucial pinch-hit situation and delivered for the Cougars with a two-RBI single over the head of the shortstop which made the score 3-0.
The Cougars struck once more in the top of the seventh when Carly Corthell (Reno, Nev.) reached on a hard-hit ball up the middle which was ruled an error then stole both second and third base. Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) brought her home with a squeeze-bunt single to make the score 4-0.
Saylors faced the minimal nine batters through the final three innings with the help of one of the two double plays the Cougars turned on the afternoon. Saylors struck out four batters and walked just one in the game.
GAME TWO: CofC: 1. Western Carolina: 9
The Catamounts scored three runs in the first two innings with a pair of homeruns, a two-run shot by Erin Foster and a solo ride from Amber Steinhardt.
The Cougars claimed one back in the third when Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) got on board by way of a blooper to left which was ruled an error. Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.) brought her to the plate with an RBI single to cut the score to 3-1.
WCU stretched the lead back out in the bottom of the third after they loaded the bases with two singles and an empty fielder's choice before Morgan Wyatt cleared them all with a double down the leftfield line.
The Catamounts put two runners on with two outs in the fourth inning and a Cougar fielding error allowed both runners to cross and left runners on the corners. WCU then maneuvered a double steal to make the score 9-1, the eventual final.
