Rocky Mount, NC – North Carolina Wesleyan and Greensboro College split Sunday’s USA South softball twinbill at Edge Field. A two-out RBI-single by senior Denise Pope in the sixth gave the Bishops a 1-0 win in game one as Libby Fulford tossed a three-hit shutout. The Pride rebounded a 10-4 victory in game two thanks to a five-run fourth inning. Wesleyan now stands at 13-11 on the season, 4-8 in conference play, while Greensboro moves to 18-12-2 overall, 9-4-1 in league action.
Game one proved to be a pitcher’s dual between Fulford and GC’s Erica Brown as neither team could scratch a run. Brown, in fact, took a one-hitter into the sixth inning.
Fulford, however, led off the frame with a double to center and was promptly sacrificed to third. Brown then recorded a strikeout, setting the stage for Pope’s two-out heroics. The senior ripped a line drive to left field, plating Fulford and giving the Bishops a 1-0 advantage entering the seventh.
In the Pride’s final at-bat, Greensboro managed a two-out single by Britney Smith, but a groundout to first effectively ended the game and sealed the NCWC victory.
Both pitchers finished with three-hitters and turned in complete game efforts. The Pride committed three errors in the game.
In game two, the Bishops got on the board first with an unearned run in the opening frame. After Whitney Moshier singled to center, Ashlee Bass reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on Pride throwing error. She was plated by a Fulford two-out single to left center.
Wesleyan scored another run in the third when Moshier and Bass recorded back-to-back doubles for a 2-0 Bishop lead.
The Pride broke through with five unearned runs in the fourth. After loading the bases with one out, Fulford induced a grounder that forced the runner at home. With two down, Jenee Johnson then reached on a Bishop fielding error that plated GC’s first run and extended the inning. The miscue proved to be costly as Nikki Wilborn followed with a triple to right that cleared the bases. Wilborn later scored on a passed ball to give the Pride a 5-2 lead that they would not relinquish.
Jordan Davenport earned the win in relief for Greensboro after tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Fulford suffered the loss for NCWC.
Bass drove in the Bishops’ final two runs with a double to center in the seventh. Wilborn and Jessica Clack each had three hits for the Pride.
Wesleyan returns to action on Tuesday when the Bishops host a doubleheader with Ferrum College. Game one of the USA South doubleheader is slated for a 3:00 p.m. start.