RELATED: Softball Smashes Georgia Southwestern For Opening PBC Series Sweep

PEMBROKE – The UNC Pembroke softball team logged at least two runs in each inning, including four in the first and fourth, to take down the visiting Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes in the opening Peach Belt Conference contest of the 2014 season with a 12-4 win in five innings on Sunday afternoon at LRA Field.

The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for UNCP (13-10, 1-0 PBC) and tied the all-time series with Georgia Southwestern (12-7, 0-1) at 8-8, while the loss halted the Hurricanes's three-game winning streak. The 12 runs scored by UNCP marked the sixth time the Lady Braves have score 10 or more runs in a game this season, and UNCP is also 4-1 in games that end before seven innings.

Junior Megan Hillard went 2-for-3 from the plate, while every other UNCP batter collected at least one hit to total the Lady Braves' 10 hits, while Shelby Holland notched three RBI and Taylor Cloninger added two. Of the total 12 runs scored, Kaytee Wilson, Caitlin Steel, Holland and Cloninger each crossed home plate twice as four others tallied the other four runs.

Allison Pastor posted a three-run homer in the second inning to post a trio of RBI, while four others posted one hit for the Hurricanes' five hits. Nellie Moore added the final run on her solo home run in the fifth inning.

Senior Natalie Klemann (7-4) pitched her ninth complete game after five innings in the middle for UNCP. The Apex native gave up all four earned runs with two walks and three strikeouts in her 23 batters faced. 

Pastor (5-4) took the loss for Georgia Southwestern after going the first three innings and allowing eight runs (six earned) on six hits with four walks, before being relieved by Ashley Cavender for the final three outs. Cavender gave up four hits, as well as four runs (two earned) after throwing 19 pitches to eight batters.

In the first inning, Jackson and Wilson reached first on walks, before scoring on an error by the catcher during Steel's at-bat. Holland brought around Steel with a fielder's choice, prior to scoring herself on a base hit by Brea Hartley and giving UNCP an early 4-0 lead.

Georgia Southwestern used a three-run homerun to cut the deficit to one score, but UNCP pushed the lead ahead again in the second inning. With two outs on the board, Wilson tagged first on base on balls and stole second, before Steel put runners on the corners with her base hit. Using a base hit along the left field line, Holland scored both runners to give UNCP a 6-3 lead.

The Lady Braves put up two runs in the third with Cloninger walking prior to scoring on Davis's base hit to right field. Wilson added a single to right centerfield to bring in Davis for the 8-3 lead.

Finally in the fourth inning UNCP sent four more players across home plate on two doubles, a pair of singles and an error to claim the 12-3 lead. The Hurricanes notched a homerun in the fifth, but UNCP proved to be too much and took the 12-4 victory in five innings.