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UNC Greensboro Slips Past Furman In Series Finale 4-3
April 2, 2006
Greensboro, N.C. - UNC Greensboro pitcher Vanessa Oakes recorded 11 strikeouts and tossed a complete game to lead the Spartans to a 4-3 win and series victory over Furman in Southern Conference softball action Sunday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium.
After Furman took an early 1-0 lead on a RBI single from Megan Jaudon in the top half of the first, UNCG's Kelly Allen belted an Erica Nesselroad pitch off of the scorebaord in right-center in the bottom of the first to stake the Spartans to a 3-1 advantage.
Trailing 4-1 following an unearned run by the Spartans in the second inning, Furman began to chip away at the lead. Jaudon led off the fourth with a single and advanced to second on Amber Nelsen's sacrifice bunt. Oakes struck out Danielle Franklin for the second out of the frame, but Abby Robertson lined a pitch into the left-center field gap for an RBI double to trim the lead to 4-2. Lyndy Wilcox reached on an infield single and Blake Murray drew a base on balls to load the base. Oakes ended the threat by striking out leadoff hitter Jessica Mathis to retire the side.
Joni Lockridge pulled the Lady Paladins within a run on a towering homer to left-center field to open the six. Jaudon drew a one out walk, but Oakes retired the next five batters to secure the win.
The Spartan (15-19, 2-4 SoCon) righthander allowed just three runs on seven hits while improving to 8-6 on the season. Nesselroad dropped to 4-2 after allowing three runs on two hits and two walks in one inning of work.
Lockridge, Jaudon and Robertson each collected two base hits for the Lady Paladins while Murray worked five innings of relief allowing no earned runs on three hits.
Furman (20-23, 3-6 SoCon) returns home to host the Winthrop Eagles in a 2:30 p.m. twinbill on Wednesday at Pepsi Stadium.
