College of Charleston
Western Carolina
Softball Claims Western Carolina Series
3/25/2012 7:29:00 PM | Softball
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The College of Charleston softball team won its Southern Conference over Western Carolina series with a 7-0 win in Sunday afternoon's rubber game at the Catamount Softball complex.
Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.) threw her third consecutive complete-game shutout and struck out three hitters without surrendering a walk.
Kelsey Hodgson (Woodstock, Ga.) and Allison Pedigo (Scottsville, Ky.) were both 2-for-3 in the game. Hodgson scored a run and picked up an RBI and Pedigo drove in two runs while Hope Klicker (Walla Walla, Wash.), Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) and Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.C.) each added an RBI.
After a scoreless first inning, Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to start the second inning and the Cougars executed a pair of sacrifice bunts - one of which the Catamounts committed an error on - to put runners on second and third with one out. Klicker brought Lonergan to the plate with her sacrifice fly to deep center which put CofC up 1-0.
The Cougars were able to add to their lead in the fourth with singles by Hodgson and Giragosian to put runners on the corners. Maples then singled back up the middle to plate one run before Pedigo doubled to the fence in right center to clear the bases and put CofC up 4-0.
The Catamounts' most threatening situation came in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs but Lizzy Vaughn (Placerville, Calif.) and Hodgson both fielded ground balls cleanly from shortstop and third base, respectively, and fired home to record two quick outs. Saylors sat the next hitter down on strikes to get out of the jam cleanly.
The Cougars followed suit by loading the bases in the top of the seventh with a single and two consecutive walks but were much more opportunistic than WCU. Two more walks plated runs and a third run scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Giragosian which deflected off the glove of the third baseman directly to the shortstop whose momentum on the play took her to third base for the force out.
The Cougars are off during the mid-week and return to action when they host Appalachian State in another SoCon series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 31 and single-game finale on Sunday, April 1. The action at Patriots Point is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
