Softball Picks Up First Shut-Outs of Season

SPARTANBURG -- The Lady Pioneers softball team picked up their first shut-outs of the season on Sunday with a pair of 8-0 wins over Region X opponent Surry CC.

SMC got on the board early in game one. Lauren Eastwood (Hanahan HS), Leah Babson (Stratford HS), and Jessica Bonham (Nations Ford HS) put in back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the first inning, followed by a single by Maddie Sharpe (White Knoll HS), to go up 3-0.

Brittany Phillips (Broome HS) drove in Kelsey Pruitt (South Florence HS), and Eastwood followed by bringing Jennifer Bonham (Nations Ford HS) home on a sacrifice fly in the second inning to add two runs.

SMC continued their scoring run with three in the third inning, with a double from Puritt driving in Bonham and Sharpe to make it 8-0.

Sophomore Britni Ward (Union County HS) threw the no-hitter, striking out three and walking one.

"Ward was lights out today. We really missed her last week in the GPC tournament. But she rehabbed extensively to get back on the mound. Our bats stayed hot again and hopefully we can continue swining and good pitches," says head SMC softball coach Thad Fox.

Hot pitching from left-hander Chelsea Smith (R.S. Central HS) in game two held Surry to no runs on three hits and three strikeouts.

SMC brought in three runs in the second inning. Eastwood drove in two with a double to left centerfield.

Pinch-hitter Morgan Blanton (Crest HS) singled on a walk to Morgan Cox (Hillcrest HS) in the fourth inning. Both scored on doubles to Amanda Hayes (Pickens HS) and Eastwood to make it 6-0.

SMC walked off in the 5th inning with the win after pinch-hitter Breana Putnam (Wade Hampton HS) singled to left field; Leea Polin doubled (Fort Dorchester HS) to centerfield.

Shannon Mason (Goose Creek HS) drove in Putnam with an infield single. After a walk to Blanton, pinch-hitter Emily Kirby (White Knoll HS) drew a walk to bring home Polin on the eighth run of the game.

"We played very solid today. We played ten innings with three hits allowed, no runs and no errors to go along with 16 runs and 16 hits - eight of which were doubles. A lot of players contributed today and played very well. That's three wins in a row - with 28 runs in those three, while giving up only two," added Fox.

The Lady Pioneers are on the road March 4-5 at the NFCA Lead Off Classic in Panama City, FL.

Spartanburg Methodist College has 14 intercollegiate teams that compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which includes colleges in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The College is in its 100th academic year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.
 
For more information please contact athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.