May 3, 2001

FURMAN DOWNS UNCW 2-1 IN SOCON TOURNEY ACTION

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- Furman's Lady Paladin softball team posted a 2-1 win over the Sea Hawks of UNC-Wilmington Thursday in the first round of the Southern Conference Championships, earning a second round meeting with the winner of the Georgia Southern-College of Charleston game Friday at 4 p.m. at Jim Frost Stadium.

The Sea Hawks took an early lead when Susanna Rabon singled off Furman pitcher Chrissy Hacker, stole second, and scored on a double by Maggie Johnson. Though Hacker gave up two hits in the top of the first inning, she allowed only two more for the game, one in the sixth and another in the seventh.

UNCW held the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning when Sarah Scott scored on a Kelly Van Houten single up the middle to tie the score 1-1. The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, when the Lady Paladins' Caroline Evans hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Kelly Jack, who had reached on a single to right field.

Offensively, Jack led the Furman squad with two hits on the day, while Kelly Van Houten went one-for-one with a sacrifice hit and an RBI. In addition to hitting the game-winning sac fly, Evans threw the Sea Hawks' Chrissy Bennett out at home in the seventh ining, when the UNCW second baseman attempted to score from first on a Judy Spero double.

Furman's Hacker went all seven innings in the win to improve to 13-12 on the year, while Mandi Westbury fell to 13-15 with the loss. Hacker gave up one run on four hits, while Westbury gave up two runs on three hits. Furman moved to 26-27 with the win, while the Sea Hawks fell to 20-33.

UNCW 100 000 0 1R, 4H 0E

FUR 000 010 1 2R, 3H, 1E

Win - Chrissy Hacker (13-12)

Loss - Mandi Westbury (13-15)