Panthers Sweep Piedmont

March 22, 2007

The women's softball team claimed two more GSAC victories on Thursday afternoon, defeating Piedmont (11-12; 4-4 GSAC) 6-0 and 8-1 in a doubleheader at Panther Field.  With the sweep, the Panthers improve their record to 16-6 and 9-1 in conference play.

Kristi Underwood (pictured) would go 5-for-8 at the plate in the doubleheader including two doubles, two runs and two runs batted in.  She would also record her first stolen base of the season.

In the first game, the Panthers broke a scoreless tie in the third inning, scoring two runs off an Underwood double that sent Kim Woodard home to get on the board.  Dicie Holland would single down the leftfield side to bring in Underwood, but Valeree Williams was called out at the plate to end the inning.

Williams would get her revenge in the following inning as she pounded a three-run double into left centerfield that would bring in Woodard, Chloe Turnipseed and Leah Flowers to give the Panthers a comfortable 6-0 lead.  In the third and fourth innings, the Panthers collected eight hits and scored all six runs during that span.

Megan Henry would secure her seventh win of the season with a solid shutout performance, which was the sixth of her career, moving her into sole possession of second place all-time.  She also struck out her 100th batter in the second inning to make her the seventh player at LaGrange to accomplish that feat.  She now has 102 for her career.

Williams continued to hit safely for the third consecutive game and in 13 at bats, going 3-for-3 with a double and three runs batted in.  Woodard went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Underwood also went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

In the second game, the Panthers opened the game wide open with a six-run second inning as five consecutive players collected hits, as they put the game out of reach for the Lady Lions, as they would manage one run in the contest.

Amanda Daniel picked up her eighth-win of the year, finishing the game with seven strikeouts while allowing just three hits in the winning effort.  Her 70 strikeouts for the year ranks her fourth-place all-time in that category.

Underwood led the Panthers, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI.  Woodard, Turnipseed and Holland would collect two hits each with both Turnipseed and Woodard scoring twice.  Williams streak of consecutive hits was stopped in the second inning at 14. 

Turnipseed's two stolen bases moves her into eighth place all-time in that category while her 16 this season ranks her in the top-10 for a season.  Woodard moved into seventh-place all-time in doubles with 22 for her career.  Kellee Scandrett moved into fifth-place all-time with 148 hits.

The Panthers will host Maryville College on Saturday with games scheduled to start at 2 & 4 p.m.  They will also host Emory University on Sunday with in a doubleheader.