Taylor Jackson takes USA South Pitcher of the Week Honors

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Taylor Jackson earned Softball Pitcher of the Week from the USA South Office on February 29.

Jackson earned two complete game wins in two appearances last week as the Avenging Angels posted a 3-1 record in the Grand Slam Classic. In a 10-1, six-inning win over the Wilson Phoenix, Jackson earned just one run on two hits with nine walks and 10 strikeouts. Jackson shut out the McDaniel Green Terror in an 8-0, five-inning game with three hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. This marks Jackson's first conference weekly honor and first this season.

USA South full release

Meredith Wins Twice to Give Coach Scavone Meredith Career Wins 100 and 101

Meredith College Sports Information Department

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Sixth-year Meredith Head Softball Coach Kim Scavone collected her 100th and 101st wins Sunday as the Avenging Angels defeated McDaniel College 8-0 and the Roanoke Maroons 3-2 in day two of the Grand Slam Classic.

Meredith's steady hitting in game one gave the Angels an advantage versus the Green Terror. Courtney Saunders recorded her first of two extra base hits with a double to left center. Brittany Bucklin advanced Saunders with a single, and Maria Annunziata sacrificed to score Meredith's first run. Eran Artigues drove in Bucklin with a another double to give the Angels a 2-0 lead heading into the second.

Three more hits in the bottom of the third, beginning with a single from Bryce Smith, extended Meredith's lead. Katie Kepley earned a RBI-single, and Julia Allsbrook recorded the Angels' fourth run.

Rattled by Meredith's aggressive offense, the Green Terror helped the Angels along with a miscue in the bottom of the fourth that eventually spread the gap to six.

Taylor Jackson continued to handle herself in the pitcher's circle with a strong defense to back her up. In the top of the fifth, McDaniel advanced two runners into scoring position, but rookie catcher Smith closed out the frame with a pickoff to Bucklin at third to hold the Terror.

The Angels scored two more in the bottom of the frame to end the game early.

Jackson earned her fourth win on the season allowing three hits with six strikeouts, and Jamie Weisser collected the loss for McDaniel.

In Meredith's second game Roanoke took the lead with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. But the Angels responded in the next frame.

Saunders reached first on an infield error and pushed herself to second for Bucklin's RBI-single on the next at-bat. Artigues moved Bucklin to the corner with a single, and Lauren Marbrey drove in Bucklin to tie the Maroons. Scavone made a strategic move at the plate that paid off with a RBI-single from pinch hitter Haley Ervin to edge the Angels into the lead.

The Avenging Angels put out the next three Maroons to return to the dugout. Saunders drilled a triple to down the leftfield line but was left on base by the Roanoke defense.

The Maroons placed the tying run on first in the bottom of the fifth, but Kaitlyn Sawyer managed a double play to end the inning early. Another heads up double play from the rookie infielder kept the Angels in front 3-2 through six innings.

The Meredith bats fell short in the top of seven, and Sawyer and Allsbrook wrapped up the inning with three putouts at first.

Marbrey earned her second win on the season with a complete game pitched, and Courtney Oliver recorded the loss for Roanoke.

Box Score - McDaniel

Box Score - Roanoke

Annunziata/Smith Homers Give Softball 10-1 Win Over Wilson; Eagles Win 16-5

Meredith College Sports Information Department

Maria Annunziata makes an out in left field. Maria shined
with 2 home runs accounting for 6 RBIs

CARY, N.C. -- In day one of the Grand Slam Classic, the Meredith College Angels finished strong to record a split on the day. After a 16-5 loss to nationally ranked Emory University, Maria Annunziata and Bryce Smith combined for nine RBI to lead the Avenging Angels to a 10-1 win in six over the Wilson Phoenix.

The top-notch Emory Eagles, ranked 18th nationally among Division III programs, took advantage of rookie pitcher Leigh Ann Charles in the top of the first inning. EU scored 10 runs on 10 hits with three base-on-balls before Head Coach Kim Scavone released Charles.

But the Angels responded in the bottom of the frame with a pair of doubles from Courtney Saunders and Eran Artigues to put Meredith on the board with two. The Angels went on to score three more, the most runs scored on Emory to-date, before the Eagles closed out early for the win.

After an unexpected tournament delay, Meredith finally took the field again at 5:30 p.m. versus Wilson. After a scoreless first inning, Annunziata blasted her first home run of the game with a solo RBI.

A miscue from the Angels in the bottom of the frame helped the Phoenix tie the game.

Charlie Cox led off in the top of two with a walk, and Kayla North crushed a ball up the middle to score Cox. North stole second to put herself in scoring position for Annunziata's RBI-single on the next at-bat to give Meredith a 3-1 run heading into the bottom of two.

The Avenging Angels held Wilson through the next two innings. Brittany Bucklin doubled through the right side, and Annunziata drove her home with another homer. Smith followed suit with her first career home run to advance the Angels' lead.

Meredith scored three more runs in the top of the sixth to spread the gap to nine. Taylor Jackson struck out the first Phoenix batter and the defense helped her with the rest to cap off the day with a win.

Jackson earned her third win on the season allowing just two hits with 10 strikeouts in game two. Lauren Marbrey replaced Charles in the first game and allowed seven hits with three strikeouts and four base-on-balls.

Audrey Weller earned her second win for Emory in game one, and Taylor Crouse claimed the loss for Wilson in the nightcap.

Box Score - Emory 
Box Score - McDaniel

Spartans Force a Split in Softball Doubleheader

Meredith College Sports Information Department

Taylor Jackson pitches to the Spartans

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Meredith College softball Angels held on for a 3-2 win over the visiting Case Western Reserve Spartans in game one of Sunday's doubleheader. But the visitor bats rallied to force a split on a 5-1 victory in the nightcap. Outfielders Maria Annunziata and rookie Ellen Blevins were the big hitters for the day with three apiece, including a combined three RBI.

The Meredith defense handled the Spartans in the first half of the opening frame in order to return to the dugout to bat.

Blevins opened with a single, and Courtney Saunders moved her teammate to second with a sacrifice. Brittany Bucklin advanced on a base-on-balls, and the runners moved into scoring position on the next at-bat. Annunziata scored Blevins with a single through the leftside before being thrown out to end the inning.

After a scoreless three and one half innings, Blevins crushed a line drive to rightfield for a two-RBI homer to advance Meredith's lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth.

The Spartans scored on an error in the top of six and added another run in the top of seven. Meredith's Taylor Jackson left the tying Spartan on base with a strikeout to give the Angels their third win on the season.

Jackson earned the win and Case Western's Annie Wennerberg recorded the loss.

An early miscue in the first at-bat of game two advanced a Spartan runner eventually to second base. Katie Wede scored on a Lindsey Robinson single, as the Spartans held an early 1-0 lead.

Meredith recorded just two hits during the next five innings but scored no runs to leave CWR out front.

Case scored their second run on a long hit to left center, but the Angels responded in the bottom of the frame with a run off a Bucklin single to keep the game close.

In the top of the seventh, the Spartans placed two runners on base, but Bucklin and Bryce Smith putout the runner heading home to hold Case Western. An unfortunate attempt to pickoff the third base runner led to two Spartan runs, and Wennerberg launched a homer over the center field fence to add two more to secure the split.

Lauren Marbrey earned the loss for Meredith, and CWR's Rebecca Molnar recorded her first win of the season.

Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two

Softball Drops Doubleheader at Guilford

Meredith College Sports Information Department

Maria prepares to hit her 3-run home run.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Guilford Quakers swiped two games from Meredith College softball in Saturday's doubleheader action. The host Quakers earned a 10-5 win in game one and capped off the day with a 2-0 victory over the Avenging Angels. Maria Annunziata recorded a three-run homer in the first matchup to continue her current trend this season.

Guilford's 8-0 rally in the second inning of game one placed the Quakers firmly in the lead until the top of four when Meredith responded. Brittany Bucklin doubled to right center, and Eran Artigues moved her to the corner with a single through the middle. Annunziata's home run scored both to put the Angels on the board 8-3.

Leigh Ann Charles and the Meredith defense handled the hosts during the next frame, and Sarah Watson and Erica Occena jumpstarted the top of five with a pair of singles.

Courtney Saunders worked through a pitching change to advance the runners with a sacrifice, but the Quakers ended the inning before Meredith would score.

The Angels held Guilford in the bottom of the frame and kept the bats moving in the sixth to challenge the Quakers. Annunziata led off with a walk, and rookie catcher Bryce Smith moved her to second with a single. Julia Allsbrook loaded the bases, and an error during Watson's at-bat scored Annunziata. With the bases loaded Occena walked to score Meredith's fifth and final run of the game.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Guilford loaded the bases on a walk. A single from Callie Pastor scored two to secure the eventual win for GC.

Game two opened with three infield outs from the Avenging Angels to bring Guilford to the dugout. The Quakers opened the frame with a double down the leftfield line. A sacrifice placed Makayla Carver in scoring position for Caroline Barnette's single through the left side.

A walk and an error set up Guilford for another rally, but Watson threw out the potential runner at home with Madison Perry at the plate to end the inning.

Meredith out-hit the Quakers eight-to-seven during the game, but Guilford's defense held on for the sweep.

Taylor Jackson earned the loss in game one, and Lauren Marbrey moved to 1-1 on the season with a complete game pitched in the nightcap. Guilford's Maggie Shaffer collected her first win on the season in game one, and Courtney Lackey followed suit in the second.

Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two

Softball Angels Open with 14-1, 5-0 Wins Over Shaw

Meredith College Sports Information Department

Brittany Bucklin led the team with four hits
including a career first home run.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Meredith College softball squad opened the 2016 campaign with a pair of wins over the nearby NCAA Division II Shaw University Bears. The pitching staff was nearly perfect from the circle as Meredith cruised to a 14-1, five-inning win in game one, followed by a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. Brittany Bucklin led the offense with four hits on the day, including her first career home run.

In game one Taylor Jackson struckout the first two batters and put away the third with an infield grounder. Leadoff Angel Sarah Watson jumpstarted the offense with a double in the bottom of the inning but was thrown out heading to third. Erica Occena singled and stole second to position herself to score on a double ripped to the leftfield fence from Eran Artigues. Maria Annunziata walked, and Courtney Saunders drove in Artigues and Annunziata to give the Avenging Angels a quick 3-0 advantage.

Jackson struck out four of Shaw's next seven batters over two frames to minimize the effect of a miscue allowing Shaw to get on the board with one run in the third.

The Meredith offense responded to the error with a 10-0 inning in the bottom of the frame to take firm control over the game. Bucklin led off with a single, Artigues walked, and Annunziata hit her first of two homers to clear the bases.

Saunders setup the next score with a double, and rookie catcher Bryce Smith made it to first on a hard hit single to short. Both runners advanced a base, and Katie Kepley scored them both with a single to right.

The bats continued to swing with a single from Julia Allsbrook, and Bucklin scored both runners with her second hit of the day. Annunziata finished off the 10-run inning with her second home run over the leftfield fence.

Rookie Ellen Blevins scored the final run of the game with sharp base running from both she and pinch runner Charley Cox.

Jackson allowed just one hit in 16 batters faced with no earned runs and eight strikeouts for her first win of the season. Frances Perry took the loss for the Bears.

Game two featured steady scoring from the Avenging Angels beginning with Bucklin's solo homer in the bottom of the third. Cox earned her first collegiate RBI to place the Angels in front 2-0 heading into the fourth.

Meredith held the Bears in the top of the frame, and Artigues scored Occena in the bottom of the inning to push the lead to three.

Solid defense handled Shaw's next three batters, and Watson led off the bottom of the inning with her third double on the day. Lauren Marbrey hit her second single of the game to advance Watson, and moved to second on a wild pitch. Megan Tarpey scored Watson on her at-bat, and Saunders wrapped up the inning with a RBI-single up the middle.

Rookie Leigh Ann Charles entered to pitch in the top of the sixth and led her defense to a three-up-three-down frame. The Angels left three runners on base allowing the game to continue into the seventh.

Shaw loaded the bases in the top of the inning, but Charles struckout two and her infield took care of the third out to end the game.

Marbrey allowed three hits with three strikeouts in five innings pitched to earn the win, and Charles allowed two hits with two strikeouts in two innings. Perry pitched 4.2 innings for the Bears and earned her second loss on the day.

Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two

NFCA Names Five Softball Angels as All-America Scholar-Athletes

Meredith College Sports Information Department

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named five Meredith College softball players as 2015 NFCA Division III All-America Scholar-Athletes. Julia Allsbrook, Katie Kepley, Haley Ervin, Katlyn Johnson, and Courtney Saunders earned at least a 3.5 grade point average during the 2014-15 academic year to be selected.

The NFCA named 5,493 softball players across seven membership divisions as Scholar-Athletes, including 1,018 from the NCAA Division III. Garnering 1,554 honorees, the NCAA Division I earned the most selections of any group.

The Meredith Avenging Angels open the 2016 campaign at home Saturday, Feb. 13, versus Shaw University.

NCAA Division III listing
NFCA listing by division