Feb. 19, 2011

Box Score vs. McNeese State

Box Score vs. Southern Miss

AUBURN, Ala. - Western Carolina softball (7-2) split day two action at the Tiger Invitational, hosted by Auburn University, defeating McNeese State 1-0 and falling to Southern Mississippi 4-2.

Sophomore pitcher Amber Steinhardt threw a gem against McNeese State. She tossed her first complete game shutout of the season and improves to 4-0. Steinhardt held the Cowgirls to just one hit heading into the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, with the Catamounts clinging to a 1-0 lead, Steinhardt gave up a pair of one out hits that looked to spark a McNeese State rally. After Kim Kennedy and Kelsey McClain picked up singles for the Cowgirls, Western Carolina dashed McNeese State's hopes, when Steinhardt forced a pair of ground outs to earn the win.

Western Carolina strung together four hits in the game against the Cowgirls.

The Catamounts lone run came in the fourth inning when sophomore Jordan Fulton led off with a single, the first WCU hit of the game. Fulton advanced to second on a McNeese State fielding error. With one out, Haley Pace singled to centerfield, and moved to second on the throw, pushing Fulton to third base. McNeese State's second error of the inning not only allowed Erin Foster to reach first, but accounted for the Catamounts only run in the game, when Fulton scored.

Pace was the only player, from both teams, to post multiple hits, going 2-for3. Fulton and Shemekia Scotton also had hits for WCU.

Western Carolina shutout a McNeese State team that posted an 8-0 win over Western Illinois on Friday. The same Western Illinois team which shutout the Catamounts 6-0.

The second game of the day for Western Carolina was a true battle.

A scoreless first inning morphed into a two-run inning for Southern Mississippi in the top of the second inning.

Junior pitcher Katie King got the start in the second game of the day. In the second frame, she allowed one hit, a a two run homerun by Golden Eagle Christina Roosmalen for the Golden Eagle's 2-0 lead.

Western Carolina began to chip away at Southern Miss' two run lead. In the bottom of the third inning, the Catamounts moved to within one run. Amelia Griffin led off with a single, an after a sacrifice bunt Fulton, moved to second base. With two outs, Robyn Burnette hit an RBI single to centerfield scoring Griffin.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Catamounts tied up the ball game at two. Erin Foster opened the inning with a single and scored thanks to an RBI double by Morgan Waytt.

Southern Miss took the lead with a run in the sixth inning and added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.

King took the loss on the mound and falls to 3-2. She went six innings allowing three earned runs, eight hits and had four strikeouts.. Amber Steinhardt replaced King in the seventh inning and allowed one hit.

Griffin was 2-for-3 in the game and scored a run.

Western Carolina closes out the Tiger Invitational on Sunday playing host Auburn at 3 p.m.