SATURDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 3, Furman 0
Troy 8,
UT Martin 7
Eastern Kentucky 2, Marist 0
UConn 3,
Eastern Kentucky 3
Jacksonville State 5, Appalachian State 0
Loyola Marymount 5,
Belmont 1
Belmont 3, Brown 0
Tennessee State 4, Saint Louis 3
Tennessee State 3, Saint Louis 0
Purdue 1,
Tennessee Tech 0
Kent State 1
, Tennessee Tech 0
Miami (Ohio) 7
, Austin Peay 3
Austin Peay 1, Miamai (Ohio) 0
JACKSONVILLE STATE 3, FURMAN 0; JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, APPALACHIAN STATE 0
CONWAY, S.C. - The Jacksonville State softball team's wait to return to the field finally ended on Saturday and the Gamecocks made the most out of their first chance to play in two weeks.
After an off week last weekend and rainouts on the first two days of this week's Chanticleer Challenge, the skies cleared and the 2014 season resumed on Saturday, when senior Tiffany Harbin and freshman Taylor West each tossed complete-game shutouts. Harbin blanked Appalachian State 5-0 in the early morning game before West's 3-0 win in her collegiate debut against Furman followed.
Harbin, the seasoned veteran from Hazel Green, fanned 10 ASU batters and scattered just three hits to grab her 62nd career win and third of the season. West got her first in the first time the Anniston native saw a collegiate circle. She'd missed the first month of the season working her way back from an injury suffered just before Opening Day, and made her opportunity count on Saturday.
Junior and reigning All-Ohio Valley Conference infielder Sara Borders led a JSU offense that hit .333 on the day. The Alexandria native was 4-for-4 in the opener and 5-for-7 with three RBI on the day, homering in each game. Sophomore Cadi Oliver was 3-for-5 and senior Hayden Crawford 3-for-6 over the twinbill.
In the opener, Harbin got plenty of offensive help, including the fourth four-hit game of Borders' career. Senior Kalee Tabor followed the first of two Borders singles with a two-run homer that would put JSU up for good. The team-high sixth homer of the year for the Lake Mary, Fla., native would be all the run support Harbin would need.
An Oliver sac fly in the fifth made it a 3-0 JSU lead before Borders' fifth homer of the year broke it open in the seventh. Oliver, Savannah Sloan and Crawford each recorded two hits in the win for the JSU offense, which totaled 13 hits in the game.
Harbin cruised, taking a no-hitter into the fourth, before a one-out single from Ashley Seering put the Mountaineers first hit on the board. Three singles would be all Harbin gave up, while she struck out 10 to improve to 3-3 on the year and notch her 62nd career win, two shy of the JSU record held by Jill Wilcoxson.
Sydney Laws (2-3) took the loss for ASU after giving up all five runs, four earned, on 13 hits in seven innings in the circle. She struck out four and walked one.
In the second game of the day, freshman Taylor West made her debut in the circle and got some support from fellow freshman Jamie McGuire. McGuire, a native of Glencoe, fouled off four two-strike pitches from Lauren Collier before depositing a 2-2 pitch over the wall in straightaway center field. Her third homer of the season gave West a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
West worked her way to the shutout, stranding at least one base runner in every inning but one and allowing a runner to reach scoring position in four of her seven shutout frames. The Anniston native scattered seven hits and struck out five to grab her first win in the circle. She threw just 94 pitches in the complete game, 62 of which were in the strike zone.
Borders put the exclamation point on the victory with a seventh-inning solo shot.
Collier (5-4) took the loss for Furman after surrendering three runs on seven hits in her seven solid innings. She walked three and struck out nine JSU batters.
The Gamecocks will finally play in the friendly confines of University Field on Tuesday, when they host Ball State in their home opener at 5 p.m. CT. JSU students and all fans ages 18 and under get in free.
TROY 8, UT MARTIN 7
ORLANDO, Fla. - – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team battled until the end, but ultimately fell to Troy 8-7 in eight innings to cap off the final day of the UCF Spring Fling.
The Skyhawks (8-12-1) were led by senior Stephanie Nidiffer who tallied two hits while driving in three runs on the morning. Freshman Carly Gonzales and senior Kayla Wade joined in on the action, tallying the only multi-hits of the day for the Skyhawks. Lauren Smith tallied two RBIs on the morning while Gabby Glenn drove in the other Skyhawk run.
Elizabeth Wiegand (6-3) got the start inside the circle for the Skyhawks, pitching 7.2 innings while allowing 12 hits. Wiegand struck out two while walking three and allowing seven earned runs.
UT Martin got on the board first in the top of the second inning. After freshman Taylor Manning drew a two out walk, she would eventually come around to score on an RBI double to right center by Smith.
Troy would quickly retaliate in the bottom half of the second inning with three runs to take the lead. The Trojans registered two leadoff base singles which would plate their first run of the day. Troy would tally their next two runs on another RBI single before scoring on a fielder’s choice.
The Skyhawks would counter Troy’s inning with a monster inning of their own behind the play of Nidiffer. Wade singled through the right side before Wilson punched one down the left field line to put a pair of runners on base. The senior Nidiffer would place an exclamation point on the inning with a three run home run to left field to retake the 4-3 lead.
UT Martin would add onto its lead in the top of the sixth inning as Nidiffer and Gonzales tallied leadoff singles before being moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Manning. Smith would tally an RBI before Glenn would double to right center, plating another run.
The Skyhawks would tally their final run in the top of the seventh after Dixon and Wade strung together a pair of singles. Dixon would eventually come around to score on an RBI single up the middle by Gonzales.
Troy would fight back in the bottom of the seventh inning, eventually tallying the tying run. The Trojans strung together back-to-back hits to lead off the bottom half of the inning. The bases would eventually become loaded before Amanda Winters would tally a game-tying grand slam to force extra innings.
UT Martin would leave two on base in the top of the eighth inning but could not push across the go-ahead run. Troy tallied no hits in the bottom half of the inning, but eventually pushed across the game-winning run on an RBI sacrifice fly to left field.
The Skyhawks will return to action on Tuesday, March 11 when they host Saint Louis in a mid-week doubleheader. Action from Bettye Giles Field is scheduled to get underway at 3 p.m.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 2, MARIST 0; UCONN 3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a pair of games at the Winthrop/adidas Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Colonels shut out Marist, 2-0, before falling to UConn in extra innings, 3-2.
In the opener, junior pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger struck out 14 Marist batters and limited the Red Foxes to just two hits.
EKU (8-8) would get all the runs it would need in the fourth when junior Katie Tackett ripped her team-leading fifth home run. In the seventh, sophomore Kayla Joyce notched her first collegiate homer, a solo shot to center field.
Joyce and junior Shannon McQueen each tallied two hits in the victory.
Later in the day, UConn outlasted the Colonels in eight innings.
Husky pitcher Lauren Duggan kept the EKU bats in check until the bottom of the seventh. Joyce came through again, this time with a two-out, tying home run to send the game into extra frames.
UConn picked up a sacrifice fly in the eighth to take a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Eastern was able to get a runner to third with no outs, but could not push across a run.
The Colonels conclude play at Winthrop tomorrow against Wright State (11 a.m.) and the host Eagles (3 p.m.)
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 5, BELMONT 1; BELMONT 3, BROWN 0
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Belmont Softball shutout Brown Saturday afternoon as the Bruins earned a split on the day after falling to host Loyola Marymount in their first game of the second day of the LMU Invitational.
Game 1: Loyola Marymount 5, Belmont 1
Belmont dented the scoreboard first as an RBI bunt from Jessica Wilson (Alvin, Tex.) drove in Kerbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.) as the Bruins took the early advantage against the host Lions.
Loyola Marymount (11-8) tied up the contest in the bottom of the second inning off an RBI single down the right field line from shortstop Stephanie Marciel.
The contest continued to be knotted over the next three scoreless innings before what would prove to be the deciding sixth inning. Another big hit from Marciel scored in three runs followed by a Lion player reaching home plate off a Belmont error as LMU took the 5-1 advantage in the game.
The Bruins couldn't muster any offense in the seventh inning as Belmont fell to Marymount, 5-1.
LMU's Sydney Gouvie (11-1) had a dominating effort at the mound fpr the Lions, throwing for 11 strikeouts as the right hander limited Belmont to just one hit on the outing.
Game 2: Belmont 3, Brown 0
Belmont's bats came alive in their second game of the day as the Bruins recorded 10 hits as BU shutout Brown, 3-0.
Highlighted by RBI hits from Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif), Belmont drove in runs in the third, fifth and six innings.
Belmont' starting pitcher Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) recorded her second victory on the season as the sophomore threw for six innings, giving up just three hits on the game.
Snodgress replaced Moon in the seventh inning and recorded her first save of the season for the Bruins.
Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) led Belmont at the plate as the junior went 3-for-4 on the contest.
Belmont (6-11) will return to action tomorrow morning as the Bruins wrap up their California road trip with a rematch against St. Mary's at 11 a.m (CST). Live stats will not be available for the contest between the Bruins and the Gaels.
TENNESSEE STATE 4, SAINT LOUIS 3; TENNESSEE STATE 3, SAINT LOUIS 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State used the same recipe to sweep Saint Louis on day two of the 2014 Tiger Invitational. The Tigers set them up and the Morris twins set them down. Kate Morris picked up key RBI hits in each game, while Shea Morris closed out both games with saves.
The Tigers thwarted a Billiken comeback in game one for a 4-3 win to close out pool play undefeated. TSU closed out day two action with a 3-0 shutout in the first round of bracket play. The two wins secure a spot on the championship game, as they improve to 11-15. SLU falls to 8-7.
The Tigers used a four-run fourth inning to take control of game one. Kate Morris stepped to the plate with bases loaded and came through with a big double for the second straight game. Morris drove the ball into left center allowing the speedy Kiarra Freeman to charge around the bases right behind Lindsey Burgess and Liz Stansberry.
Stansberry led off the inning with a hit, ahead of the second double of the game by Burgess. Freeman earned a walk to set up the Morris gaper.
The Tigers upped the lead to 4-0 as Rebbekka Gross singled to center to push home Morris from second base.
Hannah St. Clair worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first and settled in to retire 10 of the next 11 batters. Saint Louis would get to the freshman hurler in the fifth, as they used a two-run home run and an RBI double to get with in a run of the Tigers.
St. Clair made way for Shea Morris who entered in the top of the fifth with the tying run on second. Morris would catch Elizabeth Everingham looking to end the threat. The junior would shut down the Billikens over the final two innings with four strikeouts to earn her third save of the season.
St. Clair acquired her second consecutive win in as many games and is now 2-3.
In the night cap, the Tigers pounced for two runs in the third. Kate Morris delivered an RBI hit with a drive through the left side of the infield to score Burgess from second. On the play, SLU tried to throw out Freeman at third, but the throw ended up in left field. Freeman wasted no time, as she sprinted home to give TSU an early 2-0 lead.
Burgess added to the lead as she blasted a solo home run to right field with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, making the score 3-0.
Shea Morris entered in the top of the fifth with two outs and runners on second and third. In a repeat of the first game, Morris was able to strikeout a Billiken hitter to avoid any damage. Morris replaced starter Olivia Gamache, who went the first 4.2 innings keeping the Billikens off the board as she scattered four hits and three walks. Gamache fanned five as she earned the win and improved to 3-6.
Morris held SLU hitless during her time in the circle and struck out five of the seven batters she faced to earn her fourth save of the season. It was the second on the day and third of the tournament. The save is the seventh in her career, making her the all-time leader in saves in TSU history.
Burgess finished the day 4-for-6 with two doubles and a home run. Kate Morris recorded four RBI on the day.
The final of the Invitational will consist of the consolation game at 11:00am between Saint Louis and North Carolina A&T. The Tigers will face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the championship game at 1:15pm. All games can be seen on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.
PURDUE 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0; KENT STATE 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0
ATHENS, Ga. - Pitching, pitching, and more pitching proved to be the theme of day two of the UGA Softball Invitational. The Tennessee Tech softball team allowed only two runs in matchups with Purdue (8-12-1) and Kent State (10-6), but were handed a pair of losses, both by 1-0 finals.
A classic pitcher's duel unfolded in the opener, with Tech's Danielle Liberatore (3-5) and Purdue's Lilly Fecho (6-6) matching each other pitch for pitch. The two combined to throw up zero after zero, with neither club putting together a real scoring opportunity until the bottom of the fifth when the Golden Eagles (7-15) rallied with two down.
After consecutive outs to begin the frame, junior Hannah Eldridge singled up the middle, before sophomore Samantha Cook walked to put runners on first and second. The scoring threat went by the books thanks to a Fecho strikeout, one of 10 on the afternoon for the sophomore from Carol Stream, Ill.
Eldridge's single was one of two knocks for the Fayetteville, Tenn. native, after Eldridge smoked a double in the bottom of the third to account for Tech's lone multi-hit showing.
The game entered the top of the seventh still scoreless, but behind a two-out RBI double to right center off the bat of senior Tori Chiodo, the Boilermakers took the lead.
Liberatore was handed with a tough luck loss, despite stringing together one of her best performances as a Golden Eagle. The 5-10 southpaw went the distance, allowing just one earned, while scattering eight hits.
Fecho notched her second consecutive win against Tech, tossing a complete game shutout, while giving up three hits.
Junior Taylor Ketchum (1-3) followed up Liberatore's fantastic performance inside the circle with one of her own in the day's second game against Kent State, going the distance and giving up just one earned run.
The Golden Eagles had their chances throughout the affair, putting a runner in scoring position in four of the seven innings, including in the sixth inning when Tech opened up the frame by putting its first two runners on. Sophomore Madison Taylor began the inning with a walk, which was followed by an Alyssa Richards single. Richards was the only Golden Eagle to notch two hits in the game, finishing 2-for-3.
TTU couldn't capitalize on the threat as Golden Flashes' reliever Ronnie Ladines retired the next three hitters to end the inning. Ladines would go on to pitch a 1-2-3 seventh to earn the save, closing out the win for senior Lauren McNeil (2-1), who tossed five scoreless, scattering five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Kent State scored the game's only run in the top of the fourth, using a Lauren Kesterson RBI single through the left side to plate senior Abbey Ledford.
Tech will have a chance at revenge on Sunday, closing out its stay in Georgia with a rematch against Kent State at 8 a.m. CT.
MIAMI (OHIO) 7, AUSTIN PEAY 3; AUSTIN PEAY 1, MIAMI (OHIO) 0
OXFORD, Ohio - Laurel Burroughs second home run of the day was all the scoring that Austin Peay State University would need in the nightcap Saturday to earn a spilt with Miami (Ohio) University, as the Lady Govs defeated the RedHawks 1-0 after dropping the opener, 7-3.
After hitting three solo home runs in the first game, Burroughs blasted a 0-2 pitch by Miami starter Amber Logemann out over the left-center field fence to give the Lady Govs (9-13) their first lead of the day, 1-0.
Lauren de Castro (6-4) would make that run hold up for Austin Peay, despite three APSU errors, as she limited Miami (5-9) to three hits and getting out of jams in the third and fifth innings.
In the third, a one-out error and Miami’s first hit of the day put a runner in scoring position, but a fielder’s chose and a ground out ended that scoring chance for the RedHawks.
But the biggest threat may have come in the fifth, when after getting the first out of the inning, APSU center fielder Rikki Arkansas misplay a fly ball get led to Miami’s Remy Edwards getting all the way around to third base.
But de Castro get the next hitter on a comebacker, and following a walk, got the third out on a foul out to Burroughs.
In the opener, Miami would jump out quickly against the Lady Govs in the opener, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning.
Taylor Shuey would open the game with a triple to center field and score on an infield out to make it 1-0.
A base hit and an error by Austin Peay would put runners at first and third for the RedHawks, with Allie Larrabee driving in the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, while Bree Lipscomb knocked in the final run with a double.
Austin Peay would respond in the top of the second with two solo home runs, the first by de Castro to straight away center field and two outs later by Burroughs to make it 3-2.
The home run by de Castro was her 22nd of her career tying her for second most in school history.
The RedHawks answered back with two, two-run innings in the third and fourth – with Larrabee and Kylie McChesney driving in runs in the third and Kayla Ledbetter driving in both Miami runs in the fourth.
The Lady Govs would score one final run in the top of the fifth inning on a pinch-hit home run by Christiana Gable – her first collegiate hit – for the 7-3 final score.
Paige Myers (4-2) got the win, going five-plus innings, while Brianna Bartuccio (2-6) got the loss.