May 4, 2008

Box Score

Greensboro, N.C. - UNC Greensboro tallied two runs in the first inning and Hannah Angel tossed a three-hit shutout as the Spartans downed Furman 2-0 to complete the three-game series sweep in the regular season finale for both teams Sunday at UNCG Softball Stadium.

Furman, losers of 10 of its last 12 games, finish the regular season at 21-31 overall and 8-13 in the Southern Conference. The sixth-seeded Paladins will open SoCon Tournament play on Wednesday at 5 p.m. against host and third-seed College of Charleston at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

UNCG concludes the regular season at 21-31 overall and 7-11 in the league. The Spartans gain the fifth seed and will face four-seeded Elon on Wednesday.

UNCG plated the game's only runs in the bottom of the first against Paladin starter Lana Mackey. Mary Greenway singled, stole second and scored from third on a failed pick off attempt by catcher Megan Schonhar. Kaitlin Merkt lined a double to the base of the left field wall to plate Whitney Miller and up the lead to 2-0 just five batters into the bottom of the first.

Angel (11-13) took over from there fanning nine Furman batters and issuing just one walk over seven shutout innings. Mackey suffered the defeat for Furman to drop to 16-24 in the circle. The sophomore allowed just one earned run on three hits in six innings and did not allow a walk. Mackey, who retired 12 of the final 13 batters she faced, fanned seven to up her school single season strikeout total to 235.