Saturday, April 02, 2005

GREENVILLE, S.C. (April 2, 2005) - Paladin senior Rachel Henley tossed a complete game shutout and struck out 11 Buccaneer batters to lead Furman to a 1-0 victory over East Tennessee State in Southern Conference softball action Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.

Furman scratched across the only run of the afternoon in the bottom half of the third inning.  Jessica Mathis led off the frame by reaching base on a Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) error.  Joni Lockridge followed with a sacrifice bunt, but reached base safely when ETSU's Lindsay Lane (Erwin, Tenn.) and Melissa McCall (Kingsport, Tenn.) collided while trying to field the bunt.  After a Jessica Matthews pop out, catcher Megan Jaudon doubled off the centerfield fence to to drive in Lockridge.

Henley, who did not allow a walk over seven innings of work, improved to 6-14 on the season.  Lockridge paced Furman's six-hit attack going 2-for-2 with a run scored.

Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) (9-9) suffered the loss for the Buccaneers.  Jenkins allowed six hits and one unearned run without a walk in five innings of work.  Lane and McCall recorded East Tennessee State's only two hits.

The win improves Furman to 10-26 overall and 1-3 in Southern Conference play.  East Tennessee State falls to 15-20 overall and 1-3 in league play.

The Lady Paladins and Buccaneers conclude their three-game set with a doubleheader Sunday.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:00p.m.