May 7, 2009

Box Score

Chattanooga, Tenn. - Fifth-seeded Furman pounded out 15 hits, included six doubles, on its way to a 9-3 victory over fourth-seeded Georgia Southern in the Southern Conference Championship opener for both teams Thursday afternoon on Field #1 at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Paladins, who improved to 22-27 with the victory, advanced into the winner's bracket and will face the winner of the Chattanooga-Western Carolina matchup on Thursday evening at Frost Stadium. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Georgia Southern (25-24) will face the loser of the UTC-WCU matchup beginning at 5 p.m. at Frost Stadium.

Freshman Jessie Homesley keyed the Paladins effort at the plate going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a pair of runs in the opener. After Georgia Southern took a 1-0 lead on Megen Smith's sacrifice fly in the first, Homesley and Kate Termini doubled back-to-back to knot the game at 1-1. Abby Robertson singled back up the middle to score Termini and give the Paladins a 2-1 lead after 1 1/2 innings.

Homesley doubled to drive in a run in the third inning and Morgan Hughey plated Robertson on a sacrifice fly in the fourth top up the lead to 4-1 before Furman exploded for four runs in the top half of the fifth. Homesley and Termini started the rally again with singles and Katie Michaels doubled to left-center to score both runners. Stephanie Field and Robertson followed with doubles before Stephanie Cushing capped the rally with a run scoring single to center field.

Amanda Hall laced a two-run double into the gap to trim the margin to 8-3 in the bottom of the fifth, but pitcher Lana Mackey worked out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth and the Paladin offense added a run in the seventh for the final 9-3 margin.

Mackey (13-13) allowed just two earned runs on six hits in a complete-game effort to notch the victory for Furman. She issued four walks and fanned four batters.

Robertson, Cushing and Homesley each registered three hits to pace the Paladins while Michaels and Termini added a pair of base-hits.

Brianna Streetmon (14-10) suffered the loss for Georgia Southern. She allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits in 2 1/3 innings. Furman reached reliever Megen Smith for eight hits and five runs in 2 2/23 innings of work.

Mackenzie Williams notched two hits for the Eagles while Hall drove in two of GSU's three runs.