Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Texas State Softball's Sara Rupp Hits Walk-Off Homer Wednesday Evening
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Freshman catcher Sara Rupp hit her first career walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Texas State softball team to a 5-4 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Wednesday evening. Rupp improves her home run total to five, the second most out of any freshman on head coach Ricci Woodard’s squad.
The Bobcats improve to 26-19 overall and will finish the 2015 season with a perfect 9-0 record against Southland Conference teams.
Texas State got on the board early in the second inning, then extended their 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth as senior Kortney Koroll launched her team-leading 10th home run, giving Texas State a four-run cushion.
In the sixth inning, TAMU-CC answered back to halt Texas State’s charge. Sophomore Kaylee Garner surrendered a pair of singles and a walk before giving up a grand slam to Brittney Morse to tie the game at 4-4.
Texas State had an opportunity in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back walks, but failed to move the runners around to score.
It was after a three up, three down top of the eighth for the Islanders when Rupp launched her home run over the left field fence.
Rupp and Koroll’s long balls now put the Bobcats at 51 total home runs, just eight homeruns shy of the program record set in 2003.
Kendall Wiley and Lexi Fryar also had productive nights at the plate as each player tallied a pair of hits for the Bobcats.
Randi Rupp finished the contest with eight strikeouts and her 18th victory of the season in 6.2 innings of work. She reentered the contest in the top of the sixth after starting the game with four scoreless innings.
Texas State will remain at home this weekend for the final home conference series of the year against Appalachian State. First pitch Saturday afternoon is scheduled for 1 p.m. with game two to follow. On Sunday afternoon, the Bobcats will celebrate senior day at the conclusion of the contest. Live stats, live audio, and live video will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com.
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Warhawks Snap NSU’s Seven-Game Win Streak
MONROE, La. – Backed by a strong outing from Sophomore Melanie Coyne, the Warhawks (27-15) capitalized on pitching mistakes made the Lady Demon’s (28-15) young staff to take a 3-1 victory and snap Northwestern State’s seven-game, win streak.
ULM picked up their 27th victory on the season, the most wins for the program since the 2011 season that also hit the 27 wins mark.
Junior Faith Bohack, redshirt senior Miyuki Navarrete and sophomore McKinely Marks each picked up an RBI in the outing. Sophomore Sidney Coy had the lone, multi-hit outing on the night going 2-for-3 and scoring a run. Five additional Warhawks picked up hits on the evening.
Sophomore Melanie Coyne made the start in the circle for the Warhawks as she dealt a complete game, her 11th complete game of the season. In seven innings, Coyne allowed five hits, one unearned run and issued two walks while striking out three NSU batters. Coyne moves to 11-9 on the season, the most wins for any Warhawks on the pitching staff.
After two scoreless innings, Northwestern State broke through first as the Lady Demons loaded the bases with two outs on an infield single, walk and a fielding error. A second ULM fielding error on the game allowed NSU to score and take the 0-1 lead.
The Warhawks answered in the bottom of the third with Coy leading up with a single to the shortstop. After swiping second to move into scoring position, Bohack knocked a two-out single up the middle to lock the game at 1-all.
Pitching mistakes in the fourth inning allowed the Warhawks to take the advantage. Freshman Cheyanne Lyon drew a one-out walk to give ULM a base runner. Senior Mackenzie Miller joined her on the bases with a hit by pitch.
Sophomore Rochelle Roberts knocked a bunt single to third base to load the bases with one out as Marks stepped to the plate in a pinch hit appearance. Marks took a hit by pitch with the bases loaded to drive home a run and break the tie
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Navarrete followed with a bases-loaded walk to bring home a second run in the inning and put the Warhawks up 3-1. Northwestern State answered with two straight outs to prevent any additional damage, but Coyne shut down the potent Lady Demon offense to secure the victory.
The Warhawks hit the road for the final time this regular season as ULM takes on Georgia State for a three game series in Atlanta, Ga. The series kicks off with a doubleheader on Friday, April 24 at 3 p.m. EST.
For the latest on ULM softball, visit ULMWarhawks.com and follow the team on Twitter (@ULM_Softball) and Facebook (facebook.com/ULMSoftball).
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Pepper Butler Seals Split with Walk-Off Homer
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball’s Pepper Butler assured a doubleheader split with UNCG after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning in Game Two on Wednesday.
The Mountaineers (13-29) lost Game One 5-1, but came back to top the Spartans 4-3 in Game Two. With two homers on the day, Appalachian State set a program record for home runs in a season with 37. The previous high of 36 was set in 2009 and tied again in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Game One: UNCG 5, App State 1
The Spartans (17-19) would take an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when on a sac fly to center field. The big inning for UNCG came in the fourth when Gabrielle Cubbage hit a grand slam off of the scoreboard in left-center for a 5-0 lead.
App State got off to a slow start against UNCG and didn’t break through with their first hit until the fourth inning when Cynthia Gomez singled to third base.
The lone run for the Mountaineers came in the fourth inning when Caroline Chambers singled to right field and drove in Gomez.
Katie Williford (4-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings pitched. Williford struck out two and walked two in the contest.
Katherine Johnson and Alissa Schoelkopf pitched a combined 3.2 innings of shutout, no-hit ball in relief.
Game Two: App State 4, UNCG 3
Appalachian would get on the board early in the first inning off of a Cara Parker sac fly to left field that scored Butler from third base.
UNCG came back in the second with an RBI double and an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. In the bottom half, Chambers hit her eighth home run of the season to deep center field and almost to the gravel lot next to the Sofield Indoor Facility.
In a see-saw battle, the Spartans would take a 3-2 lead in the third on a solo home run to left field. The Mountaineers would tie the game in the bottom half when Gomez came home on a passed ball with the bases loaded.
Neither team would score in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings, but Parker showed her athleticism in the fourth on a diving catch to her left to rob a base hit.
Then in the sixth with a UNCG runner at third base and two outs, a Schoelkopf pitch would go to the backstop and Sarah Warnock was able to corral the rebound off the brick wall and tag out the runner at home to end the inning.
With one out in the seventh, Butler would win the game for the Mountaineers on a solo home run over the scoreboard in left-center field for the 4-3 triumph.
Johnson started Game Two and pitched 2.1 innings and allowed three runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Schoelkopf pitched the remaining 4.2 innings and allowed just two hits and walked two with strikeouts.
The Mountaineers will return to action this weekend with their last Sun Belt Conference series against Texas State in San Marcos, Texas. First pitch for the doubleheader on Saturday, April 25 is set for 2 p.m. ET.
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Southern Miss Snaps No. 21 Jag Softball's Streak
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – No. 21 University of South Alabama softball's 11-game winning streak was brought to an end after the Jaguars fell, 1-0, at Southern Mississippi on Wednesday.
Mallory Hayden's fourth-inning RBI single to right center scored Peyton Garner, who pinch ran for Katie Cleary after the latter led off the frame with a base hit, to give Southern Miss its third victory in 20 games.
USA (32-8) was shut out for the first time since its March 24 loss to No. 1 LSU and held to a similar hit total, as the Jaguars mustered only a pair to the Eagles' five on the night. South Alabama stranded seven runners and failed to capitalize on three USM errors.
Danielle Block earned the win for Southern Miss, improving to 6-8 on the year after striking out six Jaguar batters to only two walks and scattering the pair of hits in a complete-game effort. USA freshman right-hander Kalen McGill suffered her second loss of the year, falling to 14-2 after allowing one run (earned) on five hits with a strikeout.
Jaguar senior Farish Beard gave up a walk in one shutout relief inning.
Sophomore designated player Chloe Rathburn and senior first baseman Amanda Herron recorded a double and single, respectively, to account for USA's only hits on the night, while junior third baseman Emily Messer reached on each Eagle error.
Cleary was 2-for-3 on the night, while Hayden was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
USA left two runners aboard in the first inning and one apiece over the next six frames. The Jags led off the top of the seventh with back-to-back walks, but pinch-hitter Taylor Bahos went down swinging, and Messer lined into a game-ending double play.
South Alabama hosts North Dakota State this weekend in a three-game set at Jaguar Field. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m., and the series will culminate with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Senior Day festivities will take place before the first game on Saturday.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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Alford and Coleman Homer; GSU falls at No. 14 Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. – Lauren Coleman and Callie Alford both launched three-run homers but it was not enough as Georgia State fell to No. 14 Georgia 15-6 in five innings on Wednesday night at Jack Turner Stadium. The Panthers drop to 30-18 on the season while the Bulldogs improve to 36-13.
“I am extremely proud Callie and Lauren for stepping up on a big stage tonight. They both tried to will us to a victory but unfortunately we made some uncharacteristic defensive mistakes. Those mistakes cost us some runs and extended some innings which in the end was the difference.”
Georgia jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after one thanks to a pair of singles and one Panther error. After a scoreless second, Georgia State respond with three runs in the top of the third on Callie Alford 37th career home run.
Ashley Christy started the rally with a one-out, bunt single. Megan Litumbe then singled to put two on for Alford who launched an opposite-field line drive over the fence in right. The homer was her 14th of 2015 and pushes her RBI total to 50, the third highest single-season total in GSU history.
The Bulldogs then extended their lead to 10 with nine runs in the bottom of the fourth, including six with two outs. Kaylee Puailoa drove in four on a home run and single, Tina Iosefa homered while Paige Wilson and Samantha LaZear also drove in runs.
In the top of the fifth, GSU scored three on Lauren Coleman’s 11th home run of the season to cut Georgia’s lead to 13-6. Ivie Drake singled through the left side, Alford drew a two-out walk and then Coleman launched a moonshot to deep center.
However, in the bottom of the frame Alex Hugo hit a walk-off two run homer to center to give the Bulldogs the 15-6 run-rule victory. The Panthers return to the field on Friday, April 26 at 3 p.m. for a doubleheader with UL Monroe in GSU’s finale home conference series of the season.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) and Facebook for the latest news. For softball season tickets call 404-403-4020 or click here.