May 12, 2007

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (28-34) was eliminated from the Southern Conference Tournament with a 3-2 heartbreaking loss to Georgia Southern (28-31) Saturday at the UNCG Softball Complex.

The Catamounts were clinging to a 2-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Georgia Southern's Lindsey Hopkins hit a lead off single and moved into scoring position off a Western Carolina miscue. With one out, Heather Smith singled up the middle to score Hopkins and tie the game.

Western Carolina pitcher Mendy McKenzie looked to have a bit of momentum when she forced Jenny Side to strike out looking for the second out of the inning. The Catamount coaching staff decided to intentionally walk the Eagles' big hitter Robyne Siliga which moved the winning run to second base. Georgia Southern made the Catamounts pay for the intentional walk when Sam Russo singled to the left side to score the winning run.

Twice Western Carolina left the bases loaded and stranded a total of 10 base runners. The Catamounts did have 10 hits in the game almost equaling the hits total of 11 the club had in the previous three games of the tournament.

In the first inning, Western Carolina managed to push across a run to take the early lead. McKenzie led off the game with a single but was erased at second when Nikki Bost hit into a fielder's choice. Stephanie Beatty notched her 70th hit of the season when she singled up the middle to place runners at first and second. Savannah Filley drew a walk to load the bases. With two outs, sophomore Lauren Ross hit an RBI single up the middle to score Bost.

Georgia Southern tied the game in the fourth inning. The Eagles opened the inning with back-to-back singles and Russo knotted the game with an RBI single to score Smith. It was the first run McKenzie had allowed in the tournament in 19 innings of work.

Ross picked up her third hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to the right side. This set up a clutch hit by sophomore Heather Pritchard who hit an RBI double to score Ross and give the Catamounts the lead.

McKenzie took the loss in the game and ends her sophomore campaign with a record of 13-19. She allowed two earned runs on 10 hits and struck out three. McKenzie was 2-1 in the tournament tossing 22.2 innings with a 0.62 ERA and recorded 22 strikeouts. She had two shutouts in the tournament and only allowed two earned runs.

The youthful Catamounts, who lose just one senior, went 2-2 in the tournament and made it through two rounds in the winner's bracket.