May 12, 2011

Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. ---- The Samford softball team suffered its first loss of the Southern Conference Tournament Thursday as it fell to UNC Greensboro, 4-1, in a pitcher's duel. UNCG's Cory Mattson outlasted Samford's Kayla Burris as the Spartans advance to the semifinals and the Bulldogs fall to the consolation bracket.

Samford will take on the College of Charleston in a consolation game at 11 a.m. CT on Friday. The Cougars were upset by Elon in the first round of tournament play, 7-5, and then outlasted Furman Thursday, 4-2, in eight innings.

Samford holds a 6-5 lead over the College of Charleston in the all-time series. The Bulldogs took two out of three from the Cougars in the regular season last week. In 2009, the Bulldogs faced Charleston in the first round of the SoCon Tournament and defeated the Cougars, 6-1.

UNCG held a 1-0 lead for five innings before adding another run in the sixth. Samford cut the lead to one in the bottom of the sixth inning but two runs by the Spartans in the seventh would help UNCG walk away with the 4-1 win.

UNCG jumped out of the gate to take a 1-0 lead as April Langley walked and stole second in the first inning. Aisha Figueroa struck out for the first out of the game but Alex Emeterio singled through the right side to drive in Langley for the first run of the game.

The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the second but Burris pitched out of the inning with a swinging strikeout and a pop up to third base. Three straight fly outs in the top of the third kept UNCG from scoring again. Samford got two runners on in the second but could not get any across the plate. The Bulldogs went down in order in the third and left two stranded in the fourth.

UNCG plated another run in the top of the sixth to go ahead by two. Eileen Horsmon hit a deep fly to right field but Brianna Chambers made a diving catch which would eventually save a run as Katelyn Bedwell followed with a double to left center. Heather Robb walked and then a sacrifice fly by Krsitin Gabel moved the runner up. Langley laid down a two-out bunt to drive in Robb before Figueroa popped up to end the inning.

UNCG held Samford scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when Amanda Jordan hit a one-out bomb to left field to cut the UNCG lead to 2-1. However, the Spartans added two more in the top of the seventh to go ahead, 4-1.

With one out, Kaitlin Merkt walked and then moved to second on a single by Jordan Jewett. Merkt advanced to third on a fly out by Horsmon and then Bedwell knocked in Jewett and Merkt in a bases-clearing triple. The Spartans then sealed the victory in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the Bulldogs in order.

Jordan led the Bulldogs at the plate, going 2-for-3 while scoring Samford's only run and batting in its only RBI. Chambers, Aaren Fisher and Alex Adams also each had a hit for the Bulldogs.

Burris (9-16) pitched a complete game, giving up four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

Bedwell led the Spartans with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with two RBI. Five other Spartans accounted for a hit each while Langley, Emeterio , Jewett and Bedwell each scored one of UNCG's runs.

Mattson (14-13) got the win, giving up just one earned run on five hits in six inning of work. She allowed two walks and struck out two batters. Raeanne Hanks got her second save of the season, pitching the final inning of the game and recording two strikeouts.

Live stats and video will be available for Friday's game between Samford and the College of Charleston at www.SoConSports.com. A full recap and box score will be available on www.samfordsports.com upon the completion of the game.