Feb. 10, 2007

Box Score

Greenville, S.C. - Furman stranded 10 runners and East Tennessee State pitcher Darci Gilbert limited the Lady Paladins to one run over seven innings as the Bucs completed a two-game sweep with a 2-1 victory Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. ETSU claimed a 12-4 win in the first game.

Amanda Haverman provided all the offense ETSU would need in game two with a two-run double to left-center in the top of the fourth. Trisha Massenzo and Mary Catherine Vercoe opened the frame with singles and moved to second and third on a wild pitch. After Furman starter Blake Murray fanned Jessica Hackworth for the first out of the inning, Haverman delivered the Bucs' only runs of the ball game.

Furman left two runners on in the second and left the bases loaded in the third before breaking through in the bottom of the sixth inning. With Lana Mackey on first and one out, Jessica Batten singled and Meredith Mielke popped out to centerfield. Murray followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Mackey and trim the lead to 2-1. Gilbert got out of trouble getting Amber Kiser to bounce into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Abby Robertson drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Stephanie Cushing's sacrifice bunt. Megan Jaudon's sharp grounder to second moved the runner to third, but Gilbert got Blankenship to ground out to first on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.

Gilbert (1-0) allowed one run on seven hits while walking four and striking out three to earn the victory. Murray (0-2) was the tough-luck loser for Furman. She scattered five hits and allowed two earned runs while striking out nine batters. Mackey and Murray each collected two hits for Furman.

In game one, ETSU erased a four-run deficit with six runs in the fourth inning on its way to a 12-4 win.

Chaniece Cason drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and Marissa Hardy reached on an error. After a bunt moved the runners up a base, Stephanie Gaynord reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Furman starter forced in two runs by hitting back-to-back batters to cut the lead to 4-2. Hackworth followed with a grand slam to right center to give the Bucs a 6-4 lead.

ETSU added to the lead with three runs in the fifth. Gaynord delivered an RBI single and Massenzo batted in two with a single against reliever Vanessa Williams. The Bucs upped the lead to 12-4 in the seventh taking advantage of three hits, an error and a passed ball to plate three more runs.

Furman grabbed an early 4-0 lead in the second inning. Danielle Franklin followed three singles with a bases loaded walk to give the Lady Paladins a 1-0 lead. Mielke cleared the bases with a three-run double to left-center to stake the Lady Paladins to a 4-0 lead.

Vercoe went the distance in the circle to earn the win for ETSU. She surrendered four runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out two batters. Four Bucs collected two hits to pace a 13-hit attack. Hackworth notched four RBI while Massenzo batted in three runs.

Mackey (0-1) suffered the loss allowing six runs, all unearned, on six hots in four innings of work. Jaudon, Blankenship and Mielke each registered three hits for the Lady Paladins.

East Tennessee State opens its season 2-0 and the Lady Paladins fall to 0-3-1. Furman returns to action next Saturday at the Georgia State First Pitch Classic in Atlanta, Ga. The Lady Paladins face Mercer at 2:30 p.m. before battling the host Panthers at 4:45 p.m.