May 6, 2006

Western Carolina at Georgia Southern - Game Three Live Stats 

Western Carolina at Georgia Southern, Game One

Western Carolina at Georgia Southern, Game Two

Statesboro, Ga. - Western Carolina freshman Jenny Jackson belted a two-run home run and pitched a complete game in the night cap as Western Carolina split a Southern Conference doubleheader on Saturday, winning game two 6-2 and dropping the opener, 1-0, at Eagle Field. This weekend's series in southern Georgia marks the final regular season games in the SoCon, with Western having already secured the championship and top seed in its inaugural season.

The loss for Western (41-17, 16-3 SoCon) in game one snapped its school-record 10-game winning streak, which was also one of the longest current streaks in the nation.

In addition to blasting her 11th home run of the season as a part of a 2-for-3 day, Jackson was also a perfect 1-for-1 with two walks in game one to finish the day 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Catamounts. In the circle in the second game, Jackson scattered eight hits and held the Eagles to two earned runs to secure win number 15 on the season on 107 pitches (15-4).

Georgia Southern freshman Carrie Mixon hit a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie in game one to lead the Eagles. Mixon's double was the only run in the Eagles' 1-0 victory.

For GSU, senior Sam Steiner led off the decisive inning with an infield single and was sacrificed to second. After a strikeout, Mixon lined a double to left-center, easily scoring Steiner.

GSU starting pitcher Melissa Laliberte was saved by her defense in the early going, thanks to diving catches by junior Aurora Johnson, sophomore Aubrey Thweatt and senior Shanita Black. The Catamount bats forced Laliberte to constantly pitch out of trouble, recording just one 1-2-3 inning through six. Western, however, stranded the bases loaded twice despite only recording three hits in the ball game. Laliberte retired the side in order in the seventh to improve to 11-10.

Mendy McKenzie was the tough-luck loser, allowing seven hits and the one earned run with six strikeouts, falling to 22-6. McKenzie only threw 89 pitches versus Laliberte's 143 offerings.

Jackson was joined by junior Nikki Bost and freshman Samm Keppel as the only Catamounts to tally hits. WCU was benefactor of seven walks but could not push a run across.

Game two had the same look through three complete innings as neither team could scratch the scoreboard until Western Carolina put three runs on the board in the fourth. The Catamounts used a run-scoring single by sophomore Savannah Filley and Jackson's two-run homer to take the lead, 3-0. Freshman Allyson McCubbins led off with a walk and was sacrificed over by the team leader, Heather Pritchard. Using heads-up base running, McCubbins moved to third on a passed ball before scampering home on Filley's RBI single to left. SoCon home run leader, junior Ashley Adams, was aboard for Jackson's shot over the left center field fence.

The Eagles answered with two runs in their half of the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Junior Maria Laurato singled in two runners to cut the margin to 3-2. Jackson escaped further damage by inducing an inning-ending double play.

Western Carolina extended its lead to 4-2 with an unearned run in the fifth when Bost was plated on a sacrifice fly to center by McCubbins. The Catamounts also pushed across two more runs in the sixth. Adams drew a one-out walk and was moved around to second by Jackson who singled through the left side. Freshman Lauren Ross took a 1-0 pitch the other way, singling down the right field line to move Jackson to third and score Adams from second. The game's final run came across on a wild pitch from Eagle relief pitcher, A. J. Street.

GSU junior Logan Free took the loss, dropping to 12-12. She gave up five hits and six runs.

The two teams conclude the series - and regular season - Sunday afternoon with a single game starting at 1:00 pm. Fans can follow live stats from Statesboro by clicking HERE.