February 11, 2007

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

LAURINBURG, N.C.— Freshman Danyell Marquez (Riverside, Calif.) had three hits on the day including her first collegiate home run in a pair of NCAA Division II softball losses for host St. Andrews Presbyterian College as local rival UNC-Pembroke pulled out the doubleheader sweep by 10-7 and 7-4 scores on Sunday afternoon.

Freshman Jelena Shaw (Hope Mills, N.C.) helped the Braves even their overall record at 3-3 by totaling three hits, three RBI, and two runs scored in the pair of victories. Freshman Kailee Munden (LaVerne, Calif.) also had three hits for the Knights, who fell to 0-6 on the early season.

St. Andrews will next visit non-conference USC-Aiken on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Game 1: UNC-Pembroke 10, St. Andrews 7

Pembroke jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run in each of the first two innings. Shaw led off the contest with a triple to right field and scored on an error later in the play. Junior Anna Williamson (Lake Waccamaw, N.C.) plated the second run with a single in the second after freshman Randi Pruitt (Maiden, N.C.) tripled.

Sophomore Brittni York (Indian Trail, N.C.) scored the Knights first run in the bottom of the second. After singling and stealing second, York later scored on a stolen base by junior Mika Tanji (Honolulu, Hawaii). SAPC junior Erin Haugen (Fort Mill, S.C.) tied the game at 2-2 with a bases-loaded single in the fourth.

The Braves exploded for seven run in the sixth inning to pull away. The outburst was highlighted by a junior Brittnay Berrier (Lexington, N.C.) RBI-double; a two-run single by Shaw; and run-producing singles by sophomore Katie Rubio (Fay, N.C.) and freshman Mara Thornton (San Diego, Calif.).

Marquez ripped her first collegiate home run over the centerfield fence in the sixth to cut the deficit to 9-3 but UNCP got the run back in the top of the seventh when Shaw doubled to right-center scoring Williamson.

St. Andrews made one last attempt to salvage the opener scoring four runs in final frame but Thornton, who started for Pembroke, returned to the mound and got the visitors out of the jam. Both Munden and Haugen walked with the bases loaded and Marquez provided an RBI-single during the rally.

Thornton evened her record to 2-2 on the season after going 7-innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out five. SAPC junior starter Samantha Stewart (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) fell to 0-2 after giving up eight runs (two earned) on nine hits through 5 1/3 innings.

Game 2: UNC-Pembroke 7, St. Andrews 4

UNC-Pembroke continued to play strong in the nightcap opening up a 5-0 advantage at the midway point. After tallying their first run in the third, the Lady Braves added four more in the fourth. Pruitt and sophomore Candace Evans (Micro, N.C.) had back-to-back RBI doubles followed by a freshman Heather Hayslip (Wetumpka, Ala.) two-run homer to center in the big fourth.

St. Andrews got to within one run at 5-4 after scoring once in the fifth and three more times in the sixth. Munden started the sixth inning rally with a delayed steal to home and senior Devane Rushing (Monroe, N.C.) concluded the scoring with seeing-eyed single through the left side of the infield that plated two more Knights.

The Braves pulled out the 7-4 win by tacking on two more runs in the seventh on run-producing doubles by Berrier and senior Wendi Cochran (Charlotte, N.C.). Evans improved to 1-1 on the mound going the distance for UNCP. Evans allowed four runs on seven hits while fanning five.

York (0-2) took the loss for SAPC allowing five runs on six hits in the first four innings.