April 13, 2001

FURMAN SPLITS DOUBLE HEADER WITH C OF C

GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- Furman's Lady Paladin softball team split a Southern Conference double header with College of Charleston on Friday, winning the first game 4-1, before falling 5-0 in the nightcap.

The Lady Paladins used a four-run fifth inning to pick up the game one win after College of Charleston went ahead 1-0 in the first inning, when center fielder Brooke Fuller scored on an Amanda Cone single.

Furman pitcher Chrissy Hacker reached on a walk to start the bottom of the fifth inning then reached second on a fielder's choice that failed to get batter Kelly Van Houten out at first. A La Kerah Barr sacrifice moved the runners to second and third, then Cougar pitcher Marissa Echenique walked Caroline Evans to load the bases with no outs. Melissa Creeger came in to pitch for Echenique, but gave up a single to Kay Brittain, who drove in Hacker to tie the game. The Lady Paladins went ahead moments later, when right fielder Kelly Jack singled to score Brittain and Evans. Another Cougar pitching change failed to end the Furman rally, as Melissa Hutton singled to left field, scoring Leachman and giving Furman its fourth and final run.

Furman's Chrissy Hacker improved to 11-8 on the season with the complete game four-hitter, while the Cougar's Melissa Creeger took the loss and fell to 3-8.

In game two, College of Charleston scored four runs in the fourth and another in the fifth while shutting down the Lady Paladin bats. Pitcher Kenzie Kohler gave up just four hits in the complete game victory, while walking two and striking out four. The Lady Paladins' Kelly Jack gave up five hits and four earned runs in 4.2 innings work, while Missy Baldwin faced seven batters in 2-1/3 innings with no hits, no walks, and one strikeout.

In the fourth inning of the nightcap, a leadoff single by Fuller, an error by Furman catcher Melissa Hutton, and singles by C of C's Brooke Flowers and Amanda Cone were followed by a Jacklyn Mariner two-run homer that gave the Cougars a four-run cushion. In the top of the fifth, the Cougars's Fuller scored her second run of the game on a Martha McCall single to left field.

Furman (20-21) will host the College of Charleston (16-26) in a single game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pepsi Stadium.

Game One

C of C 100 000 0 1R, 4H, 0E

Furman 000 040 4R, 6H, 1E

Win - Chrissy Hacker (11-8)

Loss - Melissa Creeger (3-8)

Game Two

C of C 000 410 0 5R, 7H, 2E

Furman 000 000 0 0R, 4H, 2E

Win - Kenzie Kohler (7-11)

Loss - Kelly Jack (7-8)