March 17, 2007

Western Carolina vs. Detroit - Box Score

Western Carolina vs. Radford - Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (8-17) split the second day of action Saturday at the Second Annual Best Western Catamount Classic at the Catamount Complex. The club defeated Detroit 11-9 and fell to Radford 5-4.

The Catamounts won the opening game of the day by holding off Detroit, 11-9. Mendy McKenzie tossed her 11th complete game of the year and picked up the win. She allowed five earned runs, and notched four strikeouts.

An RBI single by Savannah Filley gave the Catamounts the first run of the game in the first inning. Detroit tied the game in the top of the second inning.

Western Carolina tacked on three runs in the bottom of the second inning. After Tatum Hargett led of with a single and an RBI double by Lauren Ross scored Hargett. Ross then advanced to third on a passed ball and then stole home when Detroit pitcher Adrienne Baron attempted to deliver the pitch and the ball slipped out of her hand and rolled to second. McKenzie's RBI single scored the third run of the inning.

Senior Nikki Bost saw her first action at the plate in the tournament and made the most of it, hitting a two-run homerun in the fourth inning which also scored McKenzie who led off the inning with a single.

Detroit tied the game in the top of the fifth inning scoring five runs to knot the game at six.

Western Carolina answered in its half of the fifth with four runs to recapture the lead with all the runs coming with two outs. Stephanie Beatty knocked in the first run with an RBI single that scored McKenzie. An RBI single by Beth Hauser and two RBI single by Hargett accounted for the final three runs of the inning.

Beatty tacked on an additional run for the Catamounts in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI single.

Western Carolina staved off a seventh inning rally by Detroit as the Titans scored three runs in the final frame. McKenzie forced Courtney Gill to pop up to the shortstop for the final out of the inning.

The Catamounts couldn't hold off Radford in the second game of the day. Western Carolina, who was the visiting team thanks to a coin toss, trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh inning and scored two runs to take a 4-3 lead.

Western Carolina opened the seventh with Ross reaching on an error. Pinch hitter Mollie Fowler picked up a hit and put runners at first and second. Bost continued to have a strong day at the plate as her double scored Ross and Fowler for the lead.

The lead was fleeting, however, as Amanda Davidson hit a lead-off homerun to tie the game. An RBI single by Sarah Himan, with runners on first and second, was the game-winner for the Highlanders.

Radford took the early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Western Carolina answered in the top of the second inning when Ross' RBI single scored Jamie Swank.

The Highlanders added a one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Filley's RBI single in the top of the sixth inning pulled the Catamounts within one run, 3-2.

Western Carolina opens the final day of the tournament on Sunday as the No. 2 seed and will face No. 3 seed UNC-Wilmington at 10:00 am. The consolation and championship games will follow immediately at 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Game 4 - Detroit 8, UNC-Wilmington 7

Detroit's Kaliegh Rafter hit a walk off homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Titans an 8-7 victory. Detroit scored a total of three runs in the final inning to secure the win.

Each club hit two homeruns in the game.

Game 3 - Radford 11, UNC-Wilmington 10

Radford's Sarah Himan hit an RBI single, in the eighth inning, to give the Highlander's an 11-10 win over UNC-Wilmington in the first game of the day on Saturday.

Radford scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game and force extra innings. Bre Felix took the win in the game and improves to 11-3 on the season.

Game 7 - Radford 10, Detroit 5

Radford improved to 3-1 in the Best Western Catamount Classic with a 10-5 win over Detroit in the first round of bracket play. The Highlanders earned the No. 1 seed and faced off against No. 4 seed Detroit. Radford will now play in the Championship game at 2 p.m. on Sunday.