April 25, 2009

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

Macon, Ga. - Morgan Childers tossed a gem in the first game and three USC Upstate seniors - Heidi Gibbs, Melissa Lockey and Amber Patterson - played the final game of their careers in the second game as the Spartans claimed a 2-1 win in game one and lost a 3-0 decision in game two.

Upstate finished the season with a 29-16 overall record and an 11-9 mark in the A-Sun. Upstate softball, picked to be fast-tracked into NCAA Division I by the University, has finished it's provisional status period and will be fully eligible for postseason competition next season. Mercer stands 35-16 overall and 14-6 in the league.

"I was really proud of the effort we gave today," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "I am even more proud of the effort the seniors have given throughout their careers. They have all contributed a lot to our program, a lot to our success over the last four years. They will be missed."

In game one, Morgan Childers went the distance with seven strikeouts while allowing just one unearned run as Upstate took the 2-1 victory. She finished the season with 277 strikeouts, establishing a new single-season school record.

Upstate jumped on top with a run in the first inning. Kim Brasil led off the game with a single up the middle and Heidi Gibbs followed with a bunt single to put runners on first and second. With two outs, Lauren Quevedo singled to the left side as the Mercer shortstop ranged to her right and stretched out for the ball but could not come up with it. The ball deflected off her glove and into shallow left field which allowed Brasil to come around from second to score.

Upstate added a run to its lead in the fifth. Keri Sarratt reached on an error to lead off the inning. Ana Mitchell moved her over with a sacrifice. Gibbs followed two batters later with a two-out RBI single to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead.

Mercer got within one with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth. Amanda Santa Maria moved the runner over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Allison Jones reached on an infield error with two outs to score the run.

Childers was untouchable in the final two innings. She recorded back-to-back three-up, three-down innings to close out the sixth and seventh innings without any trouble to secure the win. She scattered just three hits to improve to 23-9 on the year.

"Morgan pitched a very good game today coming off a day yesterday when she pitched a lot of innings," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "She had very little trouble with their lineup and I am more than pleased with her performance today and on the year."

Gibbs led Upstate at the plate with three hits. Quevedo added a pair of hits with a walk. Mercer starting pitcher Jenni Holtz went the distance in the loss. She fell to 21-8 on the year after allowing seven hits and one earned run with a strikeout.

In the second game of the day, Mercer jumped on top with three runs in the bottom of the first and held on for the 3-0 victory. In the first, Sara Stukes belted a three-run homer to give the Bears a 3-0 lead. Mercer couldn't get much going after that as Upstate starter Amber Hamilton kept the Bears at bay by allowing just three hits the rest of the game.

Mercer starter Lacey Richardson was strong in the circle. She gave up just one hit in the game and allowed just two runners to move past second to earn the win. She improved to 13-7 on the year. Hamilton dropped to 4-6 on the year.

Upstate's seniors provided the Spartans with one last flash of glory in the bottom of the sixth. Gibbs, Lockey and Patterson made up the starting outfield for Upstate and each recorded an out in the inning in their last time in the field. Gibbs finished her career with 276 hits, five shy of the all-time record of 281 held by Krista Altom (2002-05).