May 3, 2008

Box Score

Greensboro, N.C. - Mary Catherine Vercoe delivered a walk-off RBI single in game one and totaled four hits on the day to lead UNC Greensboro to a doubleheader sweep of Furman 2-1, 8-3 in Southern Conference softball action Saturday at UNCG Softball Stadium.

UNCG improved to 20-31 overall and 6-11 in the SoCon while Furman fell to 21-30 overall and 8-12 in the league.

Vercoe delivered a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth to score Lyndsay Mouse and give the Spartans a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Furman in game one. After being hit by a pitch with one out, Mouse swiped second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before the Spartan first baseman grounded an outside pitch up the middle for the walk-off hit.

UNC Greensboro knotted the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth on Vercoe's two-out solo homer to left field. Brittany Ausley followed with a triple to center field, but Mackey got Whitney Miller to fly out to center to end the threat.

Furman took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the fifth inning. The Paladins loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batter before Meredith Mielke scored Kate Termini on a bloop single down the right field line. UNCG escaped the bases loaded jam allowing just one run when Bethany Ullrich was cut down at the plate while trying to score on a fly out to right field.

Hannah Angel limited Furman to one run on eight hits over eight innings to improve to 10-13 in the circle. Vercoe and Ausley each collected two hits for the Spartans.

Mackey (16-23) suffered the loss allowing two runs on five hits in 7.2 innings. She fanned 12 batters and issued just one walk. With her 12 strikeouts, Mackey moved into first on Furman's single season strikeout ledger surpassing Rachel Henley's 218 punch outs in 2005. Michaels, Mielke and Mackey each tallied two hits for Furman.

Furman opened game two with a pair of runs in the top of the first on just one hit. Katie Michaels singled to center to open the frame before Meredith Mielke and Stephanie Cushing each reached base safely on fielder's choice sacrifice bunts. With one out, Lana Mackey drew a walk to force in the first run and Morgan Hughey was hit by a pitch to force in the second run.

UNC Greensboro answered quickly in the bottom of the inning with four runs. Mary Greenway led off with a bunt single and stole second and third. Lyndsay Mouse line and RBI triple to right field and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. UNCG loaded the bases on back-to-back singles off of starter Bethany Ullrich and a walk issued by Mackey before adding two more runs on a wild pitch and ground out.

Leading 5-2, the Spartans added to their lead in the fourth. A leadoff single and two walks set the table for Whitney Miller's three-run double into the right-center field gap to up the lead to 8-2. Whitney Sirois followed with a single and Kayla Hensley walked to load the bases again, but Mackey retired Kristen Gabel to stop the rally.

Ullrich (5-7) suffered the loss for the Paladins allowing four runs while retiring only one batter. Michaels and Ullrich each recorded two hits for the Paladins. Furman stranded 12 runners on base.

Amber Harrell took the victory to improve to 10-17. She allowed just two earned runs on five hits in seven innings. Greenway led the Spartans at the plate going 3-for-3 with three runs and six stolen bases. Vercoe went 2-for-2 with two walks for UNCG.

Furman and UNCG both conclude their regular season schedules with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.