Shaw Powers Braves Past St. Andrews

PEMBROKE – Senior third baseman Jelena Shaw went 2-for-3 at the plate with four runs batted in and two runs scored against St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Thursday afternoon as UNCP earned a 9-3 victory over the Knights at LRA Softball Field to improve to 4-0 against SAPC this season.

The Braves scored nine runs on 10 hits while committing one error on defense in the victory improving to 27-15 on the year. The Knights fall to 4-33 with the loss with pitcher Daisy Mendez dropping to 1-8 on the season.  

Freshman Alex Hartshorn pitched all seven innings for Pembroke giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits with eight strikeouts. Holly Berry and Morgan Patrick also collected two hits for the Braves with Berry picking up an RBI and Patrick accounting for three runs scored.

Kaitlin Harris, Danyell Marquez and Bri Shurtleff each went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored for St. Andrews. Ivie Brinson and Morgan Farroll accounted for the Knights' RBI.

UNCP posted the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning when Shaw successfully bunted Patrick home from third in a squeeze play that put the Braves up 1-0. Pembroke added another run in the frame when Berry singled to left to drive in Shaw from second. After one inning the Braves led 2-0.

The Braves posted four runs in the bottom of the fifth highlighted by a Shaw two-run home run to centerfield, her ninth of the season. SAPC answered in the top of the sixth scoring three runs on a ground out by Brinson, a Farroll single up the middle, and a Pembroke error to cut UNCP's lead in half at 6-3.

Pembroke would regain its six-run lead in the bottom of the sixth scoring three runs in the frame. The Knights had no answer in the top of the seventh as they fell by the final of 9-3.

UNCP will be back in action on Saturday, April 10 when the Braves host Peach Belt Conference rival Francis Marion in a doubleheader set to begin at noon. Before the contests the Black & Gold faithful will bid farewell to seniors Kelly Niccum, Randi Pruitt and Jelena Shaw who will be making their final appearance at LRA Field.

The Knights will face off against Conference Carolinas opponent Barton on Monday, April 5 in a two-game set on the campus of the Bulldogs.