April 27, 2019
DeMonte Powers Furman To Split At Western Carolina 9-2, 1-3
Cullowhee, N.C. -- Senior Emily DeMonte doubled, belted two home runs and picked up a victory in the circle to lead Furman to a 9-2, 1-3 doubleheader split with Western Carolina in Southern Conference softball action Saturday afternoon at the Catamount Softball Complex.
Game 1: Furman 9, Western Carolina 2
DeMonte doubled, homered and tossed a complete game in the circle to pick up the win as Furman topped Western Carolina, 9-2, in the series opener.
After the Catamounts grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, DeMonte belted a solo home run down the left field line to tie the game in the second inning. In the top of the third, Furman plated five runs to take control of the game. The Paladins loaded the bases with a single, error and base on balls before Marissa Guimbarda lined an RBI single up the middle. Tess Griswold and DeMonte followed with back-to-back RBI doubles and Taylor Vahle ripped a two-tun double to center field to extend the Paladin lead to 6-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Savannah Hughes launched a three-run blast to straightaway center field to up the lead to 9-1 after Griswold and Casey Bigham opened the frame with singles.
Furman totaled a season-high 15 hits, led by Griswold's 3-for-4 performance. Greico, DeMonte, Vahle, Hughes and Lauren Duggar tallied two hits apiece. Greico, the Paladin third baseman, reached base five times with two singles and three walks.
DeMonte (10-15) held the Catamounts to a pair of runs on six hits over seven innings. She struck out four batters and did not issue a walk.
Kinsey Liscio (10-10) took the loss for Western Carolina after allowing nine runs on 13 hits over 5.1 innings of work. She recorded four strikeouts and walked three Paladins.
Erica Hayes belted a home run for the Catamounts.
Game 2: Western Carolina 3, Furman 1
Hunter Gibbons delivered a two-run blast in the bottom of the third inning to erase a 1-0 deficit and Shaina Reed held the Paladins to a run on four hits over seven innings to earn the victory for the Catamounts in game two.
DeMonte gave the Paladins a 1-0 lead with a solo blast down the line to start the top of the second. Western Carolina answered in the bottom of the third as Madison Armstrong reached base on a single with one out before Gibbons belted the go-ahead homer two batters later. The Catamounts' Kailey McNeil added an insurance run with a solo clout in the fourth inning.
With two outs in the seventh, Carolina Nageotte drew a walk, Duggar reached base on a bad-hop single to third base and Cammy Pereira was plunked by a pitch to load the bases, but Reed (8-14) induced a pop fly to shortstop to end the game.
Guimbarda (0-6) took the loss for Furman allowing three runs on four hits over four innings of work.
DeMonte led the Paladin offense with two of their four hits, while Gibbons went 1-for-3 with two RBIs to pace Western Carolina.
The Paladins (12-33, 4-9 SoCon) and Catamounts (20-29, 5-11 SoCon) conclude the three-game weekend series with a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday at the Catamount Softball Complex in Cullowhee, N.C. Live statistics for Sunday's series finale will be available through StatBroadcast at FurmanPaladins.com.
