Feb. 18, 2012

Box Score< vs, North Dakota State/A>

Box Score vs. Mercer

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -Western Carolina softball (3-5) dropped a pair of games in day two of the Seminole Classic 2. The Catamounts fell to North Dakota State 3-2 and lost to Mercer, in six innings, 12-4.

It was a tight game against North Dakota State, who earlier in the day was just edged by Florida State, 2-1; a Seminole team that defeated Western Carolina 9-1, in five innings, on Friday.

Western Carolina took the early lead, scoring two runs in the fourth inning, after three scoreless innings by both teams. Amelia Griffin led off the inning with a single and promptly stole second. Griffin was pushed over to third on a sacrifice bunt by Haley Pace. The Catamounts scored their first run of the game on a triple RBI by Erin Foster which also earned her the No. 1 spot for triples in the WCU record books with four. Foster scored the second run of the inning on an RBI ground out by Shemekia Scotton.

After tossing four scoreless innings the Catamounts' senior lefty hurler Katie Kinggave up her first run of the game, to North Dakota State, with one run in the bottom of the fifth. In the top of the sixth, the Bison's Amanda Grable hit a lead-off homerun to tie the game at two.

Grable's homerun knocked King out of the game and she was replaced by Bekah Burkett. King ended the game with a no decision, giving up two runs on five hits. Eventually, Burkett would take the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season, when she gave up the winning run when Jamie Gay hit an RBI single.

Western Carolina had just four hits in the game, but for the second straight game, the Catamounts finished a game error free.

Mercer jumped on Western Carolina early to start the Catamounts second game of the day. The Bears slugged it out against WCU starting pitcher Amber Steinhardtwho gave up four runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Trailing 4-0, the Catamounts cut the Mercer lead to one run, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. With one out, designated player Robyn Burnette started things off with a single to centerfield. Megan Taylor walked, putting runners at first and second. Freshman Heather Chastain's ground out moved Burnette to third and pinch runner Alex Church, subbing in for Taylor to second. Megan Crowe drew a walk, loading the bases with Catamounts. When an illegal pitch was called, Burnette went home for WCU's first run of the game. Sophomore Jordan Fulton'ssingle to centerfield sent Church and Crowe home, but the Catamounts failed to continue the inning when Fulton was thrown out at third.

In the second inning, Mercer tacked on an additional run to lead 5-3.

Again, Western Carolina trimmed the Mercer lead to one run, scoring in the top of the third inning. Griffin led off the inning with a single and Pace followed with a double, placing runs on second and third. Burnette hit a ground out RBI to score Griffin, to put the score at 5-4 Mercer.

Steinhardt was replaced by freshman Jordan Garrettafter two innings of work. Garrett threw three scoreless innings, holding Mercer at bay, but the Catamounts couldn't back her up and put together any offense.

The failure to capitalize, as Garrett held Mercer at bay, came back to haunt the Catamounts in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Bears scored seven runs in the sixth to go up by eight runs and cut the game short by one inning.

Steinhardt takes the loss and falls to 0-1. Griffin and Burnette each had a pair of hits in the game.

Western Carolina will turn around and get a second chance with Mercer on Sunday. The two teams will meet again at 11 a.m. Sunday in the final day of the Seminole Classic 2.