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Three-Run Seventh Helps Furman Edge Elon At SoCon Tournament
May 11, 2006
Chattanooga, Tenn. - Abby Robertson singled up the middle on a 0-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to plate Stephanie Cushing and cap a three-run rally as Furman downed Elon 7-6 at the Southern Conference Softball Tournament at Hargraves Field in Chattanooga, Tenn., Thursday evening.
With Furman trailing 6-4 entering the bottom half of the seventh, Amber Kiser started the inning by reaching on an error by the Elon shortstop. Joni Lockridge followed with a single to cener giving Furman runners at first and second. Cushing kept the rally going with a grounder to short that was thrown away allowing Kiser to score and Lockridge to move to third. Megan Jaudon lined a double down the right field line that hit at the base of the fence to even the game at 6-6.
After Amber Nelsen flew out to shallow centerfield and Danielle Franklin grounded out to second, Robertson lined the game-winning single back up the middle to complete the come-from-behind win.
"I very proud of the way this team never quit and kept fighting back tonight," said head coach Dana Jenkins. "This win was a team effort and could not have happened without several people stepping up and making plays in key situations."
Furman jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Lockridge belted her fourth homer of the season, a solo shot, over the left field wall. Elon knotted the game with a two-out RBI single in the top of the second and took the lead on Tracey Dahlen's towering homer to left in the third inning.
Jaudon singled to center field to plate Kiser and tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame, but Elon answered quickly with three runs in the fourth. Laurin Smith and Rebecca Rijavec started the inning by drawing back-to-back walks and PattiWeber followed with a three-run homer to left giving the Phoenix a 5-2 lead.
After Elon added an insurance run in the top of the fifth, Furman began to nibble away at the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Cushing reached base on a fielder's choice and Jaudon singled to give Furman runners at first and second with two outs. Nelsen followed with a double to the right-center field gap to plate both runners and trim the lead to 6-4.
Senior Jessica Mathis (5-7) worked to scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory while Melanie Helterbran (3-4) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work.
Lockridge and Jaudon each collected three hits to lead Furman at the plate. Weber went 2-for-3 with three RBI to pace the Phoenix.
The win puts Furman (28-35) into the winner's bracket final Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. against host Chattanooga. Elon (24-28) falls into the loser's bracket and will face Appalachian State in an elimination game at 12 p.m.
Fans can follow the double elimination tournament with live stats at www.soconsports.com.
