May 8, 2004
Lady Paladins Rally For 3-1 Win, Earn Doubleheader Split With East Tennessee State
Johnson City, Tenn. -- With a 2-2 count and two outs in the top of the seventh inning of game one, Furman's Sarah Scott delivered a pinch-hit RBI double to left to spark a three run rally as the Lady Paladins took a 3-1 victory on their way to a doubleheader split with East Tennessee State Saturday in Johnson City, Tenn. The Lady Bucs downed Furman in game two 6-5.
In front of a gathered crowd for senior day festivities, the Lady Bucs and Lady Paladins were scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when ETSU's Tiffany McVay reached first on an error by the Furman second baseman. After a Sheryl Clark sacrifice bunt, senior Julia Chance sent a ball to the center field fence scoring McVay with the double.
ETSU pitcher McVay kept the Furman bats quiet until the top of the seventh when after a Joni Lockridge walk, and advance to second, Sarah Scott stepped to the plate blasting the game-tying double. With two outs in the top half the Lady Paladins forced an ETSU error causing two runs to score as Furman took the 3-1 lead and the win for the first game of the afternoon.
The Lady Bucs Lindsay Lane managed two hits for game one, while Kristin White had two hits for the Lady Paladins. Lockridge went 1-1 adding a walk and scored one run in the top of the seventh to tie the contest.
McVay (13-10) allowed six hits in the complete game loss while Paladin pitcher Rachel Henley (12-21) allowed just four hits and one walk in the win.
The Lady Bucs exploded for five runs in the first two innings to take control of game two.
Dani Spetar reached first on a fielder's choice then found herself in scoring position after a Lane single. Miranda Byerly stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single for ETSU's first run while senior Rhea Holler sent a two-run double into the outfield fence as ETSU took the early 3-0 lead.
After a two-run effort for ETSU in the bottom of the second, the Lady Paladins answered in the top of the third scoring three runs to trim the Lady Bucs lead to 5-3.
Catcher Jessica Matthews keyed the Lady Paladin rally with a two-run single to left.
After ETSU scored a run in the third, the Lady Paladins (15-45, 7-11 SoCon) added two runs in the top of the fourth when Megan Jaudon singled scoring White from third. Jessica Matthews faced ETSU pitcher Belinda Barrera hitting a single scoring Scott for the fifth Furman run.
The Lady Bucs (27-32, 7-12 SoCon) managed to hold the one-run lead winning the second game of the day 6-5.
Both teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they play the final game of the 2004 regular season. Game time is set for 1:00 pm at Metro-Kiwanis Park.