Day One Results of Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
4/17/2009

2009 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament- Schedule Day 1
April 17-19

Game 1- Fri. 10am- Field 2- Box Score
#9 Barton- 2
#8 Coker- 4

The #8 seed Coker College took the first game of the Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament, with a 4-2 win over #9 seed Barton College. Coker's Sydney Greenwalt (5-4) earned the win, even after allowing two runs in the first three innings, but Shelly Catlett's eight strikeouts in relief shut down the Barton offense. Barton's Claire Severt (5-9) took the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits in four innings.

At the plate, Julia Nelson-Abbott had a pair of big hits, including an RBI double and an RBI single, while Anna Oswald was 3-for-4 and Haleigh Rogers was 2-for-4. Whitney Wallett and Becky Dillon drove in each of Coker's two other runs. Barton was led by Natalie Phipps going 2-for-2, with Amber Fletcher going 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Coker advances to play #1 seed Limestone College at 2:00 p.m., while Barton drops to the elimination bracket and will face the loser of game 4 (Erskine/Queens) at 9:00 a.m. Saturday.

Game 2- Fri. 10am- Field 4- Box Score
#10 Anderson- 1
#7 Lees-McRae- 9

The #7 seed Lees-McRae used seven hits to score nine runs and take a 9-1 win over #10 seed Anderson University. Amanda Dodson and Paula Fryer were the driving forces behind the Bobcat victory. Dodson was the winning pitcher, allowing just one run in six innings of work with five strikeouts, while going 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, helping Dodson along the way was Fryer, going 2-for-4 with a three run home run to break the game open in the third inning.

For Anderson, Alex Waldroup took the loss, allowing nine runs, only two earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts. At the plate for the Lady Trojans, Amber Strickland was 1-for-2 with a run scored and Meredith Know was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Lees-McRae advances to face #2 seed Mount Olive at 2:00 p.m., while Anderson will drop to the elimination bracket to face the loser of game 4 (Queens/Erskine) at 9:00 a.m. Saturday.

Game 3- Fri. 12pm- Field 2- Box Score
#11 Belmont Abbey- 9
#6 St. Andrews- 8

In the first upset of the tournament, the #11 seed Belmont Abbey came back from a 7-1 deficit in the final innings to defeat the #6 seed St. Andrews, 9-8. The Crusaders plated five runs on three hits and two big St. Andrews errors to bring home the win. Driving in the Crusaders winning runs was Dani Beres with a two out three run home run in the seventh.

Carrie Markham earned the win in relief for the Abbey, allowing just two runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings of work, while Sarah Applegarth took the loss giving up nine runs on seven hits in seven innings.

Beres was the Crusaders leading hitter, going 1-for-4 with three RBIs, while Danielle Puckett was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and Tara Rubel had a solo homer. For the Knights, Applegarth helped her own cause, going 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs, while Megan Riggs was 1-for-2 with a home run and RBIs, with Jasmine Dobin and Kailee Munden each collecting two hits.

The Abbey advances to face the #3 seed Pfeiffer at 4:00 p.m., while St. Andrews drops to the elimination bracket to face the loser of game 5 (Coker/Limestone) Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

Game 4- Fri. 12pm- Field 4- Box Score
#5 Erskine- 1
#4 Queens- 3

The #4 seed Queens University scored three runs in the first inning and that proved to be all the offense the Royals would need to win, as they defeated the #5 seed Erskine College 3-1.

Chantel Dodge was the winning pitcher, tossing a complete game, allowing just one run in the first inning, before settling in for a six inning shutout. Dodge struck out 16 batters, while allowing just two Fleet hits.

Katie Knapp and Courtney Davis had the Fleets only hits, with Knapp driving in and scoring the lone run thanks to a solo homer and Davis hitting a double. Queens was led by Mary-Lee Guirintano with a double for the Royals.

Queens advances to face the winner of game 5 (Coker/Limestone) at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, while Erskine moves to the elimination bracket to face Anderson at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Game 5- Fri. 2pm- Field 2- Box Score
#8 Coker- 3
#1 Limestone- 2

Following Belmont Abbey's come from behind win over St. Andrews, the #8 seed Coker pulled the biggest upset of the day, as the Lady Cobras defeated the #1 seed Limestone College, 3-2 in nine innings.

Allie Bragg drove home the winning run for the Lady Cobras, driving home Brittany Owens, who led off the top of the ninth with a double to right. Coker then left the game in the hands of their pitcher, Shelly Catlett (13-9), who sat down the side in order including strikeout the final two Saints' batters. For the game Catlett allowed just two runs on six hits with 12 strikeouts, while Kristy Witten took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

Bragg was 2-for-4 with a RBI, while Owens was also 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, with Whitney Wallett also going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. For the Saints, Jenna Guse was 3-for-4 with a run scored, with Christina Woolgar going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Coker advances to face #4 seed Queens at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, while Limestone falls to the elimination bracket, where they will face #6 seed St. Andrews at 9:00 a.m. Saturday.