Sydney Seigler tied her career high with nine strikeouts, while Megan Anderson added two home runs, in a Presbyterian College softball team 4-0 win over UNC Wilmington in game one of the Hampton Inn & Suites Invitational being held in Wilmington, N.C. Erin Ruff added a two-run home run, with Katie Brown holding the Spartans to just one hit, in a 3-0 win over UNCG in the second game.
PC improves to 12-8 and takes on UNCG at 9:30 a.m., and UNCW at 12 p.m., Sunday to round out tournament action.
Game 1: PC 4, UNCW 0
A quiet 1-2-3 inning for both teams in the first, PC came out swinging in the top of the second with Anderson hitting a lead-off home run, her fifth of the season, to give the Blue Hose the early 1-0 lead.
The Seahawks threatened in the bottom of the second after reaching first on a hit by pitch, but the next batter hit to Ruff, who tagged out the runner heading to second before tossing to first for the double play.
PC loaded the bases in the top of the third but a ground out to second ended the inning, sending the game to the bottom. Kelsey Bryan singled to left with one out, and made it to third off two stolen bases, but a fly out and strikeout stranded her.
Kersten Legacki took first in the top of the fourth off a hit by pitch, and gave PC its second run of the game after Jordan Ashley doubled her to third, and scored off a ground out by Blaire Miller to make it 2-0.
After UNCW went down in order in the bottom of the fourth, both teams were quiet in the fifth to send the game to the sixth.
With one out in the top of the sixth PC put runners on first and second off a wild pitch and walk. Miller drove in Legacki the next at bat off a single up the middle and PC took the 3-0 lead.
UNCW opened the bottom of the six with a walk by Kali Jones, but that would be as far as she would get as Seigler struck out the next two batters, her seventh and eighth of the game, and forced a pop up to end the inning.
The Blue Hose added the fourth run in the seventh with a home run by Anderson, her second of the game and this one over the left field wall. Seigler and the defense came through again in the bottom of the seventh with a strike out and two fly outs to end the game.
Seigler moved to 4-4 after going 7.0 innings of shutout softball and giving up just two hits, both by UNCW's Bryan, with her career-high nine strikeouts and two walks. Sarah Davis took the loss (4-4), going 6.0 innings and surrendering three runs off four hits. She struck out eight.
Adding to PC's five hits, along with Anderson's two hits and two RBI, were Madison Longanecker, Jordan and Miller with one hit apiece.
Game 2: PC 3, UNCG 0
After PC retired the side in order to start the second game, the Blue Hose opened the bottom with a single from Longanecker. Back to back errors by UNCG in the next at-bat sent home Longanecker and put Harris on third. Harris came home the next at-bat with a two-run home run by Ruff, her third of the season, and PC took a quick 3-0 lead.
After quiet second and third innings, UNCG used a hit by pitch and a PC error to put runners on first and second with just one out in the fourth. That was it as Katie Brown struck out the next batter and forced a ground out to second to end the threat and inning.
Kylie Young led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to center and advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt from Rebekka Gross. It was for naught as the next two batters struck out and grounded out to go into the sixth with PC leading 3-0.
In the top of the seventh, PC defense stepped up with two ground outs and a fly out to seal the three-run win.
Brown took the win (6-3) after throwing a complete game shutout and giving up just one hit. Stephanie Bryden (5-5) went 6.0 innings and gave up three runs off three hits, while striking out six.
Ruff led the offense with two RBI off one hit, with Longanecker and Young adding a hit apiece. Hagan Kiser gave UNCG its lone hit of the game.
