2011 Meredith Softball finishes 6th in USA South Conference

To honor the hard work, the USA South Conference selected 3 Meredith Angels for the All-Conference team. Arielle Stout and Carrie Webster garnered multiple Conference Pitcher and Rookie Pitchers of the Week, and Arielle and Emily Cooke were voted to the Conference tournament team. The team awards are noted below.

Meredith Softball Team Awards
Sara Cranford  - Dean Burris Coach's Award
Arielle Stout - Defensive MVP
Emily Cook - Offensive MVP

Season Awards

Defensive MVP: Arielle Stout

Offensive MVP: Emily Cook

Dean Burris Coach’s Award: Sara Cranford

USA South Awards

All-Tournament Team - Arielle Stout

All-Tournament Team - Emily Cooke

All-Conference Second Team - Pitcher: Arielle Stout
All-Conference Second Team - Outfield: Emily Cooke
All-Conference Sportsmanship Team: Sara Cranford

Pitcher of the Week - 4/11/11: Arielle Stout

Pitcher of the Week - 3/28/11: Arielle Stout

Rookie Pitcher of the Week - 3/7/11: Carrie Webster

USA South Season and Tournament Recap

Softball Season Ends At USA South Tournament
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 16, 2011

Burlington, N.C. - The #5 seeded Shenandoah softball team got on the board early and put away #6 Meredith in the USA South Tournament with the 10-0 win.  The Hornets move on for the right to play in the championship game as they face Greensboro on Sunday at 10 a.m.

Jolisa Jones led off the top of the first inning with a solo shot.  The Hornets added two more in the inning as Mitchell hit an RBI-double to score Morgan Coble and Renoula Jones.

Shenandoah was not done scoring as they put four more up in the second inning.  The scoring was highlighted by Heather Sink's RBI-double to right field that scored Jolisa Jones and Renoula Jones.

The Hornets put the game away in the top of the fifth as Ashley Plaughter walked to score Lauren McCabe. Coble then reached on an error to score Jolisa Jones. MItchell was then hit by a pitch to score Sink. 

Shenandoah pitcher Brooke Over pitched four innings, only giving up one hit and striking out 10.

Meredith finishes their tournament run with a 16-21 record on the season.

Box Score - Shenandoah

Softball Come Back Propels Avenging Angels In USA South Tournament
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 16, 2011

Burlington, N.C. - The #6 seeded Meredith Avenging Angels (2-1) and #4 Ferrum Panthers (2-2) met in an elimination game on Saturday night at the USA South Softball Tournament. The Avenging Angels pulled out a comeback in the bottom of the seventh to take the 5-4 win in the eighth.

In the second inning, Meredith's Emily Cooke got on the board first with a lead off home run.
In the top of the fourth, Hannah Shumaker doubled to left field.  Brittany Barlow followed it up with a single to move Schumaker to third.  The Chloe Brzycki  loaded the bases on a one-out walk. Shumaker then scored on a passed ball with two-outs to tie the game up at one all.
Ferrum added another run in the top of the sixth as Schumaker scored on a wild pitch after getting on base on a walk.

The seventh inning saw both teams put runs on the board.  Ferrum score twice in the top of the inning as Barlow singled to left field to score Shelbie Hall and Megan Barger to take a 4-1 lead.  In the bottom of the inning, the Avenging Angels answered as they scored three to tie it at 4 all.  Whitney Williams singled to center field to score Kristin Piner.  Jessica Dzeskewicz then hit a pitch hit double to center field to score Sara Cranford and Jo Zachmeyer.

In the bottom of the eighth, Cooke got on base with a lead off double.  Carrie Webster then advanced on a error that scored Cooke to give Meredith the win.

Meredith goes on to play Shenandoah in the 9 p.m. game to gain a chance to make it to the championship round.

Box Score - Ferrum

Softball Falls to Greensboro 11-0, Head to Saturday in USA South
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 15, 2011

Burlington, N.C. - The Meredith softball team faced #2 seed Greensboro in their second game of the day, falling 11-0.

Jessica Childers collected three hits and RBI's as Greensboro College (2-0) defeated the Angels of Meredith College (1-1) in a winner's bracket game by a final score of 11-0. Hannah Pennell tossed the complete five frames for Greensboro with not allowing any hits and walking five Angels in the game.  

With the win for Greensboro College they will now face Christopher Newport in a winners bracket game, while the Angels will face a elimination game against the Panthers of Ferrum College on Saturday in Burlington at 9 a.m..

Box Score - Greensboro

Meredith Drops Monarchs in 10 innings in USA South Tournament Opener
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 15, 2011

Burlington, N.C. - The Meredith softball team started the USA South Tournament with a 10-inning 6-5 win over Methodist.  They stay in the winner's bracket and face #2 Greensboro at 3 p.m.

Jordan Zachmeyer singled and came around to score the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Ashley Green, as the No. 6 Meredith Avenging Angels edged the No. 3 Methodist Monarchs, 6-5 in 10 innings in the first game for both schools in the USA South tournament.  It capped a big game for Green, who had four hits and two RBIs.  She singled in the fifth inning and came around to score on a two-run triple by Emily Cooke, which game the Angels a 3-1 lead.

Meredith (1-0) tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning on RBI singles by Green and Whitney Williams. But the Monarchs rallied with two runs in both the sixth and seventh to send the game into extra innings.  Alex Bass and Rachel Chapman had RBI singles in the sixth while Methodist tied the game thanks to a two-run error.

Arielle Stout picked up the win with a complete game.  She fanned 17 batters in 10 innings but surrendered 10 walks, including two in the seventh inning which came around to score.

Box Score - Methodist

Softball Gains Three Conference Wins to Finish Season, Gain #6 Seed in USA South
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 10, 2011

2011 Softball Avenging Angels

Raleigh, N.C. - The Meredith softball team finished up their regular season in style by winning their last three games on Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday, Meredith won a game at Averett 6-2 before game two was suspended due to rain.  On Sunday, the Avenging Angels made up two USA South road games on their own home field, downing Shenandoah in the first game 2-1 then finishing off Averett in the suspended game 12-1.

Arielle Stout ended the regular season as the USA South's career leader in strikeouts.  She now has 558 and surpassed Heather Hugus 539 from Methodist University (1997-2000).

4/9/11 - Meredith 6, Averett 2
Meredith fell behind early giving up two runs in the bottom of the third.  The Angels then responded with six straight runs to earn the victory.  Highlights for Meredith included a home run and double from Emily Cooke and a double from Ashley Green. Stout earned a complete game win, with a no-hitter and striking out 16 and walking 11 for Meredith.

4/10/11 - Meredith 2, Shenandoah 1 
The game remained a pitcher's duel until the top of the sixth inning.  Leigh Friedman hit a two-out single to third base and Stout hit a towering shot to center field to give Meredith the 2-0 advantage.  In the bottom half of the seventh inning, the Hornets threatened and put one run accross.  Stout then struck out the winning potential winning run to give Meredith the victory.  Stout picked up the relief appearance win, striking out six and giving up no hits.  Jessica Dzeskewicz pitched the first four innings and only gave up one hit for Meredith.

4/10/11 - Meredith 12, Averett 1
Meredith and Averett completed a suspended game with the Avenging Angels crusing to the easy win.  Stout started the day in relief and picked up the save.  Dzeskewicz earned the win for her previous day's work.  Highlights included a two run home run from Cooke and a triple from Sara Cranford.  The Angels had five doubles on the day from Green (2), Kristen Piner, Carrie Webster and Jordan Zachmeyer.

Meredith finishes sixth in the USA South regular season and will face Methodist on Friday.

Box Score - Averett, April 9
Box Score - Shenandoah, April 10 
Box Score - Averett, April 10 

Softball Splits with Pride on Senior Day
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 6, 2011

Raleigh, N.C. - The Meredith softball team completed their home season as they hosted USA South rival Greensboro College.  The Pride and Avenging Angels split the series with Meredith(11-20, 6-9 USA South) taking game one 7-6 and Greensboro(19-5, 11-5) game two 12-0. Senior Arielle Stout was honored in between games.

Game 1: Meredith 7, Greensboro 6  
Meredith jumped out quick on Greensboro putting five runs up in the first two innings to give the Avenging Angels a quick 5-0 lead.  Stout's two-run home run capped the scoring in the first.  The second inning was highlighted by a double from Rebecca Leigh, Leah Friedman's RBI-single and Stout's 2-RBI single. Greensboro scored three in the top of the third to cut the Meredith lead to 5-3.  

Meredith scored one in the fourth and one in the sixth.  Stout had a sacrifice fly to score Ashley Green.  Stout knocked in another run as she doubled to right to score Kristin Piner.  

Greensboro would make a late charge in the top of the seventh by cutting the score to 7-6 and loading the bases with two outs.  Stout struck out the last batter for 14 total on the day and took the win for Meredith.  

Game 2: Greensboro 12, Meredith 0 - 5 innings  The second game was all Greensboro as the Pride scored 12 runs on 13 hits and two errors.  Meredith was only able to scratch out two hits off the Pride. .

Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two 

Softball Shutout at CNU Twice
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 3, 2011

Newport News, Va. - The Meredith (10-19. 5-8 USA South) softball team completed their USA South trip on Sunday, dropping both games at Christopher Newport (24-8,11-1).  The Captains took game one 4-0 and game two 3-0.

Game one: CNU 4, Meredith 0
Leah Friedman led the way for Meredith from the plate, gaining two hits in three at bats.  CNU gained two runs in the first inning and two in the sixth to take the 4-0 victory.  Arielle Stout struck out 10 and walked 10 in the loss. 

Game two: CNU 3, Meredith 0
The Captains held the Avenging Angels hitless in the game and put two across in the first and one in the fifth to take the game.  Jessica Dzeskewicz pitched six innings and gave up seven hits in the loss for Meredith.

Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two 

Softball Drops First Game to Shenandoah, Second Game Postponed
From Meredith Sports Information Department, April 2, 2011

Winchester, Va. - The Meredith softball team traveled to Shenandoah and was only able to get the first game of the doubleheader in before rain called off game two.  The Hornets took game one over Meredith by shutting them out 6-0.

Game one:  Shenandoah 6, Meredith 0
Meredith was held to three hits on the day. Shenandoah was only able to get four hits of their own but paired it with seven walks to get six runs across for the Hornets.  Arielle Stout (7-9) struck out 10 in the losing effort for the Avenging Angels.

The Hornets (15-10, 5-4 USA South) and Avenging Angels (10-17, 5-6) were scheduled for a doubleheader, but heavy rains cancelled game two.

Box Score - Game One