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Williams Pitches Furman To Doubleheader Split With Charlotte 6-7, 4-3
March 22, 2006
Greenville, S.C. - Freshman Vanessa Williams tossed a complete game and sophomore Amber Nelsen provided a three-run homer to lead Furman to a 4-3 victory and doubleheader split with Charlotte Wednesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, S.C. The 49ers downed the Lady Paladins 7-6 in game one.
Nelsen got the Lady Paladins on the board first in game two with a blast to straightaway center field, her seventh home run of the season. Brittany Cantrell answered for Charlotte with a solo homer in the top of the second inning. Joni Lockridge restored Furman's three run lead in the bottom of the frame with a two-out, RBI single to plate Abby Robertson and give the Lady Paladins a 4-1 lead.
Clinging to a 4-2 lead entering the top of the seventh, Williams got pinch hitter Emily Forbes to ground out before Evan Miller laced a double down the left field line. Miller moved to third as Lauren Schmitz grounded out for the second out of the inning. Becky Matthews fought off two two-strike offerings from Williams before hammering a 3-2 pitch to the wall in right-center to score Miller. After a walk to Kristi Killough and a wild pitch, Williams struck out Sarah Malene to end the game.
Williams allowed three runs on six hits while walking four and striking out three to improve to 9-2. Nelsen went 1-for-3 with three RBI at the plate and Lockridge collected two safeties.
Charlotte (21-6) starter Christy Murray dropped to 5-3 after allowing four runs on six hits in five innings of work. Murray recorded two strikeouts, but issued five walks. Matthews collected two hits for the 49ers who had their 10-game winning streak come to an end.
In game one, Charlotte rallied from a 4-0 deficit to down the Lady Paladins 7-6.
Killough, 2-for-4 with four RBI, ignited the rally with a three-run homer to right in the top of the third to trim the Furman lead to 4-3. Forbes' RBI single in the fifth plated Killough to tie the game and Cee Brooks followed with a RBI double to give the 49ers the lead.
Charlotte upped the lead to 6-4 in the seventh on Killough's single up the middle to scire Matthews. With two out, Malene stole home to give the 49ers a three-run cushion.
Abby Robertson led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk and moved to second on Blake Murray's groundout. Jessica Mathis followed with a triple to right to score Robertson. Amber Kiser's bunt scored Mathis to trim the lead to one and Lockridge singled up the middle to bring the potential winning run to the plate with two outs. Charlotte starter Kristen Bowen got Stephanie Cushing to ground to shortstop to end the rally.
Bowen improved to 13-2 with the victory. The righthander surrendered six runs on four hits while tossing a complete game. Bowen walked four and struck out three. Scmitz, Killough and Forbes each notched two hits for the 49ers.
Murray (2-7) suffered the loss in relief for Furman. The sophomore allowed two earned runs on three hits in 4.2 innings of work. Kiser keyed the Furman offensive attack with a triple and three RBI.
Charlotte returns to action Saturday when it hosts St. Bonaventure in a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader. Furman (18-17) travels to Western Carolina for a 1:00 p.m. Southern Conference twinbill on Saturday.
