Athens, GA. – Western Carolina softball was within two runs in a tight tournament opener against Big Ten foe Michigan on Friday afternoon before the Wolverines plated four runs in the sixth inning to create the separation they needed in handing the Catamounts a 6-0 setback in game one of the Red & Black Showcase at Jack Turner Field.
Sophomore Lily Bell posted her third multi-hit game of the young season with a team-best two hits and stole the fourth bag of the year. Freshman Courtney Marks added a base knock and a sacrifice to her stat line as she's tallied hits in three of her first four collegiate games. Friday's starting pitcher, AG Batson, reached base a pair of times on walks with Bell reaching a third time on a free pass for the Catamounts.
Freshman Amanda Fulton made her Catamounts debut in the circle as she pitched the final 2.1 innings to cap her opening action with WCU.
Michigan's seven hits were spread between five players with a pair of two-hit efforts as the Wolverines evened their seasonal record with the win.
Bell opened the afternoon with her eighth base knock of the season to reach where she was sacrificed into scoring position. The Woodstock, Ga., product then promptly stole third to close in on the plate before Michigan pitched around threat to keep the game scoreless. In the home half, Michigan scored a one-out walk on a two-out RBI single to strike first and take the early advantage.
After the Catamounts were sat down in order, Michigan again reached via a walk to open the second frame before a homer was overturned as the leadoff base runner left early. Batson worked around a walk and single without trouble to keep it scoreless.
In the third, Batson and Bell both drew a free pass to again threaten, but the Wolverines recorded a one-out fielder's choice and a punchout to keep the game at 1-0 with Batson sending it to the fourth with a 1-2-3 frame.
Michigan (4-4) extended its lead in the fourth with a sacrifice fly that allowed a leadoff double to come across and score to push the lead to 2-0 before Fulton recorded her first college punchout in the fourth inning.
The Wolverines capped Friday's action with a four-run sixth en route to the nonconference win in WCU's opener at the Red & Black Showcase.
Batson (1-2) tossed 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, allowing four free passes. Fulton pitched the final 2.1 innings in relief, allowing four hits and four runs with a pair of strikeouts.
Erin Hoehn (1-2) got the start for the Wolverines and went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and tallying five strikeouts. Lauren Derkowski tallied 1.1 scoreless frames with a strikeout before Haley Ferguson pitched a scoreless seventh inning with a strikeout to secure the Michigan victory.
Western Carolina (1-5) continues the Red & Black Showcase on Saturday, Feb. 15, with a 10:30 a.m. first pitch against Longwood. The matchup with the Lancers will have live stats available through links on CatamountSports.com.
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