Feb. 11, 2012

Box Score vs Longwood

Box Score vs ETSU

PANTHERVILLE, Ga. - Western Carolina softball (1-1) opened the 2012 season spitting a pair of games at the Georgia State First Pitch Classic. The Catamounts fell to Longwood 11-10 then bounced back to defeat ETSU, 5-4.

The Catamounts opened the season, and the tournament, against Longwood. The game turned into a slugfest with Longwood posting 16 hits and the Catamounts pounding out 12.

A bunt single by Amelia Griffin and a double to left field, with one out, started the first inning for Western Carolina. Kelly Braman's bunt single RBI scored the Catamounts first run of the game when Griffin touched home plate.

Senior lefty hurler Katie King got into a jam early in the bottom of the first inning. Longwood got three runs on four hits to take the lead. Pace's two out single RBI cut the Longwood lead to two, 4-2, after Megan Crowe singled, stole second and scored off Pace's single.

In the bottom of the second, King was replaced on the mound by Amber Steinhardt who gave up three runs on three hits. With no outs, Steindart was replaced by freshman Jordan Garrett, who also gave up a run. Longwood had four runs on four hits in the second.

Trailing 7-2 to start the third inning, Western Carolina cut the Longwood lead to three by tacking on a pair of runs. Shemekia Scotton opened the inning with a double down the left field line. Senior outfielder Erin Foster followed with an RBI triple to score Scotton. Foster scored when Megan Taylor ground out to the short stop for an RBI.

Garrett and Western Carolina held Longwood scoreless, for the first time in the game in the bottom of the third inning. The scoreless third for Longwood in the third allowed WCU to capitalize in the top of the fourth. Longwood committed three errors, and allowed just one hit, to allow Western Carolina to tie the game at seven. A second consecutive scoreless inning by Longwood kept the score tied at seven.

In the fifth inning, Pace struck for Western Carolina in a big way. With two outs, junior Jordan Fulton got her first hit of the season, a single past third base. After Fulton stole second, Griffin singled, to keep the inning alive, and push Fulton to third. Pace followed with a three RBI homerun to left field, giving WCU a 10-7 advantage.

Longwood cut the Catamount lead to two, adding a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Western Carolina continued to lead 10-8.

Western Carolina failed to score in the top of the sixth inning opening the door for Longwood. Back-to-back homeruns Longwood tied the game at 10.

For the second straight inning, Western Carolina failed to score and again Longwood took advantage. Megan Baltzell hit a walk-off homerun, to lead off the bottom of the seventh to secure the win for Longwood.

Pace led Western Carolina in the game going 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run. Griffin scored three runs and also had three hits. Scotton and Foster each had a pair of hits.

After taking the loss earlier in the day, against Longwood, freshman Garrett not only got her first win in a Catamount uniform, she also picked up her first win. Garrett went 5.1 innings, allowing four runs, one earned, on six hits and struck out six.

Pace continued with the hot bat, getting Western Carolina on the board early. She hit a homerun over the left field wall to give WCU an early 1-0 lead. ETSU answered in the bottom of the first, tying the game off a Catamount error, allowing Jackie Baird to score.

After a scoreless second inning, Western Carolina was on top again, and again all thanks to Pace's bat. With one out, sophomore Amelia Griffin drew a walk, and Pace homered for the second time in the game, a two RBI shot to centerfield.

The Catamounts tacked on two more runs in the top of the fourth, giving them a 5-1 lead. Senior centerfielder Erin Foster earned a walk and promptly stole second. Megan Crowe reached on a Buccaneer miscue pushing Foster to third, and the bases were loaded when Megan Taylor singled to the shortstop. Sophomore designated player Morgan Wyatt hit a two RBI single, plating Foster and Crowe.

ETSU scored a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning to pull within one run, 5-4, entering the seventh inning.

Western Carolina had a chance to get an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. Pace picked up her third hit of the game to open seventh and moved to second on a ground out by Kelly Braman. A double by Shemekia Scotton put runners on second and third. However, the Catamounts failed to capitalize and ETSU had one half inning to try and tie the game or take the lead.

Junior pitcher Amber Steinhardt, who came into the game in the sixth inning to relieve Garrett, got two quick outs to start the bottom of the seventh, and ETSU was down to its last out. The Buccaneers Sam Lower gave ETSU a little life when she got a single to left field. Steinhardt forced Jackie Baird to ground out to end the inning and the game.

Pace ended the game 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Scotton had a pair of runs in the game.

Western Carolina completes action by facing host Georgia State at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. The four teams will then go into bracket play with the third and fourth seeded teams playing each other and then the first and second seed facing off.