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Furman Downs Elon 7-3, Takes Best Of Three Series
April 7, 2007
Greenville, S.C. - Freshman Lana Mackey fanned a career-high 11 batters to lead Furman to a 7-3 victory and best of three series win over Elon Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
The win improves Furman to 14-21-1 overall and 4-5 in Southern Conference play. Elon drops to 22-18 overall and 6-3 in the league.
Third baseman Abby Robertson opened the scoring For Furman in the bottom half of the first inning with a solo homer to center field, the first of her career.
The Lady Paladins extended the lead to 5-0 with a four-run bottom half of the second. Brythe Blankenship opened the frame with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mackey reached on an error to give the Lady Paladins runners at the corners and Blankenship scored when Mackey swiped second and catcher Jaymie Rao's throw was deflected into right field.
Danielle Franklin upped the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single and Lynn Parmer reached on shortstop Tracey Dahlen's second miscue of the inning. With one out, Amber Kiser's chopper back to the circle was misplayed to load the bases. After Franklin was thrown out at the plate on Abby Robertson's fielder's choice, Stephanie Cushing singled to center to plate two more runs.
Elon got on the board in the top half of the fifth. Dahlen reached on a bunt single and moved to second when Mackey's pitch hit Debbie Zeigler. The pair executed a double steal and Dahlen trotted home when catcher Megan Jaudon's throw skipped into left field.
Furman rebounded in the bottom of the inning starting the frame with back-to-back walks and a single by Blankenship. Mackey followed with a base on balls to force in Cushing and chase Elon starter Carol Lilley. Reliever Meredith Gay retired the first two batters she faced, but issued a walk to Meredith Mielke to up the lead to 7-1.
The Phoenix edged closer with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth, but Mackey fanned Rao with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate to end the rally.
Mackey (7-9) scattered seven hits and did not allow an earned run to notch the victory. Blankenship went 2-for-4 at the plate while seven different Lady Paladins scored a run.
Lilley (10-8) allowed seven runs on six hits in four-plus innings to suffer the loss. Brandi Jones led the Phoenix with two hits.
Furman travels to Winthrop for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday before hosting SoCon rival the College of Charleston April 14-15.
