Feb. 9, 2007

Box Score

Greenville, S.C. - Campbell jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held on for a 5-3 victory over Furman in the softball season-opener for both teams Friday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. Game two finished in a 3-3 tie after play was halted by darkness after seven innings.

In game one, Campbell's Courtney Quinn belted a two-run homer in the first and drove in four runs for the game to key a 5-3 Camels' victory.

Jessica Huffman opened the game with a single up the middle and Quinn followed two batters later with the roundtripper. The junior upped the lead to 4-0 in the top of the third with a two out single to center.

After Campbell added an insurance run in the fifth, Furman mounted a rally in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Amber Kiser reached base on a bunt single and Abby Robertson gave Furman runners at first and second with one out by reaching on an error. Sophomore Stephanie Cushing trimmed the lead to 5-3 with a home run to centerfield.

Brittany Stanley entered in relief of starting pitcher Kelly Weaver and limited Furman to just one hit over 1.2 innings of work to earn a save. Weaver allowed two earned runs on three hits over 5.1 innings to claim the victory.

Quinn and Stephenie Pappas both went 2-for-3 for the Camels while Huffman scored three runs.

Kiser went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Paladins while Cushing notched three RBI. Murray went the distance in the circle giving up five runs on seven hits. The junior fanned six batters and walked three.

Campbell took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of game two. Robin Leathers drew a base on balls to open the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jessica Huffman lined a two-out single up the middle to plate the run.

Furman claimed its first lead of the day in the in the bottom of the third. Kiser drew a walk and stole second and third ahead of an Abby Robertson walk. Kiser knotted the game at 1-1 after Robertson swiped second and the catcher's throw sailed into centerfield. Cushing put Furman ahead with an RBI double to right plating Robertson.

Quinn led off the Campbell half of the sixth inning with a walk and pinch hitter Cassie Webb tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single through the right side. Campbell regained the lead in the seventh. Pappas reached on an error at second before stealing second base. After Pappas moved to third on a groundout, Megan Paul reached base on a bunt single and registered a steal to give the Camels runners at second and third. Pappas scored unearned run on a wild pitch by reliever Lana Mackey to give Campbell the 3-2 lead.

Freshman Meredith Mielke led off the Lady Paladin half of the inning with a triple to right center and tied the game two batters later on Kiser's single up the middle. Campbell starter Lauren Caviness got Jessica Batten to pop out to third with the potential winning run on third to end the game.

Paul collected two hits for Campbell while Caviness fanned seven batters in seven innings of work. Cushing went 2-for-4 with a double for Furman. Lady Paladin starter Vanessa Williams worked six innings allowing two runs on seven hits.

Furman returns to action Saturday when it hosts East Tennessee State in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.