April 23, 2011

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

ELON, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (18-28, 3-15 Southern Conference) was swept by Elon (23-20, 8-10 SoCon) 1-0, 7-6, Saturday at East Field.

Game 1

Elon scored the lone run of the game and picked up the win in the bottom of the eighth inning off an RBI single by Tomeka Watson. Danielle Lafferty led off the inning with a single. The Phoenix placed runners on first and second after a Catamount miscue. A sacrifice bunt by Carleigh Nester had runners at second and third for Elon. Katie King walked her first batter of the game to load the bases with one out to set up the score.

Western Carolina had its first real scoring threat of the game in the top of the third inning. Elon pitcher Erin O'Shea walked three Catamount batters to load the bases with two outs. O'Shea wiggled out of the jam when WCU centerfielder Erin Foster struck out to end the inning.

Elon looked like it might get on the board first when the Phoenix's Watson hit a shot to right field. Western Carolina right fielder Amelia Griffin tracked the ball to the wall and pulled it in for the out. Catamount lefty hurler King followed with forcing a pair of ground outs to end the fourth inning.

King seemed to be cruising on the mound, for the Catamounts, before hitting a snag in the seventh inning. Emerald Graham led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to the shortstop and stole second to get into scoring position. A sacrifice bunt by Kaitlyn Piazzolla moved Graham to third. King forced a fly out to end the inning.

King tossed the complete game. Despite giving up the run, she had a solid performance allowing four hits, recorded one strikeout and one walk.

Western Carolina had just three hits in the game, one each by Shemekia Scotton, Morgan Wyatt and Griffin.

Game 2

With two outs, down by one run and a runner on first, Danielle Lafferty hit a walk-off homerun over the centerfield wall to give Elon a 7-6 win.

It didn't take Elon very long to jump on the scoreboard in the second game. Nester led off the first inning with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice fly and stole third. Watson hit a double to left field to score Nester.

Western Carolina came back in the second inning to tie the game at one. Kelly Braman reached first on an Elon error to start the inning. Griffin followed with a single past second base to place runners at first and second. Foster hit a frozen rope to centerfield for an RBI single that scored Braman.

Both teams had scoring chances squelched in the bottom of the second and top of the third. With two outs, Elon's Camille Hill was tagged out at the plate by Catamount catcher Wyatt to end the second inning, and the Phoenix's chance to take the lead. In the top of the third, Amber Steinhardt got on first and moved to second on an Elon error. Braman's single through the right side put runners at the corners for the Catamounts. However, the scoring chance was squandered when Robyn Burnette struck out.

Elon regained the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the fourth inning off an RBI single by Danielle Lafferty.

Back-to-back singles by Steinhardt and Braman, and a walk by Burnette, loaded the bases for Western Carolina in the top of the sixth. Elon pitcher Lauren Taylor walked pinch hitter King, with bases loaded, scoring pinch runner Bekah Burkett to tie the game at two. Bases were still juiced, and Western Carolina looked to pad its lead, but Foster recorded the first out of the inning with a strikeout. Jordan Fulton, who has been held hitless in the series with Elon, exhibited patience at the plate and drew the second walk of the inning. Fulton's free pass scored Braman and gave Western Carolina a 3-2 lead.

Haley Pace's single off the glove of pitcher Taylor set up a scoring explosion as the sixth inning continued for Western Carolina. Burnette scored off the RBI single by Pace. An Elon error, trying to throw the base runner out at third, allowed Griffin and Fulton to score. Western Carolina tallied five runs to close the inning, leading 6-2.

Elon returned the favor, and loaded the bases, in the bottom half of the sixth inning, with one out. King, replacing Steinhardt on the mound, gave up a walk to Hill and back to back singles to put a Phoenix on every base. Two RBI singles and an RBI fielder's choice cut Western Carolina's hard fought four-run lead to one run, 6-5. With two outs the tying run on third and the go ahead runner on second, King forced Graham to fly out to right field to end the threat.

King takes the loss and falls to 8-13.

Western Carolina travels to College of Charleston on April 29 and May 1 for its final Southern Conference road series of the season.