April 20, 2008

Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. - Western Carolina softball defeated Georgia Southern 3-1 to win the rubber game between the two clubs and pick up its second Southern Conference series of the season. The Catamounts held the best hitting team in the conference, hitting .294, to just five hits and improves to 15-31 and 5-13 in the SoCon while Georgia Southern falls to 29-26 and 9-6 in the SoCon.

Junior hurler Lauren Ross tossed her second complete game of the weekend and hung tough against the Eagles. She had a no-hitter through two innings before giving up a single to Georgia Southern's Michelle Beasley.

All of Western Carolina's offense came in the top of the third inning, and it began with two outs, when junior centerfielder Keely Torgison drew a walk from starting pitcher Melissa Laliberte. Senior Jamie Swank followed with a single to left field and advanced to second, while her hit sent Torgison scampering to third. Catcher Danielle Reese got the Catamounts on the board when she singled to the left side to plate Torgison. Then it was up to freshman second baseman Amber Hawkins, who has been playing well beyond her youthful years. Hawkins answered with what would prove the game-winning hit when she doubled down the left field line to score Swank and Reese.

Georgia Southern got a hit off Ross in the fourth and one in the sixth but the stout Western Carolina defense stifled any rally attempts by the Eagles.

Clinging to a three-run lead, Western Carolina bent but didn't break in the bottom of the seventh squelching any Eagle heroics. With one out, Sam Russo doubled to center field and after Lindsey Hopkins ground sending pinch runner Bethany Crenshaw to third. Pinch hitter Kristin Glover saw 12 Ross pitchers before she connected on one, a double to right field that scored Crenshaw for the Eagles first run of the game. Ross forced Beasley to fly out to right field to end the game and the scoring threat.

Ross has now won her last three starts, improving to 7-15 on the season. She went seven innings allowing five hits, one run and struck out four.

Hawkins led the team with a pair of hits, a double and two RBI.

Western Carolina will head back out of conference play Wednesday when the team travels to Johnson City, Tenn. to take on East Tennessee State. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.