March 9, 2010

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Western Carolina softball (3-12) dropped a pair of games, 2-1, 9-3, to USC Upstate (8-3) Tuesday at Cyrill Stadium.

Western Carolina dropped a tight contest with USC Upstate in the first game. Sophomore pitcher Katie King tossed two scoreless innings before giving up a run in the bottom of the third inning. The Spartans' Kim Brasil led off the inning with a double and then scored off an RBI double by Ericka Harris.

Sophomore shortstop Chelsea Schaffer broke up USC Upstate pitcher Morgan Childers' perfect game with a homerun in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at one. Childers had sat down nine straight Catamount batters before Schaffer's lead-off long ball.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Spartans picked up a single run to lock down the win. With two outs, King gave up a walk to Harris, and Cheyanna Ohlrich singled, Lauren Quievedo hit an RBI single to score pinch runner Becca Williams.

King falls to 0-6 on the season. She threw a complete game allowing two runs on eight hits and striking out two. The Catamounts had just two hits in the game, with the second coming from freshman Haley Pace.

In the second game, junior Chere Monday got the start on the mound and gave up three quick runs to USC Upstate. With no outs, King came back in the game.

The Catamounts picked up a run in the top of the second inning. Shemekia Scotten led off with a single and scored when catcher Danielle Reese reached on a Spartan error. USC Upstate tacked on an additional run in the bottom half of the second.

Western Carolina pulled within one run, 4-3, with one swing of the bat in the top third inning. Freshman Jordan Fulton drew a lead-off walk and fellow freshman Haley Pace sent her home with the first homerun of her career. Pace laced the ball over centerfield for the two RBI stroke.

A Catamount miscue in the bottom of the fourth gave the Spartans their fifth run of the game. USC Upstate added two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

Monday takes the loss in the game and falls to 1-3 on the season.

Western Carolina begins conference play on Saturday hosting Elon for its first home games of the season. The doubleheader on Saturday begins at 1 p.m. with the single game slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.