Greenville, S.C. – Furman exploded for 16 runs on 22 hits over two games to run its winning streak to five with a 9-8, 7-1 doubleheader sweep of Western Carolina on the opening day of Southern Conference play Saturday at Pepsi Stadium.
Furman 9, Western Carolina 8
Furman raced out to a 7-0 lead and held on late to claim a 9-8 decision in the series opener Saturday afternoon.
Alex Rose Molinar's sacrifice fly gave Furman the lead on the second inning and the Paladins took control with six more runs the following frame. The Catamounts walked three batters in the bottom of the third and committed three errors with each allowing a pair of Paladin runs to cross the plate.
Western Carolina answered with five runs of its own the following half inning, highlighted by Sydney Dirks' grand slam to straightaway center field.
Sylvia Burroughs delivered an RBI double down the left field line to drive in a run in the bottom of the fifth and
Hannah Poole opened the sixth with a triple into the gap before scoring on Molinar's grounder to second base to up the Furman lead to 9-6.
A leadoff walk to Dirks got the seventh inning started for the Catamounts and Becka Wosnick ripped a two-run homer to left field two batters later, but reliever
Lauralee Scott got Lily Bell to flyout to end the game. Scott earned her first save after allowing two runs on two hits over 1.2 innings of work. Angelina Riccardi (1-2), who came on in relief of
Sierra Tufts in the top of the fourth, limited WCU to one run over 2.1 innings to earn her first collegiate victory.
Starter Makenzie Martin (0-5) took the loss for Western Carolina after surrendering six runs, just two earned, on three hits and four walks over 2.1 innings in the circle.
Poole, who collected five hits in Furman's midweek doubleheader sweep of Presbyterian, stayed hot at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a triple and scored two runs. Molinar drove in three runs for the Paladins.
Furman 7, Western Carolina 1
Scott, who earned the save in game one, proved to be the star out of the Paladin bullpen once more in Furman's 7-1 triumph in game two.
The junior from Greenwood, S.C., entered the game to start the second inning and held the Catamounts to only one run on five hits over six innings to improve to 5-1 on the season. She fanned a season-high seven batters without allowing a walk.
With runners on the corners and one out in the bottom of the third, Poole singled to plate
Caitlin Goldwait and put the Paladins in front.
Ansley Chiang followed with a two-run double into the gap to stake Furman to a 3-0 lead after three innings.
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Sylvia Burroughs sacrifice fly increased the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Western Carolina got on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo blast off the bat of Jeralynn Wells, but Furman answered with three more runs in the bottom of the frame.
Kaitlyn Laudick delivered an RBI double, and
Ainsley Yoshizumi came through with an RBI single to capitalize on WCU's two errors in the inning.
Ashlee Lykins, Poole,
Chloe Fabio, and Yoshizumi each registered two hits apiece in the nightcap as Furman pounded out 12 hits as a team.
Tessa Juett (5-6), who gave up three runs on eight hits in four innings of work, took the loss for the Catamounts.
Furman (15-14, 2-0 SoCon) and Western Carolina (7-14, 0-2 SoCon) conclude the three-game SoCon series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. The series finale will be streamed live on ESPN+. Admission is free at Pepsi Stadium and an Easter egg hunt will be held for all kids in attendance following the contest.
