Greenville, S.C. – Senior Morgan Hughey collected five hits on the day, including a walk-off RBI single in game two, to propel Furman to a 5-1, 4-3 doubleheader sweep of Western Carolina on the opening day of Southern Conference softball play Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
With one out in the bottom of the eight and the score knotted at 3-3, Jessie Homesley doubled off of the glove of Catamount rightfielder Amelia Griffin. Hughey, 3-for-4 in game two, followed with a single back up the middle to score Homesley and complete the Paladins come-from-behind victory to secure the sweep.
Furman (6-12, 2-0 SoCon) trailed 2-0 in the second inning of game two after Western Carolina's Shemekia Scotten put the Catamounts on the board with a two-out-two run double to right-center that scored Kelly Braman and Amber Steinhardt who had both reached base via base on balls. Morgan Wyatt upped the margin to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly in the third inning after Jordan Fulton singled, stole second and moved to third base on a throwing error.
The Paladins pushed across an unearned run in the fifth to trim the margin to 3-1 in the fifth inning and pulled even with a two-out rally in the sixth. With Lauren Collier on second and two down in the sixth, Hughey singled through the left side to put runners at the corners. Freshman Hannah Pace followed with a double down the left field line to score both runners and tie the game at 3-3.
Along with Hughey's three-hit outing, Collier and Homesley each collected two hits apiece for the Paladins. Sophomore Kayla Suskauer (3-4) earned the victory in the circle limiting the Catamounts to three runs on only four hits over eight innings of work. The Tampa, Fla., native notched six strikeouts and walked four WCU batters.
Katie King (6-3) suffered the loss for Western Carolina (12-8, 0-2 SoCon) allowing three earned runs on eight hits in 7.1 innings. She fanned five batters and did not issue a walk. Fulton went 2-for-3 to lead the Catamount offense.
In game one, Furman belted three home runs, including back-to-back long balls by Collier and Hughey in the second inning, en route to a 5-1 victory over Western Carolina.
Collier put the Paladins on the board in the bottom of the second leading off the frame with a solo shot off of the left field foul pole. Hughey followed with a drive over the right-centerfield fence to put Furman ahead 2-0.
After WCU cut the margin in half with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, Furman added three runs in the bottom of the inning to cap the scoring. Hughey delivered a one-out single between shortstop and third base and sophomore Emily Boyer followed with a towering two-run blast to left-center. Nikki Legg walked, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before scoring on Stephanie Field's single to left field.
Collier (3-8) scattered four hits and allowed only one run while tossing a complete game for the Paladins. She fanned five batters and walked just three in seven innings. Hughey and Boyer each registered a pair of hits for Furman.
Steinhardt (6-3) allowed four runs on six hits in 3.1 innings to absorb the loss for Western Carolina.
Furman goes for the sweep when the Paladins and Catamounts tangle in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
"One Spirit. One Team. One Furman."
