Centerfielder Danielle Spetar went 4-for-7 with four RBIs and two home runs over two games to lead ETSU to a sweep over UNC Greensboro in a Southern Conference softball doubleheader last Saturday in Greensboro, N.C.
ETSU set a new school record for runs in a 13-2 win over the Spartans in game one, and held off a late rally by UNCG in the second game for a 4-3 victory.
The Buccaneers recorded their first-ever wins over UNCG after the Spartans won all four meetings last season.
ETSU moves to 12-10 on the season, and opens its SoCon season at 2-0, while UNCG falls to 18-12-1 and 0-2 with its fourth straight loss.
Lindsay Lane provided all the offense ETSU needed in game one in the top of the second with a three-run homer. UNCG scored once in the bottom of the frame, as Penny Thompson scored on a error by the catcher to make the score 3-1.
Both teams added a run in the third. Kim Benningfield hit a RBI double to bring in Tabitha Lewis in the bottom of the third to make the score 4-2.
That would be the last run of the game for the Spartans, and ETSU blew the game open with nine runs in the seventh inning, which included a three-run blast from Spetar and a solo homer from Tiffany Vandergriff.
Amber Watson took the loss for UNCG, as she started on the mound and gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits in 2.2 innings.
Courtney Jenkins scattered two runs off five hits over seven innings to earn the complete game victory.
In game two, Vandergriff allowed just two runs over five innings to earn her third win of the season, and hit the game-winning three-run homer in the fifth to help her cause.
ETSU first scored in the fourth on Spetar’s second homer of the day for a 1-0 lead.
UNCG finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. The first two Spartans were walked when Jenkins relieved Vandergriff. Kristy Norton then hit a RBI double to score Benningfield, and Thompson’s sac fly scored Jennifer Aguilar for the first two runs of the inning. With two outs, Christine Sweeney singled to centerfield to score Norton, but the Spartans couldn’t manage the tying run.
Spear went 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead ETSU.
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UNCG third baseman Penny Thompson hit a two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth inning to help UNC Greensboro claim a 7-5 victory over ETSU in Southern Conference softball action last Sunday in Greensboro, N.C.
The Spartans won the third game in the three-game series, and took their first SoCon victory to move to 18-13-1 overall and 1-2 in the league. ETSU fell to 12-11 and 2-1 in the SoCon.
After scoring just five runs in two games on Saturday, UNCG ran off four in the first inning in Sunday’s game.
The Spartans placed runners on base on a walk, an error, and a hit batter when Christine Sweeney hit a two-run single to left field.
The Bucs made a pitching change, bringing in Courtney Jenkings to replace Marsha Giles, but the Spartans continued to add runs.
Jennifer Moran’s two-run double scored Megan Gough and Thompson for a 4-0 advantage.
UNCG added a run on Kim Benningfield’s solo homer in the second inning for a 5-0 lead.
ETSU got on the scoreboard with a four-run fifth inning, as Sheryl Clark hit a two-run double and Rhea Holler added a two-run home run to close the score to 5-4.
Kristy Norton was walked to lead off the fifth inning, and Thompson sent her home with a two-run homer over the centerfield fence, her seventh of the season, which gave UNCG a 7-4 lead and all the runs it would need.
The Bucs had a chance to tie the game in the sixth as they placed runners on first and second with two outs. An error by the Spartan first baseman allowed Danielle Spetar to reach first and Amy Moore to score, but Tiffany Vandergriff tried to advance two bases on the error and was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Giles took the loss for ETSU, giving up four runs on one hit in 0.1 innings of action.
Vandergriff was 2-for-3 for ETSU, the only Buccaneer with more than one hit.

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