Samford scored three runs in the first two innings and hung on to beat Appalachian State 3-1 Thursday night in the Southern Conference softball tournament at Warner Park.
Jessica Owens went 2-for-3 with an RBI double for Samford (21-28), and Amanda Barrs also was 2-for-3. Barrs pitched 4 2/3 innings to earn the victory, and Robyn Harmon was perfect in relief for the save.
The Bulldogs will meet UTC today at 3 p.m. ASU will take on Georgia Southern in an elimination game at 10 a.m.
Earlier, Samford beat second-seeded College of Charleston 6-1 with a four-run fifth inning. Center fielder Jessica Owns had a pair of RBIs, and catcher Robyn Harmon went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Amber Shifflett went 3-for-4 and scored the Cougers’ run.
* Western Carolina 4, Elon 1
Western Carolina overcame an early 1-0 deficit with a pair of runs in both the second and third innings of the play-in game.
Catamounts third baseman Stephanie Beatty was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Freshman pitcher Kaitie King picked up the win.
* Appalachian State 2, UNC Greensboro 0
Appalachian State scored two runs early for pitcher Kayla Richardson. Brittany Gaston hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning to score Sarah Rappe, and third baseman Katie Boyd’s home run in the third inning was enough offense to secure the victory.
* Furman 9, Georgia Southern 3
Furman catcher Abby Robertson went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as the Paladins opened play by beating the third-seeded team.
Morgan Hughey and Katie Michaels each two RBIs in the win. Amanda Hall had two RBIs for Georgia Southern.
* UNC Greensboro 5, College of Charleston 3
UNC Greensboro rode a five-run second inning to eliminate the regular-season runners-up.
MaryCatherine Vercoe from Signal Mountain and Baylor went 1-for-2 with two RBIs to lead the Spartans in the victory. Amber Harrell struck out 11 batters and gave up three hits and one earned run.
League player of the year Kristie Shifflett was 1-for-2 with two RBIs for Charleston.
* Georgia Southern 6, Western Carolina 1
Georgia Southern built a 4-0 lead in the first three innings on the way to eliminating the Catamounts.
SoCon pitcher of the year Brianna Streetmon threw a complete game for her 15th win of the season, and catcher Jenny Side went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to power the GSU offense.
Amber Hawkins was 2-for-2 for Western Carolina, and center fielder Kristen Gay knocked in the team’s run.
Jim Tanner has worked as assistant sports editor at the Times Free Press since late 2006. He started at the Times Free Press in 2001 and worked as a news copy/design editor from 2001 through 2006. In addition to working as a night and weekend editor producing local and national sports coverage for print and online readers, Jim occasionally writes local sports and outdoors stories. Jim grew up in Ringgold, Ga., and is a graduate ...
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