March 5, 2008

Box Score

Athens, Ga. - Kate Gaskill and Norie Glazebrook fanned 15 hitters in 12 innings of work and limited Furman to just one run in two games to lead the 16th-ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs to a doubleheader sweep of the Paladins 5-1, 6-0 Wednesday evening at UGA Softball Stadium.

Georgia improved to 19-5 on the season while the Paladins dipped to 6-9.

In game one, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning. The first three batters reached with a pair of singles and a base on balls before Megan Wiggins delivered the big blow of the inning with a two-run double to right-center.

Furman got on the board in the top of the third. Kate Termini reached on a one-out walk and Bethany Ullrich and Katie Michaels followed with back-to-back singles. Meredith Mielke drove in Termini with a groundout to trim the lead to 3-1, but UGA pitcher Kate Gaskill got Stephanie Cushing to fly out to left to retire the side.

Georgia extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Sojourner Moody opened the frame with a bloop double and moved to second on a wild pitch. Kristin Schnake walked and stole second base. Melissa Wood drove home Moody with a groundout and Schnake scored on Alisa Goler's double to left-center to up the lead to 5-1. After a walk to Wiggins, Furman pitcher Lana Mackey got Jennie Auger to bounce back to the circle to end the ending.

Mackey (3-7) surrendered five runs on eight hits to take the loss. The sophomore fanned six batters and issued four walks. Gaskill (8-2) fanned 11 Paladins and allowed just one run on four hits over six innings to earn the win.

Schnake went 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs while Wiggins went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI for the Lady Bulldogs. Ullrich collected two hits for the Paladins.

In game two, Georgia got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the second. Wood and Christie Hamilton opened the inning with walks and Brianna Hesson cleared the bases with a two-run double in the gap off of Ullrich.

The Lady Bulldogs added to their lead in the fourth. Goler led off the frame with a single to center field and Hamilton drew a base on balls before both runners advanced on a sacrifice. Goler scored on a passed ball and pinch hitter Kristen Thomas drew a walk. Norie Glazebrook drove in Hamilton to up the lead to 4-0 and Victoria Sanders scored on Schnake's grounder to second. Taylor Schlopy capped the rally and upped the lead to 6-0 with a RBI double down the left field line.

Five different Bulldogs registered a hit while Hesson batted in two runs in the game two UGA victory. Glazebrook fanned four hitters in six innings while allowing tossing a shutout to improve to 2-1.

Ullrich (3-2) took the loss for Furman allowing six runs on five hits in six innings of work.

Furman travels to Atlanta, Ga., to take part in the Buzz Classic March 7-9. The Paladins open play on Friday against Jacksonville State at 1 p.m.