Wednesday, March 7, 2007                      

                           Ford Carries PC To Sweep Over TNU

CLINTON, S.C.-  The Lady Blue Hose used stellar pitching and timely hitting to sweep Trevecca Nazarene 3-0, 4-3 Wednesday afternoon at the PC Softball Complex, running their record to 12-2 on the season. Trevecca falls to 12-3 with the two losses, ending an eight-game winning streak.

The Lady Blue Hose will play next at the Francis Marion Patriot Invitational in Florence S.C. beginning with a pair of games on Friday against USC Aiken at 4 p.m. and Bluefield State at 8 p.m. The tournament will last through Sunday with PC playing a total of five games.

Presbyterian will not return home until they play USC Aiken on March 20 at 2 p.m.

Game 1

Ashley Ford supplied PC with all the offensive firepower they would need in game one accounting for all three runs batted in on two hits.

Presbyterian only managed five hits but they proved to be sufficient with Freshman Mary Gordon (6-0) tossing a complete game shutout surrendering only four base hits, all singles to garner the win.

Trevecca’s Brittiany Johnson also pitched a complete game for the Trojans but was handed the loss despite fanning 11 PC batters in seven innings of work.

PC wasted little time getting things started, scoring the only run they would need in their half of the first inning on an RBI infield single to third base by Ashley Ford plating Kellyn Henderson who led off the game with a single.

The final two runs of the game would again come off the bat of Ford in the fourth inning on a towering two-run shot to left center field following a lead off single by Rachel Bailey.

Trojans center fielder Chelsea Bailey finished with two of her teams’ four hits and a pair of stolen bases.

Game 2

In the second game the two teams took a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the fifth inning before Presbyterian broke on top with three runs.

Erin Stewart led off the inning with a double over the left fielder’s head. She would score from third on a passed ball following a sacrifice bunt by Kellyn Henderson. Jenny Box singled and moved all the way to third on a stolen base and wild pitch to set up an RBI single to right field by Laura Tate. Two batters later Ashley Ford drove in the final run of the game on a hard hit ball that got by the second baseman and into right field for her fourth RBI of the day extending the lead to 4-1.

Seven different players hit safely in the game for PC with only Ford recording two hits.

With the game seemingly in control the Trojans answered back quickly in the top of the sixth. After cruising through the first five innings PC starter Paige Cassady ran into trouble allowing a single to Maria Trapani and hitting Brittiany Johnson with a pitch to put runners at first and second with two outs. Trevecca’s Jennifer Perkins hit a double to right center to bring the Trojans within one run at 4-3. After allowing Perkins to advance to third on a wild pitch, Cassady stymied the rally by forcing a ground out to the shortstop.

Perkins knocked in all three runs for the Trojans and accounted for half of the team’s four hits on a solo home run and a two-run double.

Freshman Paige Cassady won her sixth win of the season after going the distance, surrendering three runs and striking out five. Brittiany Johnson lost her second decision of the day, this time in a relief appearance allowing the final two PC runs.