May 8, 2003
FURMAN SOFTBALL OUTLASTS UNC WILMINGTON IN EXTRA INNING THRILLER AT SOCON TOURNEY 5-4
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- Furman scored two runs in the top of the eleventh inning and got 8.2 innings of relief from Meagen Johnson to outlast UNC Wilmington 5-4 in Southern Conference Tournament action Thursday night at Hargraves Field in Chattanooga, Tenn.
UNC Wilmington opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning. Kelli Adcox led off with a double to left-center. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Summer Chriscoe. Christina Elmore followed with an RBI double down the left field line to give UNC Wilmington a 1-0 lead.
The Seahawks extended their lead to 2-0 and chased Furman starter Tabitha Dease from the game on a single to center off the bat of Hayley House. After House advanced to third on a passed ball, Tiffany Lindemann laced an RBI single to center to increase the lead to 3-0. Johnson struck out the next two batters to leave Lindemann stranded at second base.
Furman rallied to tie the game in the top of the sixth. LaKerah Barr reached on an error to start the inning. After Caroline Evans popped out to the catcher, Ali McNulty looped a single down the right field line. A Kate Morrison ground out moved McNulty to second with two out. Johnson followed with a three-run homer, her fifth of the season, to knot the game at 3-3.
Furman broke the tie in the top of the eleventh. Barr started the inning with a bunt single moving Karen Myers to third. Barr advanced to second when no one covered the base. Evans gave the Lady Paladins a 4-3 lead on a ground out to the right side scoring Myers. With one out, Furman extended the lead to 5-3 when Barr scored on a groundout to first by McNulty.
UNC Wilmington fought back in the bottom of the inning. Pitcher Jamie Gostyla led off the frame with an RBI single through the right side to drive home designated runner Mary Susan Hilliard. Ashley Chunn singled to left to give the Seahawks runners at first and second with no one out. After the runners moved to second and third on an Adcox sacrifice, Chriscoe reached on an infield single to load the bases. Elmore reached on a fielder’s choice as the lead runner was thrown out at home. With two out, Johnson struck out House to secure the Furman victory.
Johnson, who threw 8.2 innings of one run relief, picked up the win for Furman. The Georgetown, S.C., native struck out a career-high 12 UNC Wilmington batters while improving to 11-14 on the season.
Gostyla (9-19) suffered the loss for UNC Wilmington despite allowing only one earned run in 11 innings of work.
Johnson paced Furman at the plate going 1-for-4 with a three-run homer, while Elmore, Lindemann, Gostyla and Chunn each collected two hits to lead the Seahawks’ attack.
Furman advances to play the loser of the College of Charleston-ETSU game on Friday at 12:15 pm.
With the loss, UNC Wilmington is eliminated from the tournament. This marks UNC Wilmington'sfourth and final appearance in the SoCon Softball Tournament, as they will compete in the Colonial Athletic Association next season.
In Furman' first tournament game Thursday, Chattanooga converted on Furman miscues in the bottom of the first inning to put four runs on the board en route to beating the Paladins, 5-0.
The majority of Chattanooga's runs came off of Furman errors, as Chattanooga scored four runs with only two hits in the inning.
Furman was unable to string together consective hits. The Paladins' total hit tally for the day was five, while Chattanooga had six.
Chattanooga's Awbrey Winckler pitched her third consecutive complete game shut out while her teammate Bryn Favor set a new UTC record with 22 sacrifice bunts.
UTC Sophomore Melissa Ramirez extended her hitting straight to ten games.Winckler earned the win, bring her season totals to 19-14. With the win, Chattanooga tallied its twelfth straight SoCon tournament victory.
Furman's Megaen Johnson suffered the loss as her season record moves to 10-14. Johnson was replaced by Rachel Henley in the second inning, pitching four innings with no earned runs.
Furman's LaKerah Bar reached base twice with a hit and walk.