May 7, 2011

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball (18-33, 3-20 Southern Conference) was swept by Chattanooga (37-12, 19-3 SoCon) 12-4, 13-0 Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex. The two teams will be back in action Sunday for a single game at 1 p.m.

GAME 1

Chattanooga scored first, with a run in the opening inning of the game. Lyndsey Stiles hit a lead-off double and Sara Poteat was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Michelle Fuzzard hit an RBI single to right field to score Stiles.

The Lady Mocs looked poised to add to its early 1-0 lead but a nifty play by Catamount first baseman Amber Steinhardt helped stifle the threat. Tiffany Baker lined out to Steinhardt and she tagged Fuzzard for the double play. Vivian Morimoto ground out to second base to end the inning.

Western Carolina tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. Back-to-back singles by Kelly Braman and Steinhardt put the Catamounts in business. A Chattanooga error allowed Braman and Steinhardt to move to second and third with no outs.

Starting Chattanooga pitcher Fuzzard notched a pair of outs and looked to squelch the Catamounts. However, Katie King had something to say about that. She laid down a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt and Braman raced home, and was safe when the Lady Mocs' attempted throw home was errant and Braman was safe.

Chattanooga re-took the lead in the top of the third, 2-1. With two outs, Morimoto hit an RBI single to score Poteat.

The Catamounts exploded for three runs in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Jordan Fulton hit a single to right field. Shemekia Scotton followed with a bunt single that pushed Fulton to second, and was replaced by Makenzi McAteer as a pinch runner. Fulton was erased on a fielder's choice hit by Braman putting Braman on first and McAteer on second. Steinhardt picked up her second hit of the game, lacing a double to left field scoring McAteer. Erin Foster hit her third triple of the season, scoring Braman and Steinhardt giving Western Carolina a 4-2 lead. The Western Carolina lead was quickly erased in the top of the fourth inning.

Chattanooga scored five runs to lead 7-4 in the fourth inning, paced by Morimoto's three run homerun over the right centerfield wall. The Lady Mocs added a lone run in the fifth inning and Jessica Traxler hit a grand-slam in the top of the seventh inning. It was the second homerun of the game for the Lady Mocs.

King went 3.1 innings giving up seven runs on 10 hits. She falls to 8-16 on the season. Bekah Burkett replaced King in the fourth inning.

GAME 2

Chattanooga continued the scoring in the first inning of the second game. The Lady Mocs had one run in the top of the first thanks to a solo homerun from Fuzzard.

A Catamount error in the top of the second, with two outs, afforded Chattanooga a chance to add two more runs. Flores and Fuzzard each had RBI singles in the two-run second.

Western Carolina had a scoring chance in the bottom of the second inning after Lady Mocs' pitcher Nikki Waters gave up back-to-back walks to Braman and Steinhardt with no outs. Waters recovered, forcing Foster and Amelia Griffin to strikeout and King to fly out to centerfield.

Fuzzard hit a base clearing double, tacking on three more RBI to her total, helping Chattanooga post five runs in the top of the third inning, pushing the Lady Mocs' lead to 8-0. The Lady Mocs posted five more runs in the fourth inning.

Steinhardt broke up Waters no-hitter attempt in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, and a 1-0 count, Steinhardt hit a single to left field, the ball falling just inside the line.

Western Carolina threw three pitchers in the second game. Steinhardt took the loss, falling to 9-12 after going 2.2 innings allowing eight runs on nine hits. King and Burkett also saw action on the mound for the Catamounts.