May 13, 2004
College of Charleston Handles Furman 9-1
Chattanooga, Tenn. -- Leshe Russell collected three hits, including a two-run double, and Natalie Smith scattered four hits over five innings of work to lead second-seeded College of Charleston to a 9-1 victory over seventh-seeded Furman in the opening round of the 2004 SoCon Softball Championships.
Charleston opened the scoring in a big way, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six times in the bottom of the second inning. After Brittany Pohlen was hit by a pitch and Darcy Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice, Russell ripped a two-out double to left field, scoring both runners. Jacquie Rothey followed a Brooke Flowers single with a single of her own to plate Russell. Following an Amanda Cone walk, Bridget Loudermilk knocked another two-run single to bring home Rothey and Flowers. Pohlen then drove in the Cougars’ sixth run of the inning with a single to left field in her second at bat during the frame.
The Cougars added three insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as they took advantage of three hit batters, one walk, and three wild pitches to tally three runs. Rothey scored when Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk. Smith, the Cougars’ pitcher, then helped her own cause with a two-out two-RBI single to left field that brought home Johnson and Pohlen.
Furman attempted a comeback in the top of the fifth inning, loading the bases with only one out. But the Lady Paladins’ could only manage one run on an infield grounder by LaKerah Barr, and Smith closed out Furman by forcing Sarah Scott to ground out to the third baseman.
Rothey aided CofC’s efforts, hitting two-for-two with an RBI and two runs scored. With the win, Smith improved to 15-8 on the season, while Furman’s Rachel Henley dropped to 12-23.
Kristin White was Furman’s top hitter, going two-for-two.
The Cougars advance to face sixth-seeded East Tennessee State at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening, while Furman (15-47) will battle third-seeded Georgia Southern in Friday’s second game at 12:30 p.m.