April 3, 2003
FURMAN STAGES SEVENTH INNING COMEBACK, DROPS APPALACHIAN STATE 7-6
BOONE, N.C. -- Furman scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to drop Appalachian 7-6 in the rubber game of a SoCon softball series in Boone, N.C., Thursday afternoon.
The Lady Paladins, down 5-4 entering the seventh inning staged a two-out rally when Meagan Johnson hit her fourth home run of the season to straight away center field. Following the home run, Furman put two on after back-to-back singles by Kate Morrison and Ali McNulty. After McNulty moved to second on an Appalachian throwing error, Furman loaded the bases on a Jessica Matthews walk.
Furman jumped ahead 6-5 when Mountaineer pitcher Jennifer Hurley was unable to capitalize on an early 0-2 count, walking Kelli Leachman. Hurley's struggles continued when she walked Furman pinch hitter Sarah Scott, making the score 7-5. Following the walks, Appalachian turned to Marie Watson, as she forced Karen Myers to pop up to third to end the inning.
Appalachian mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh.Christa Hicks singled and then moved to second up on a Sarah Gough groundout. Appalachian senior Lael Rorie plated Hicks on her single through the right side, cutting the Lady Paladin lead to 7-6. Furman shortstop Kelli Leachman then snagged Amber Handy's line drive and doubled up pinch runner Wendy Lewis at first to end the game.
Furman jumped on the board first in the third inning after putting together consecutive singles by Myers and LaKerah Barr. With runners on second and third after a Furman groundout, the Lady Paladins would jump ahead 1-0 on Caroline Evans' ground out to second. Furman would add another run in the fourth after a double by Morrison and a single by Jessica Matthews. Leachman would earn her first RBI of the afternoon to put the Paladins ahead 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Appalachian would rally to tie the game in the fourth when Handy reached on a bunt single. After stealing second and a Laura Padgett walk, Dawn Malone delivered with a single through the right side plating both Padgett and Handy. Malone was thrown out at second on the play after trying to extend the single to a double.
After falling behind 4-2 in the fifth, the Mountaineers pulled ahead 5-4. A Furman fielding error allowed Appalachian's Mary Lutz to reach first. Following the error, consecutive singles by Hicks and Gough loaded the bases. A walk by Rorie inched the Mountaineers closer at 4-3. A two-out single up the middle by Padgett put Appalachian ahead 5-4.
Neither team was able to mount a threat in the sixth inning. Furman's Ali McNulty went 3-for-4 on the afternoon with 2 RBI while teammate Kate Morrison returned a 2-for-3 performance at the plate including her sixth double of the year. Kelli Leachman also registered two RBI for the Lady Paladins.
The Lady Paladins' Rachel Henley picks up her seventh win of the year while Appalachian's Jennifer Hurley falls to 4-7.
Appalachian was led by Christa Hicks, who finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate while teammates Dawn Malone, Laura Padgett and Lael Rorie had 2 RBI each in the losing effort. Mary Lutz also finished the afternoon going 2-for-4.
Furman returns home to take on SoCon foe UNC Wilmington this weekend while Appalachian hits the road to take on UNC Greensboro.