March 18, 2006

Western Carolina vs. Alabama A&M

Western Carolina vs. Charleston Southern

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina's freshman starting pitchers Jenny Jackson and Mendy McKenzie combined to throw 10 innings on Saturday in the Best Western Catamount Classic (BWCC), only allowing two total hits as the Catamounts secured wins over Alabama A&M, 12-0, and Charleston Southern, 8-0.

Jackson, who has shined through the first two days of the three-day tournament, earned her second win of the event tossing a five-inning no hitter as the Catamounts pounded Alabama A&M, 12-0. In the night cap, McKenzie threw five solid innings, only surrendering two base hits and allowing just one runner to reach second as WCU blanked Charleston Southern, 8-0.

Offensively for the Catamounts, Jackson continued her torrid hitting streak going 5-for-6 (.833) with a double and a home run, marking the only player in the tourney to hit two long balls. Jackson drove in five runs to bring her BWCC count to nine, tied for the most in the event. First-year second baseman, Samm Keppel, hit 4-for-6 in the two games, scoring three runs and driving in one. Breaking out of a recent mini-slump, sophomore Savannah Filley was 5-for-8 on the day with a double and three RBI, while freshmen Beth Hauser and Lauren Ross each hit .500 (2-for-4) with a combined four RBI as Ross delivered her fifth homer of the season.

On the day, Western combined to hit five doubles and three home runs. Entering the final day of the tournament, the Catamounts lead in batting average, hitting .416 (32-of-77). UNC Wilmington leads in terms of doubles (10) and home runs (5), but the Seahawks have completed their four games in round robin play. WCU's pitching staff leads with a combined ERA of 0.41 having only surrendered one run in three games (17.0 innings).

Play in the 2006 Best Western Catamount Classic concludes on Sunday with two round robin games and the Championship Game. Currently, Western is the only unbeaten at 3-0, with UNC Wilmington holding a 3-1 mark. Charleston Southern and Detroit each have one win apiece entering the final day with the two facing off against each other in the opener at 10:00 am. The Catamounts return to action to face the Detroit Titans at Noon, with the championship game to follow at 2:00 pm between the top two teams from the round robin play.

Best Western Catamount Classic Results:

Game Four: Detroit 4, Alabama A&M 3

Cullowhee, N.C. - Tied at three entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Detroit Titans loaded the bases with no outs and scored the game winning run on an error by the Alabama A&M pitcher, earning the 4-3 victory in their Best Western Catamount Classic Opener.

UDM's Michelle Baggio opened the inning with her team-leading second hit of the game, a single through the left side. She was moved to second on a fielder's choice by Christin Bienenstein as the throw to second was dropped by the A&M second baseman, Alice Young. Attempting to lay down a sacrifice bunt, Jacqueline Nortman reached on a throwing error to load the bases with shortstop Sarah Dickey bouncing one back to the Bulldog pitcher, Debra Borcherding, who stumbled allowing the winning run to come home.

Borcherding suffered the loss after surrendering four runs on five hits while striking out five and walking just one. Relief pitcher, Lindsay Roy, earned the win despite only facing one batter in the top of the seventh inning to improve to 1-1 on the season. Titan starter, Adrien Baran, went six and two thirds scattering eight hits and giving up the three runs, only one of which was earned, fanning and walking two.

Game Five: UNC Wilmington 7, Charleston Southern 1

Cullowhee, N.C. - UNC Wilmington scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie en route to the 7-1 win over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Saturday afternoon in game five of the 2006 Best Western Catamount Classic.

The Seahawks opened up with a single run in the top of the first inning as first baseman Ali Gardiner delivered a two out RBI double to left center to score Krista Searle from first. The slim, one-run advantage would stand until the home half of the fifth when back-to-back singles by Ashley Robinson and Jill Shondel manufactured a run as Robinson scampered home on the latter's two out drive to center. The two would remain tied through the seventh, forcing extra innings.

With international tie-breaker rules in effect, Seahawks left fielder Whitney Knudsen was placed on second base to open the top of the eight inning. She was moved to second when leadoff hitter Krista Searle singled to left field and advanced to second on a throw home. With two on, Gardiner was intentionally walked to load the bases for Jess Luckett, who blasted a grand slam home run to left center. UNCW would add two more runs in the frame to lead 7-1, and CSU could not counter in the home half to end the game.

UNCW's Jennifer Bosley earned the win, tossing eight complete innings scattering five hits and only allowing the single run while striking out nine. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate. Buccaneer starter, Amanda Noble, was saddled with the loss after allowing seven runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

Game Seven: UNC Wilmington 8, Detroit 0

Cullowhee, N.C. - Scoring runs in four of the five innings, UNC Wilmington shut out the Detroit Titans, 8-0, in game seven of the 2006 Best Western Catamount Classic. As the designated home team, the Seahawks pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first inning, adding insurance runs in the third and fourth before finishing off the game with a two spot in the home half of the fifth inning.

Four UNCW players recorded multiple hits in the game with Ali Gardiner hitting 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Meghan Murray, Whitney Knudsen, and Krista Searle each finished 2-for-3 with Murray and Searle each driving in two apiece. Seahawk starter, Jess Luckett, threw five innings, scattering three hits while holding the Titans scoreless and striking out three. She also delivered a double as her lone hit in three plate appearances.

For Detroit, Brittney Hire took the loss after going three and a third, striking out three but surrendering five runs on nine hits. Christin Bienenstein threw one inning of relief giving up three runs on three hits and walking two, while Lindsay Roy faced one batter, giving up the game winning hit with runners left on first and second with one out when the game ended. Offensively for the Titans, Krista Switzer, who substituted into right field, was 1-for-1 with Jacqueline Nortman delivering a double in a 1-for-1 afternoon.