Pirate Softball Earns First Conference Win of the Year
March 16, 2003 | Softball
GREENVILLE, N.C. -? The East Carolina University softball team (15-10, 1-5 C-USA) earned its first conference win of the season today, defeating Charlotte (11-10, 2-1 C-USA) by a score of 10-3. The game was played at the ECU Softball Field on the East Carolina campus in front of a crowd of 67.
East Carolina started the scoring in the first inning, putting two runs on the board. With a runner on first base, Christine Sheridan tripled to deep right field to bring in the first Pirate run of the game. Moments later, when the Charlotte second baseman bobbled the ball for an error, Sheridan was able to score, giving ECU the 2-0 advantage. Charlotte was held scoreless in the first inning, but managed to put its first point of the game on the board in the top of the second. With a runner on second, Shannon Carson doubled to left center field and sent in the 49ers' first point of the afternoon.
East Carolina added two more points in the bottom of the second. Charlotte committed three errors in the inning, allowing three Pirate players to reach first base safely, and giving ECU numerous scoring opportunities. With two runners on base, Stacey Smith reached first on an error by the third baseman which sent the first Pirates run of the inning across home plate. The next run came with the bases loaded as the Charlotte pitcher walked Kate Manuse to give East Carolina a 4-1 lead.
Neither team scored in the third inning and Charlotte was held to no runs in the fourth as well, when with a runner on first the Pirates turned their first double play of the series for three up and three down. In the bottom of the fourth with two runners on base, Mandi Nichols doubled to left center field and sent in another Pirate run. In the fifth inning, Sheridan drove in another Pirate run on a single shot to center field, and then advanced to second base on the throw from center field. Moments later, Smith scored on a wild pitch, and then Sheridan was sent home on a single by Kate Manuse to put East Carolina up 8-1.
Charlotte scored its final two runs of the game in the sixth inning on a home run by second baseman Denise Atmar. East Carolina again scored in the sixth when Sheridan singled to center field sending in two runners to give East Carolina final tally of 10 runs. Charlotte would be unable to score in the seventh, and East Carolina went away with the 10-3 win.
Sheridan finished the day with three hits and four RBI in five at bats. Stacey Smith and Mandi Nichols each had two hits, while four other players had one hit each. The Pirates had 11 hits on the afternoon and committed no errors against the 49ers. Brittany Boyd earned her fifth win for East Carolina, improving to 5-2 on the season, She struck out three batters and allowed only three runs, all earned.
For Charlotte, Lynne LaPorte had two hits in four at bats, and five other players had one hit each. Amy Morse was credited with the loss for Charlotte, she dropped to 4-5 on the year.
East Carolina will travel to UNC Greensboro this Wednesday, March 19 to take on the Spartans in a non-conference doubleheader. That series is slated for a 2 p.m. start and will be played at UNCG.
