April 10, 2010

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (5-31, 1-12 Southern Conference) collected its first Southern Conference win of the season. The Catamounts split the doubleheader, winning 7-1 and losing 7-2, with visiting College of Charleston (14-18, 4-8 Socon) Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

After 17 starts, sophomore lefty hurler Katie King notched her first win on the mound, in the first game, improving to 1-16 on the season. King was on the losing end of five one run games before picking up the win. Against College of Charleston King allowed just one run on six hits and struck out five.

The Catamounts provided key run support for King and it started with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Jordan Fulton led off the inning with a single to left field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Robyn Burnette. Haley Pace scored Fulton with an RBI single to right field. Colby Liles ground out for the second out but in doing so moved Pace to second. Amber Steinhardt hit an RBI single to score Pace.

College of Charleston cut the Catamount lead to one run in the top of the second. Katie Pesature led off with a double and a pair of Western Carolina errors allowed Pesature to score.

After scoreless third and fourth innings, Western Carolina exploded for four runs in the fifth inning. It was the top of the order again and Fulton tagged her second hit of the game with a single through the left side, but was erased at first when she was called for leaving early. Burnette and Pace followed with back-to-back singles, and after a double steal, Colby Liles doubled to center field scoring Burnette and Pace. With a runner on second and one out, Cougar starting pitcher Alex Datko was replaced by Stephanie Saylors, who gave up a walk to Amber Steinhardt. Missy Wills doubled to right field scoring Burnette and Steinhardt moved to third. Steinhardt scored on a sacrifice fly by Danielle Reese.

Pace padded the Catamount lead in the sixth inning. She took a 1-2 offering by Saylors over the right center field wall for the third homerun of her career.

College of Charleston had at least one hit and one base runner in five of the seven innings. King forced a three up and three down in the fifth and seventh innings.

Western Carolina had 12 hits in the game, the second most this season, and the most against a Southern Conference opponent. Pace lead the team going 3-for-4 with a homerun, three runs scored and two RBI.

The second game was all College of Charleston, with the Cougars scoring runs in the first four innings. The club had a run in the first and two in the second, third and fourth. The Cougars also hit three homeruns in the game.

Western Carolina avoided being shutout by starting Cougar pitcher Terri Mesko, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Burnette led off the inning with a single and advanced to second off a Charleston error. With one out, Liles singled to centerfield and moved Burnette to third. Steinhardt hit an RBI double scoring Burnette and moving pinch runner Burkett to third. A ground out by Wills scored Burkett.

Steinhardt started the game and went 2.1 innings, taking the loss. She falls to 3-11 on the season, giving up five runs on four hits and striking out one. King replaced Steinhardt in the third inning and closed out the game, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out two. At the plate, Steinhardt was a perfect 3-for-3 and also had an RBI.

The Catamounts close out their series with College of Charleston at noon on Sunday at the Catamount Softball Complex.