April 15, 2009

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball was swept 4-2, 5-1 by Appalachian State, in Southern Conference doubleheader action, Wednesday at the Catamount Softball Complex. The Catamounts fall to 10-25 and 6-9 in the Southern Conference while the Mountaineers improve to 19-23 and 11-9 in the SoCon.

Freshman shortstop Chelsea Schaffer extended her hitting streak to 12-straight in the two games. She had a pair of hits in the first game, and was in danger of ending her streak in the second game, after a 0-3 performance heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, Schaffer got her first hit in the second game, and also picked up an RBI, to break up Appalachian State's Kayla Richardson's attempt at a shutout.

Senior pitcher Lauren Ross, who along with fellow seniors Stephanie Beatty, Mollie Fowler and Beth Hauser were honored on senior day, got the start in the first game. She had a strong performance, tossing a complete game allowing four runs on four hits and striking out five. However, Appalachian State got clutch hitting and runs to take the first contest.

The Mountaineers posted two runs in the second inning thanks to a two RBI single by Andrea McIntyre. In the third inning, Appalachian State tacked on a third run off an RBI single by Michelle Lighton.

Western Carolina cut the Appalachian State to just one run when the Catamounts scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Ross singled up the middle and Keri Burnside followed with a single past third base. With two outs, Danielle Reese hit a long fly ball to center field, and it appeared the Mountaineers Sarah Rappe had the third out in her glove, but the ball dribbled out and it allowed Ross and Burnside to score.

The Mountaineers tacked on a single run in the top of the seventh thanks to McIntyre's second RBI single to ice the game.

Ross falls to 6-8 on the year. Schaffer and Burnside were the only Catamounts to have multiple hit performances as the duo each had two. Mountaineer pitcher Ashley Stubbs picked up the win and improves to 7-10.

After tossing eight innings in the single game on Tuesday, freshman lefty hurler Katie King got the call to the mound for the second game against Appalachian State on Wednesday. She pitched three scoreless innings before Appalachian State exploded for five runs in the top of the fourth inning. The scoring frenzy begam with Katie Boyd's lead off homerun over the left centerfield wall; it was Boyd's 13th homerun of the season. It was also the only homerun hit in the series.

King did not allow another run in the remainder of the game. She ended the contest allowing eight hits, four earned runs and striking out four, falling to 4-11 on the year. Richardson improves to 10-13 on the year.

The Catamounts had just four hits in the game and two were from sophomore second baseman Amber Hawkins. Schaffer and Kristen Gay also had hits in the game.

Western Carolina heads on the road for a Southern Conference road series with Samford Saturday and Sunday. First pitch, in the doubleheader Saturday, begins at 1 p.m.