May 11, 2011

Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. - Number 9 seed Western Carolina softball (18-35) was edged by No. 8 seed Furman (18-34) 5-4, in the play-in game at the 2011 Southern Conference Tournament at Eagle Field Wednesday, to end its season.

Down 5-0 entering the top of the sixth inning, Western Carolina scored four runs to make the game interesting.

Western Carolina's Haley Pace played spoiler for Furman pitcher Kayla Suskauer, first breaking up her no-hitter and then ending her shutout. Pace reached first in the top of the sixth thanks to a Furman error and motored to second when no one in the field was watching. She moved to third of a wild pitch by Suskauer. Amber Steinhardt pushed her hitting streak to six with a single to centerfield scoring Pace for the Catamounts first runoff the game.

The sixth inning continued for Western Carolina when Shemekia Scotton and Kelly Braman hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs. Suskauer walked Erin Foster, with the bases juiced, scoring Steinhardt for the second run of the inning.

Foster's walk knocked Suskauer out of the game and she was replaced by Hannah Bradley, who entered with bases loaded of Catamounts and no outs. Bradley offered a free pass to Amelia Griffin, the second straight walk given up by Furman pitching, to score pinch runner Makenzi McAteer. Bradley got the first out of the inning when she forced Katie King to pop up in the infield.

Bradley walked Robyn Burentte, still with the bases loaded, to score the third Catamount run off a Paladin walk. Braman was offered a free pass to home plate with the Burnette walk. Fulton hit a grounder to third base for a fielder's choice that erased Foster at home. Pace, who started the scoring for Western Carolina, ended the inning flying out to left field.

Furman jumped on the Catamounts early, thanks to a two run homerun by Southern Conference First teamer Jessie Homesley, in the first inning. Western Carolina was playing catch-up the rest of the game and could never recover from Homesley's long ball.

Western Carolina got its first base runner of the game in the top of the third inning, when freshman Sarah Spencer drew a walk off Paladin pitcher Suskauer. Prior to Spencer's walk, Suskauer had sat down eight straight Catamount batters.

Pace broke up Suskauer's no-hitter attempt when she hit a lead-off single in the top of the fourth inning. It was Western Carolina's second straight base runner in an inning, but three straight outs ended Pace's chance at scoring.

Furman added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Alex Bimonte hit a one out single and moved to second on a sacrifice hit. Stephanie Spain hit an RBI triple down the right side, scoring Bimonte, and went home on a Catamount miscue.

The Paladins tacked on one run in the fifth inning, which proved to be the game-winner.

Junior pitcher King had four strikeouts in the game, pushing her over the century mark. She ends the year with 102 strikeouts, making her the first Catamount pitcher to go over 100 strikeouts since 2008, when Lauren Ross had 115. King ends the season with an 8-18 record.

Western Carolina is now 1-1, all-time in play-in games.