April 10, 2010

Box Score

Jacksonville, Fla. - Jacksonville scored three unearned runs in the first game and scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh in the second game to take a sweep of USC Upstate in A-Sun softball action Saturday afternoon at the Jacksonville Softball Complex. The Dolphins claimed wins of 7-2 and 4-3.

Upstate fell to 26-10 overall and 6-6 in the A-Sun with the losses. The Spartans have a busy week next week, playing host to Charlotte and South Carolina in non-conference action Tuesday and Wednesday before playing host to Kennesaw State and Mercer in a pair of A-Sun doubleheaders Friday and Saturday at Cyrill Stadium.

"Some calls early really put our backs against the wall and we weren't able to overcome it today," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "We are still a good team and will work on improving. I look forward to the last part of the season and seeing what we can do."

In game one, Jacksonville scored an unearned run in the first inning when Kayla Ouellet scored on a passed ball. The Dolphins broke the game open with six runs in the third inning. Four of the six runs were earned, though Upstate committed two errors in the frame. Ouellet drew a bases loaded walk to begin the damage and Sarah Simon drove in a pair of runs on a double to right center that tipped off the top of the glove of a lunging Katie Zauner. Another run scored on a passed ball and Olivia Kline drove in a run on a ground out. Amber Moseley finished things off with a two-run double.

Upstate got a run back in the fourth on Zauner's solo home run to left and added another run in the top of the seventh on Keri Sarratt's RBI single.

Upstate starter Morgan Childers tossed two innings before being relieved in the third. She struck out four and allowed four earned runs on one hit. Amber Hamilton relieved Childers in the third and went an inning, allowing two unearned runs on three hits. Blake Meredith and Alex Yohe also saw action in the circle in the game. Childers took the loss and fell to 22-5 on the year. Jacksonville starter Ashley Iveson went the distance, striking out eight and allowing two runs on seven hits to improve to 12-6 on the year.

Monica Hall and Janna Lewis each had two hits for Upstate in the game, leading the Spartans at the plate.

Childers returned to start the second game and looked strong early on. She allowed two runs on five hits while striking out seven before leaving in the fifth inning. She did not take a decision in the game, finishing the day with 11 strikeouts to up her season total to a school record 299.

Upstate jumped on top with three runs in the second inning. Ericka Harris scored from third on a wild pitch and Sarratt and Crislyn Chewning followed with RBI singles. Jacksonville got a run back in the bottom of the frame when Katie Kelly drove in a run.

Jacksonville tied the game with two runs in the fifth inning. Simon and Kelly McKeon collected RBI singles in the inning. The Dolphins ended the game in the bottom of the seventh. Ouellet singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She moved to third on a deep fly ball to right and scored on Amanda Schmidt's sacrifice fly to center to end the game.

Blake Meredith relieved Childers with a runner on and no outs in the fifth inning. She was solid in the circle, going two and a third innings and allowing two runs on three hits. She struck out two, but took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year. Amber Hamilton relieved Meredith in the bottom of the seventh.

Chewning and Lauren Quevedo led Upstate at the plate, each collecting a pair of hits.