TIGERVILLE, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (16-8, 9-3 CC) split a doubleheader with North Greenville University (19-11, 5-7 CC) at Jan McDonald Field on Tuesday afternoon. Erskine won Game 1, 1-0, while the Crusaders edged the Fleet, 2-1 in Game 2.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
The series is now even at 12 wins apiece all-time including a tie back in 2013 due to darkness. The Fleet have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: Kelci Brown led off the first game being hit by a pitch, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground ball before a two-out RBI single from Parker Birch gave the Fleet an early lead. And that was all Hannah Houge needed, as the senior delivered another outstanding performance in Game 1 on Tuesday. Houge threw a four-hit shutout and faced just five batters over the minimum, earning her 15^th win of the year. North Greenville's only threat came in the sixth inning when a pair of singles put the tying and go-ahead runs on base with just one out. But, Houge stranded both runners as a groundout and a flyout ended the Crusader's chances in the sixth. Houge finished her shutout by retiring the side in order in the seventh inning, including a pair of strikeouts.

GAME 2: Houge got the ball again for Game 2, but North Greenville finally broke through, scoring a run in two of the first three innings and taking an early 2-0 lead. And, following a first-inning run in Game 1, the Erskine bats had been silenced. Then, in the seventh inning, the Fleet comeback began. The first two batters reached on an error before Faith Belue drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Chloe Hamilton came off the bench and singled back up the middle, driving a run, but the tying run was thrown out at home. The Fleet still had the tying and go-ahead runs on base with less than two outs but a line out and a groundout meant North Greenville narrowly escaped Game 2 with a 2-1 win.
 
THE PLAYER
GAME 1: Hannah Houge threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout in Game 1 with 10 strikeouts as she picked up her 15^th win of the season.
 
GAME 2: Chloe Hamilton came off the bench and delivered an RBI single in the 7^th inning in her only at-bat of the game.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Fleet have over a week off before traveling to Chowan University (8-20-1, 2-12 CC) on April 6 for a doubleheader, starting at 1:00 p.m.
 
The Fleet have won nine of the ten all-time meetings, but eight of those games have been played in Due West. Erskine swept the only doubleheader at Chowan back in 2017.

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