March 25, 2007

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball defeated Appalachian State 7-3 in the final contest of the three-game Southern Conference series with the Mountaineers on Sunday at Catamount Complex. Western Carolina improves to 12-20 on the season and 1-2 in the Southern Conference. Appalachian State is now 8-20 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Hurler Lauren Ross got the start on the mound and earned her fifth win of the season, improving to 5-5. She tossed 5.2 innings allowing nine hits, recording four strikeouts and none of the Mountaineer runs were earned. Savannah Filley pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless ball to get her first save of the season.

Western Carolina's Mendy McKenzie drew a walk to start the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Stephanie Beatty hit a ground ball to the second baseman and it looked like McKenzie would be out but the Appalachian State shortstop dropped the ball and McKenzie was safe. As McKenzie attempted to run to third the ball was thrown over the third baseman's head and McKenzie was safe. During the play, Beatty reached first and then advanced to second. With two outs, Ross helped her cause by hitting a two RBI single to plate McKenzie and Beatty.

Ross looked to breeze through Appalachian's half of the second inning, forcing a ground out and a strike out. It appeared she would do just that when Kristyn Hurt popped Ross' offering up in the infield, however the ball dropped between two Catamount players to allow Hurt to reach first. Ross walked Meagan Squartino and a single up the middle by Ashley Gaston loaded the bases. With a 3-2 count, Ross got Natalie Willis to swing at an outside pitch to end the Mountaineer threat.

Appalachian State threatened to score again in the top of the third inning. Back-to-back singles put runners on first and second with no outs. There were two outs after a liner to right field and a fly out to centerfield. Ross walked Diana Cook to load the bases for the Mountaineers for the second inning in a row. Working the count to 3-2, Ross got Hurt to hit a dribbler to the pitcher for the out.

Nikki Bost led off the third inning with a walk. Beatty strolled to the plate and sent Appalachian State pitcher Kayla Richardson's offering over the left field wall for the two-run blast. Still with no outs, Filley drew a walk which forced the Mountaineer coaching staff to replace Richardson with Yancy Moose. Ross welcomed Moose to the game by launching a rocket over the centerfield wall for the two RBI homerun. Ross now has five homeruns on the season. A pair of singles by Mollie Fowler and Beth Hauser and a hits batsman loaded the bases for Western Carolina but Moose forced three consecutive outs to end the inning.

Appalachian State got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. An RBI single by Willis and a two RBI single by Danielle Peters plated three runs for the Mountaineers. Ross was replaced Filley on the mound who forced Brittany Gaston to pop up the second baseman for the final out of the inning.

Beatty got one run back in the bottom sixth inning with one swing. She took the first pitch by Moose over the left center field wall for her second homerun of the game. Beatty ties the school record for homeruns in a game with three other Catamount players.

Beth Hauser returned to the starting lineup on Sunday and went 3-for-4 in the game.

Western Carolina returns to action on Wednesday when the club travels to Orangeburg, S.C. to take on South Carolina State. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.