Feb. 10, 2007

Final Stats

Nashville, Tenn. - Tennessee State rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings en route to a 4-3 season-opening win over Western Carolina as the Catamounts dropped a pair to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon. TSU took the second game, 6-1, to complete the sweep on a cold day at Tiger Field.

Holding a 2-0 lead with two out in the bottom of the seventh, TSU senior pitcher Candace Hildebrand delivered a two-run single into right field to tie the game and send it into extra innings. WCU scored in the top of the eighth as junior transfer Jamie Swank, who was placed on second in tie-breaker fashion, was driven in by senior Ashley Adams. Tennessee State answered right back in the home half, however, as senior Erin Finneran scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by freshman Chelsea Brown to knot the game at 3-3.

In the second inning of the international tie-breaker, sophomore Melanie Cruz was placed on second base to start the inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Catamount pitcher Mendy McKenzie. Two pitches later, TSU sophomore Christy Hill flew out to center allowing Cruz to score to give the Tigers the win.

Sophomores Heather Pritchard and Lauren Ross led Western by both going 2-for-4 in the first game, with Pritchard delivering a double and an RBI. Classmate Stephanie Beatty was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Adams was 1-for-3 with WCU's third RBI.

McKenzie suffered the defeat for Western, surrendering four runs, two of which were earned, on six hits through eight and a third innings pitched. The Clemmons, N.C., native struck out a game-high nine. For Tennessee State, Hildebrand pitched all nine innings holding WCU to six hits while striking out seven.

In the second game of the twin bill, Western never got on track offensively, registering just four hits en route to a 6-1 loss. The Tigers scored a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings and then added three in the sixth to complete their scoring. In the top of the seventh, the Catamounts spoiled the shutout bid as Ashley Adams, who reached after being hit by a pitch, was driven in by Beatty on a ground out.

Freshman Tatum Hargett led Western in the second game going 2-for-3, recording her first two collegiate hits. Her classmate, Serena Smith, and red-shirt freshman Mollie Fowler each went 1-for-3 to round out Western's showing at the plate.

Ross was saddled with the loss for Western, giving up three earned runs in four innings of work, striking out six while walking four. Junior Savannah Filley tossed the final two innings in relief giving up three runs on four hits while striking out a pair.

The Catamounts will try for their first win on the season when they return to action on Sunday afternoon in double-header action at Lipscomb. First-pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm, with the second game to follow immediately after.