Pirates Complete DH Sweep With 8-5 Win Over UNC Pembroke

PEMBROKE, N.C. - The Armstrong Atlantic State softball squad scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to defeat UNC Pembroke, 8-5, and complete the doubleheader sweep that began on Tuesday in Pembroke, N.C.

The Pirates (25-21, 11-7 PBC) finish the 2009 Peach Belt Conference regular season tied for third in the league standings and will head to this weekend's PBC Tournament as the No. 4 seed. UNC Pembroke (18-28, 7-11 PBC) falls into a tie for seventh in the league standings and will be the No. 8 seed.

Play resumed on Wednesday in the top of the sixth inning with two runners on and one out for AASU right fielder Sam Floyd. The Pirates pulled off a double steal with Stephanie Mattes and Baillie Temples, with an errant throw to center field allowing Temples to score and Mattes to reach.

UNC Pembroke reliever Martika Elmore then walked Floyd, Nicole Huddleston and Ashley Bain, driving in a run and, loading the bases for Jessica Strong, who doubled to left field to clear the bases and put the Pirates up, 8-3.

The Braves rallied in the bottom of the seventh, with Courtney Hill's RBI double making it 8-4. With runners on second and third and one out, Courtney Alvarez - the game's starter on Tuesday - re-entered the game and induced a sacrifice fly by Randi Pruett before she struck out Candace Evans looking to end the game.

Britton Hammel-Cobb (4-6) was the beneficiary of the offense as she picked up the win without throwing a pitch on Wednesday - she hurled one inning of three-hit, three-run ball. Alvarez picked up her second save of the year with 2/3 shutout innings of relief on Wednesday, after hurling 4 innings of two-hit, shutout ball on Tuesday, striking out three.

UNCP's Evans (4-9) took the loss, giving up two hits and two runs on Tuesday in one-third of sixth-inning action.

Ashley Bain had two hits and two RBI, including her 10th home run of the season, while Jessica Strong finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Pirates at the plate. Jelena Shaw and Courtney Hill led the Braves with two hits apiece, with Hill driving in a pair of runs.

AASU will open up action in the 2009 PBC Tournament on Friday, April 17, with an 11:00 a.m. contest against No. 5 seed Augusta State in Florence, S.C.