February 10, 2007

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

LAURINBURG, N.C.— Four different Catawba College batters hit home runs en route to a couple of 9-1 NCAA Division II softball victory’s at non-conference St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Saturday afternoon.

Junior Sarah VanBuskirk (Lutz, Fla.) helped the visiting Lady Indians remain perfect on the year at 4-0 by going 5-for-6 at the plate while driving in three and scoring three times. Sophomore Tiffany Capone (Jacksonville, N.C.) led the winless Lady Knights (0-4) with two hits, a double, one RBI, and a run scored.

St. Andrews will try and bounce back on Sunday afternoon when they host local non-conference rival UNC-Pembroke. The first pitch for the opening game of the doubleheader is slated for 1:00 p.m.

Game 1: Catawba 9, St. Andrews 1 (5 innings)

Catawba did most of its damage in the second inning scoring eight runs on six hits. The second stanza was highlighted by a three-run home run by freshman Kathryn Geouge (Canton, N.C.), a two-run blast by freshman Brittany Thornburg (Kings Mountain, N.C.), an RBI-double by VanBuskirk, and then a two-run single by VanBuskirk in her second appearance at the plate in the inning.

A junior Jacqueline White (Mt. Ulla, N.C.) homer to lead off the fourth was the Lady Indians ninth run. Senior Lindsay Ettinger (Pasadena, Md.) improved to 2-0 on the year allowing just one run on four hits over five innings of work while striking out six.

St. Andrews lone run came in the bottom of the fourth. Capone started the rally with a leadoff single to centerfield. Freshman Kailee Munden (LaVerne, Calif.) then added a two-out double that advanced Capone to third and freshman Danyell Marquez (Riverside, Calif.) followed with a single that plated Capone.

Junior Samantha Stewart (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) took the loss in her first start for the Lady Knights. Stewart fanned three batters but allowed nine runs on 12 hits and four walks.

Game 2: Catawba 9, St. Andrews 1

Catawba jumped out to a 3-0 advantage after two innings in the nightcap. Freshman Allie Marshall (Pleasant Garden, N.C.) drove in the first run with a single in the first. A freshman Tiffany Farley (Greensboro, N.C.) single and a sophomore Jessie Whitesides (Yadkinville, N.C.) double in the second plated the next two Indian runs.

SAPC cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the third on a Capone double to centerfield that scored junior Erin Haugen (Fort Mill, S.C.) from first.

Marshall extended Catawba’s lead back to three with a home run to right-center in the fifth. The Indians tacked on two more in the sixth including a sacrifice fly by Whitesides. A three-run seventh pulled Catawba out to the eventual 9-1 final. Junior Aileen Thomson (Burlington, Vt.) drove in the first run with a single and Farley plated the final two with a double down the left field line.

Starter Rachel Christian (Buckingham, Va.) begins her collegiate career 2-0 with the complete-game victory. Christian allowed one run on four hits while totaling four strikeouts. Freshman Lauren James (Bahama, N.C.) fell to 0-2 after giving up nine runs on 15 hits. James struck out four over seven innings.