FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-3-08
College Softball: UNC Pembroke 5-2, AASU 4-6
SAVANNAH, Ga. (March 3) – The UNC Pembroke softball squad stretched its win streak to 14 with a 5-4 victory over host Armstrong Atlantic in game one of a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader, but the host Pirates snapped the streak with a 6-2 win in game two, handing the Braves their first league loss of the season.
The Braves (17-4, 7-1 PBC) led throughout game one thanks to Jelena Shaw’s two-run home run in the top of the first inning, her league-leading eighth round tripper of the season. AASU cut the lead to 2-1 on Ashley Bain’s RBI double in the bottom of the first, but Courtney Hill’s solo home run pushed the lead back to 3-1 in the fourth inning. AASU scratched across a run in the bottom of the fourth on an error by Hill, but the Braves stretched the lead to three on Brittany Berrier’s two-RBI single through a drawn-in infield in the top of the seventh.
Bain led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, and Sara Morris’ RBI single scored Erin Billingsley to again make it a one-run game, 5-4, but Stephanie Mattes fouled out to end the contest. Whitney Landwermeyer (3-2) hurled four innings of relief, giving up two hits and two runs, to pick up the victory for UNC Pembroke. Sam Floyd (3-5) gave up five runs in seven innings to take the loss for AASU.
In game two, the Pirates (10-9, 6-2 PBC) built a 3-0 lead on Jessica Strong’s two-run home run in the fourth inning, the stretched the lead to 6-1 thanks to a two-run shot by Natalie Vogler in the bottom of the sixth inning. That was more than enough for Jacquie Crane, who improved to 3-2 on the season with the complete-game victory, scattering eight hits and giving up just two runs. Candace Evans (7-2) took the game-two loss, giving up six hits and three runs in 3 1/3 innings pitched.
Shaw collected four hits in the doubleheader, two in each game, to lead the Braves, while Berrier had three hits and three RBI in the two games. Bain, Vogler and Strong each had two hits and two RBI for AASU.
The Pirates return to action on Wednesday, March 5, with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader against Lenoir-Rhyne at the AASU Softball Field.
- Pirates -