Catamounts win 2 of 3 against UNC-G

On April 14, 2007, the Catamount softball club played two of three games against the Spartans of UNC-Greensboro. In those three games, the Catamounts found themselves victorious in two of them, winning the series against The Spartans. In the first game the Catamounts fell to the Spartans 9-6, but in game two they won 4-3. The next day the Catamounts blanked the Spartans 6-0. The wins move the Cats to 20&26, overall, and 5&7 in the Southern Conference. In game one of the April 14 game, the Catamounts and the Spartans had a homerun fest. The two teams combined for seven homeruns. Unfortunately, the Catamounts were at the losing end of the scoreboard as they fell 9-6. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Catamounts and Spartans were knotted up at four. However, that is when the Catamounts took their first lead of the contest. Sophomore Stephanie Beatty hit a double with one out in the inning. With two outs, the Spartans threw a wild pitch and Beatty advanced to third. Sophomore Lauren Ross came up to the plate and with a 2-2 count, she blasted her seventh homerun of the season. The homer gave the Catamounts a 6-5 lead. In the top of the seventh inning, the Spartans rallied and scored four runs to regain the lead and would eventually take the game. Along with Ross’ homerun, the Catamounts had homers from freshman Danielle Reese, and senior Nikki Bost. The Catamounts would quickly rebound from their loss in game two of the doubleheader as they defeated the Spartan 4-3. In the victory, sophomore Lauren Ross got the start on the mound and she had one heck of a performance. She threw a complete game allowing two earned runs on five hits, and she tied her season high with nine strikeouts to move to 8&7 on the season. The Catamounts struck first blood as they scored early in the contest. With one out, Bost hit a single to right field. She would advance to second when Beatty grounded out. Bost would score when junior Savannah Filley hit a single up the middle getting an RBI for the day. With the game being tied at 1 apiece, the Catamounts came out in the fourth inning and scored two runs to break the tie. The bases were loaded and with one out, sophomore Mendy McKenzie hit into a fielder’s choice which sent home Mollie Fowler. Junior Jamie Swank also scored on the play after an error from the UNC-G Spartan catcher allowed her to come home. In the sixth inning, the Spartans tied the game up at 3. The Catamounts look to rebound from the Spartan comeback by going on a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Unfortunately, the Catamounts let a scoring opportunity slip through their fingers. They had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the inning. Beatty hit one to the pitcher, and Beth Hauser was out at home for the second out of the inning. Filley ended the inning striking out, ending any chances of a Catamount scoring threat. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Catamounts got a much needed hit from freshman Danielle Reese. In the previous game, she hit her first homerun of the season. In this game, she scored the game winning RBI towards leftfield to score Ross. In game three, the Catamounts continued their winning ways winning their first conference series of the season by shutting out the Spartans 6-0. The team had a strong day from the plate as they recorded 10 hits and compiled six runs. It was the Catamounts second conference shutout of the season, earlier they defeated Elon 1-0. It was also their first conference shutout at the Catamount Complex. Three pitchers helped the Catamounts cruised to the victory. McKenzie started the game and picked up the decision making her 8&14 on the year. She pitched three scoreless innings allowing two hits and one strikeout. Ross pitched two innings as well allowing one hit and a strikeout. Filley finished the game and allowed three hits and two strikeouts. From the get-go, the Catamounts put a run on the scoreboard early. McKenzie hit a lead off double, and would eventually be sent home by an RBI double from Bost. In the third inning, the Catamounts scored another run when Fowler hit an RBI single scoring Ross and putting Western ahead by two.