Boxscore - Game 1
Boxscore - Game 2
Woodstock, Ga. -- Freshman Lakyn Shull tossed a six-hit shutout versus Alabama State and tossed four innings of relief against Rhode Island to lead Furman to a 1-0, 7-3 sweep on the opening day of the Buzz Classic on Friday at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex.
In Game one, Shull (3-1) scattered six hits and fanned seven Lady Hornet batters without issuing a walk to earn the victory.
Furman managed just three hits against Alabama State, but scored the only run it would need in the bottom of the second inning. Natalie Clemmons opened the frame with a line drive double to right-center, moved to third on Stephanie Spain's groundout and scored when Emily Boyer lined a two-out single to right field.
Destyni Valencia (0-3) took the loss for the Lady Hornets despite giving up just one run on three hits in six innings. Brehanna Rodrigues went 3-for-3 at the plate for Alabama State (2-11).
In the second game of the afternoon, the Paladins pounded out 13 hits and plated seven runs to down the Rhode Island Rams 7-3.
The Paladins plated three runs in the top of the first off Rams starter Erika Szymanski. Nikki Legg and Taylor Jenkins opened the frame with singles and moved into scoring position on Spain's sacrifice bunt. Jessie Homesley followed with a two-run single to right field to put the Paladins on the board and later scored on Clemmons two-out base hit.
Leading 3-1 in the top of the fourth, Hope Smith and Ambree Muller reached base to start the inning and scored on two-out, RBI singles from Jenkins and Spain. Rhode Island cut the lead to 5-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Hannah Pace delivered a pinch hit, RBI single in the top of the fifth to put the Paladins up 6-2.
Shull pitched out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings before Homesley, who reached on a double, scored on Pace's double down the left field line to add an insurance run for Furman in the top of the seventh.
Jenkins, Homesley, Clemmons and Pace each collected a pair of hits to pace Furman's 13-hit attack. Homesley went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI while Pace finished 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Shull allowed just one run on three hits in four innings of relief to secure her second win of the day. She issued two walks and did not record a strikeout in relief of Shelby Parker who allowed two runs on five hits in three-plus innings in the circle.
Szymanski (0-1), who gave up three runs on five hits in 1.1 innings of work, suffered the loss for Rhode Island (1-4).
Furman, now 6-7 on the season, faces Winthrop at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. Fans can follow live stats for both games at www.FurmanPaladins.com.
