Greenville, S.C. – Freshman
Kristyn Embler tossed a complete game in the circle and belted a grand slam in game two as Furman earned a doubleheader split versus USC Upstate in non-conference softball action Tuesday evening at Pepsi Stadium.
Game 1: USC Upstate 11, Furman 8
In game one, the Spartans rallied from an early 5-2 deficit with a seven-run fifth inning to claim an 11-8 victory.
After falling behind 2-0, Furman plated three runs in the bottom of the third inning to grab the lead.
Kate Stoltzfus delivered the biggest blow with a two-run double down the right field line and
AB Cipalla batted in the Paladin shortstop with a double.
Eden Frederick and Cipalla each drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth before USC Upstate erupted for seven runs in the top of the fifth. Two singles and a base on balls loaded the bases with nobody out before Carson Shaw singled off the glove of third baseman
Rachel Hawkins to drive in two runs. Ella Christopher singled to tie the game at 5-5 before doubles from Laney Jennings and Abby Polk put the Spartans back in front. Polk later stole third base and scored on an error to cap the seven-run outburst.
USC Upstate added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to overcome a three-run bottom of the sixth for Furman, which was highlighted by a two-run single from
Katie Peeler.
Maddie Drerup (9-6) picked up the win for Upstate. She allowed six earned runs on 14 hits over seven innings while striking out four Paladins. Alyssa Davenport went 4-for-5 and scored three runs to pace the Spartan offense. Shaw added three hits and drove in three runs.
Starter
Lily O'Bryan (1-5) suffered the loss for Furman after allowing nine runs on 11 hits in four innings.
Cipalla went 3-for-4 with s double. She joined
Kate Stoltzfus and Peeler in driving in two runs.
Game 2: Furman 14, USC Upstate 2 (5 Inn.)
Furman bounced back in the nightcap with 14 runs in five innings to down USC Upstate, 14-2, via the mercy rule.
The Paladins took control with an eight-spot in the bottom of the first inning. Hawkins RBI single opened the scoring and Embler blew the game open two batters later with a grand slam to center field that caromed of the centerfielder's glove as she tried to rob the home run. Stoltzfus added an RBI single, and two Paladins worked bases loaded walks to build the 8-0 advantage.
USC Upstate answered with a two-run homer by Christopher in the second inning, but
Meghan Shirey line a two-run shot down the left field line in the bottom of the frame to restore the eight-run advantage. Furman added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth, including a run-scoring double from
Christina McCoy.
Embler held the Spartans to just two runs on three hits over five innings to improve to 4-7 in the circle. She worked through five innings on just 55 pitches and struck out one batter without allowing a walk.
Shirey drove in three runs while Embler finished 2-for-2 with four RBI and three runs scored.
Anna Dickinson (3-3) took the loss for Upstate after giving up eight runs on six hits in two-thirds of an inning.
The Paladins totaled 22 runs on 25 hits in the twinbill, including five hits from Cipalla and four hits apiece from Stoltzfus and Embler.
Furman (5-22) opens Southern Conference play this weekend when it travels to Cullowhee, N.C., for a three-game series against the Western Carolina Catamounts. The series begins with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex and concludes with a single game on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
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