Statesboro, Ga. – Jessie Homesley went 2-for-3 with a double and a two-run homer to lead Furman past Western Carolina, 5-4, in the opening round of the Southern Conference Softball Tournament on Wednesday morning at Eagle Field in Statesboro, Ga.
The Paladins, 18-33 on the season, advance to face top-seed Chattanooga in the double elimination portion of the tournament beginning at approximately 2:15 this afternoon.
Furman built a 5-0 lead on the Catamounts through five innings, but had to fight off a late WCU rally to secure its ninth straight win in the series.
The Paladins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Homesley belted a two-run homer over the right-center field fence. In the fourth inning, Stephanie Spain lined a triple to the right field wall to plate Alex Bimonte and scored when Sara Spencer's relay throw to third base sailed to the wall. Homesley doubled in the fifth and scored Furman's fifth run on Hannah Pace's double into the left-center field gap.
Haley Pace opened the Western Carolina (18-35) half of the sixth by reaching on an error and Furman starter Kayla Suskauer allowed consecutive singles to Amber Steinhardt, Shemekia Scotton and Kelly Braman to cut the lead to 5-1 and load the bases. Erin Foster drew a bases loaded loss to chase Suskauer from the game and reliever Hannah Bradley walked two of the first three batters she faced to force in runs and trim the margin to 5-4. The Paladins, however, maintained the lead as Emily Boyer cut down the lead runner at the plate on a fielder's choice Bradley got Pace to pop up to the circle.
Bradley worked around a two-out hit batsman in the seventh inning to finish the game and earn her first save of the year with two hitless innings of work. Suskauer (13-15), who surrendered four runs on six hits in five-plus innings in the circle, picked up the win.
Homesley, Pace and Spain each collected a pair of hits for Furman who pounded out 10 hits in the victory.
Katie King (8-18) took the loss for the Catamounts allowing five runs on 10 hits in six innings.
Fans can follow live statistical updates of every Furman contest at the SoCon Tournament by logging onto www.FurmanPaladins.com.
"One Spirit. One Team. One Furman."
