March 27, 2010

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (4-21, 0-8 Southern Confernece) was swept by Furman (7-11, 5-3 SoCon) 5-2, 8-7 in a Southern Conference doubleheader Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Furman had a three-run seventh inning to take the win in the first game. With the score tied at three, the Paladins' Jessie Holmesley started the rally with a one out double. Lana Mackey followed with an RBI single, to score Holmesley and give Furman the lead. Brythe Blankenship hit a two RBI double for the insurance runs.

Western Carolina had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Jordan Fulton hit a single up the middle and Haley Pace walked to place runners on first and second. Sophomore Chelsea Schaffer flew out to right field for the final out of the game.

Sophomore Kaite King started the game and tossed 6.2 innings, taking the loss and falling to 0-13. King threw two scoreless innings before Stephanie Field hit a homerun to left center field, to give the Paladins a 1-0 lead.

The Catamounts' Amber Hawkins tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a homerun over the right field wall. It was Hawkins' third homerun of the season.

Furman took the lead back in the top of the sixth, 2-1, when Taylor Beam hit the Paladins' second homerun of the game. Western Carolina tied the game at two, in the bottom of the sixth, off an RBI double by Colby Liles.

In the second game, Furman posted runs in the first and second inning to take a 2-0 lead.

Western Carolina took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Fulton singled up the middle and moved to second on a pass ball. Pace hit an RBI double to score Fulton, for the Catamounts' first run of the game. After Schaffer drew a walk, and Pace moved to third on a pass ball, Hawkins doubled to left centerfield scoring Pace and Schaffer.

Starting pitcher Amber Steinhardt gave up five runs to Furman in the top of the fourth inning to give the Paladins' 7-3 lead. Steinhardt was replaced by King, in the middle of the fourth. Steinhardt took the loss and falls to 3-5.

King attempted to help her cause on the mound with one swing of the bat. The sophomore lefty hurler hit the first homerun of her career in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs, Liles walked and Robyn Burnette singled to left center. With a 3-2 count, King sent a towering shot over the centerfield wall.

Furman tacked on a single run in the top of the seventh. Emily Boyer hit an RBI single.

In the bottom of the seventh, Western Carolina had a chance to rally for the second straight game against Furman. Fulton led off with a single and then stole second. Pace singled past the shortstop and Fulton motored to second. Schaffer hit and RBI double to centerfield scoring Fulton and moving Pace to third. Hawkins ground out for the first out, Steinhardt struck out and Liles flew out to first base for the final out of the inning, and ending the game.

Western Carolina hosts Furman on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the final game of the three-game series.