Sunday, March 11, 2007                      

         PC Concludes 2007 Patriot Invitational With 4-1 Record

FLORENCE, S.C. – Presbyterian College defeated UNC Pembroke 5-1 in softball action on Sunday morning at the Freedom of Florence Softball Complex to conclude the 2007 Patriot Invitational with a 4-1 record in its five games in the three-day event.

Overall last week in its nine games the Lady Blue Hose were 7-2. PC is now 16-3 overall on the season.

Mary Gordon (Vernon, Conn.) was the catalyst for PC on the week, winning all five of her starts from the pitcher’s circle last week, including the victory over the Braves on Sunday morning.

The freshman becomes the first player to reach double-digits in wins for the Lady Blue Hose as she ends last week with a perfect 10-0 mark.

PC and UNCP played two scoreless innings before the Lady Blue Hose broke open the contest in the top of the third inning with three runs.

Ashley Ford (Marietta, Ga.) secured the first two runs of the game when she singled in Rachel Bailey (Howard, Ohio) and Jenny Box (Fruitland Park. Fla.) to make it 2-0.

Jessica Peterka (Sarasota, Fla.) then came home to make it 3-0 in favor of the Lady Blue Hose. Peterka was able to cross the dish after Paige Cassady’s (Orlando, Fla.) single took her to third base and then a throwing error by the UNCP centefielder allowed her to cross home plate.

Presbyterian placed two more on the scoreboard over the next two innings.

Box garnered the Lady Blue Hose a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning when she grounded out to the shortstop to bring Michelle Ramsden (Brooks, Ga.) home. Ramsden had began the inning for PC by doubling to left field.

Cassady gave PC a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth when she hit a solo home run to left field. In total on the day, Cassady concluded her efforts 3-for-4 from the dish with an RBI.

UNC Pembroke scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning to set the final score at 5-1.

Gordon pitched six of the seven innings for the Lady Blue Hose in the game. She struck out five Braves and allowed just four hits.

Presbyterian plays three road games this week before returning home for a 2 p.m. twinbill against USC Aiken at the PC Softball Complex on Tuesday, Mar. 10.

The Lady Blue Hose will next travel to Savannah, Ga. on Tuesday, Mar. 12 for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Armstrong Atlantic State.