The Presbyterian College softball team started off strong in game two, scoring three in the first and another in the third to take the 4-3 win over Western Carolina in game two of a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at the PC Softball Complex. The Catamounts used a three-run fifth inning to break open a 2-1 lead and take the 5-1 win in game one.
PC moves to 21-19 while WCU goes to 20-26. The Blue Hose head down the road to Coastal Carolina April 25-26 for a three-game series. Saturday's doubleheader starts at three with game one televised live on the American Sports Network. In the Clinton area the game will be shown on WMYA. Sunday's single game will be at 1 p.m. The first game Saturday, as well as Sunday's game, can also be heard on SUNNY 103.5-FM.
After the Catamounts opened game two with a two-run home run by Crystal Cyr in the top of the first, PC responded with back to back singles to put runners on base with no outs in the bottom of the frame. Erin Ruff smacked a double just past the shortstop to bring in one urn, while Erin Taylor's double the next at-bat brought home the game-tying score. Hope Rogers, who led the day with three hits, single to left center, bringing home Ruff to give PC the 3-2 lead.
With bases loaded in the bottom of the third off two straight singles and a walk, Blaire Miller was hit by a pitch to give PC a 4-2 lead.
Heather Chastain got things going in the top of the fourth with a double to left. After a wild pitch sent her to third she scored the team's third urn off a RBI single by Taylor Sigmon.
Kensley Loudermelk came into pitch the final three innings and threw shutout softball to help preserve the one-run win and pick up her second save of the season.
Katie Brown started for PC and went 4.0 innings, giving up just three earned runs off four hits, for the win (4-1). Courtney Buchanan took the loss for WCU, giving up four runs and seven hits in 5.0 innings of work (2-8).
PC finished with eight hits and just one error, while WCU had four hits and one miscue.
A quiet game one for the first two innings, Courtney Price led off the top of the third with a double. A RBI single by Kara Salvo, her third hit of the day, two batters later gave the Catamounts the 1-0 lead. A solo home run by Chastain, who led the team on the day with four hits and three RBI, made it 2-0 before Hope Rogers knocked over her third home run of the season to make it a 2-1 game.
Rogers' hit would be the last hit for PC as Jordan Garrett retired the side the next three innings to take the win. She went the distance and gave up just two hits with eight strikeouts. Shelby Petik, who ended the day three-for-seven, had the other hit for PC, hers a single to open the bottom of the first.
With one out in the fifth, Price and Salvo each posted singles, with Salvo's bringing home the third run of the game. Chastain gave WCU two more insurance runs with a two-RBI double two batters later as the Catamounts would take the eventual 5-1 win.
Sydney Seigler picked up the loss for PC (4-10), going 4.2 innings and surrendering five runs off seven hits.
Western Carolina 5, Presbyterian College 1 (Apr 22, 2015 at Clinton, S.C.) (Game 1)
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Western Carolina.... 001 130 0 - 5 7 0 (20-25)
Presbyterian College 000 100 0 - 1 2 0 (20-19)
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Pitchers: Western Carolina - Jordan Garrett and Heather Chastain. Presbyterian College -
SEIGLER, Sydney; SHERROD, Natasha(5) and TAYLOR, Erin.
Win-Jordan Garrett(14-12) Loss-SEIGLER, Sydney(4-10) T-1:55 A-110
HR WCU - Heather Chastain (4).
HR PC - ROGERS, Hope (3).
Weather: clear, windy
Presbyterian College 4, Western Carolina 3 (Apr 22, 2015 at Clinton, S.C.) (Game 2)
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Western Carolina.... 200 100 0 - 3 4 1 (20-26)
Presbyterian College 301 000 X - 4 8 1 (21-19)
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Pitchers: Western Carolina - Courtney Buchanan; Jordan Garrett(6) and Heather Chastain.
Presbyterian College - LOUDERMELK, Kensley; BROWN, Katie(4) and ASHLEY, Jordan.
Win-BROWN, Katie(4-1) Save-LOUDERMELK, Kensley(2) Loss-Courtney Buchanan(2-8) T-1:46 A-110
HR WCU - Crystal Cyr (8).
Weather: clear, windy
