Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team continued their hot play in the warm weather, taking a Conference Carolinas doubleheader from Lees-McRae College on Wednesday afternoon. The Tornado took game one 4-0 behind Morgan Lowe's second straight shutout while Lauren Smith earned her first career win in the circle with King's 5-1 victory in game two.
Stephanie Rodriguez started the bottom of the first inning with a triple to center field, and after an out, Chrissy Melcher punched a single to left that scored her and give King the 1-0 lead.
King (8-14, 4-2 CC) threatened in the fourth, leaving two runners on base before extending their lead in the fifth inning. Rodriguez started the frame with a double and Amanda Sports drove her in with a single up the middle. Melcher followed with her fifth home run of the year, a two-run shot that gave King a 4-0 lead after five.
Lowe had to work around an error in the sixth, but retired Lees-McRae (3-27, 0-6 CC) in order in the top of the seventh, giving King the victory. Lowe tossed her second shutout in as many days, holding the Bobcats to three this while striking out four on 88 pitches in seven innings.
Rodriguez paced the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Tori McComas and Melcher also recorded two hits apiece.
The Bobcats grabbed the lead in the second inning of game two when their leadoff batter, Amanda Decker reach on an error. She later scored on an Alix Green double, which also turned out to be Lees-McRae's lone hit of the game.
King answered in the bottom of the inning when Hannah Smith worked a leadoff walk. She later scored on a two-out triple from Samantha Cole that also scored Amber Walker who singled earlier in the inning, giving King a 2-1 lead. In the third, Melcher started a two-out rally with a triple, and Smith drove her in, extending the Tornado advantage to 3-1.
After the second inning, Smith only allowed one base runner over the final five innings, and she reached on a fielding error. The junior retired the final 11 batters she faced to earn her first collegiate victory, 5-1. Smith posted one strikeout and allowed just one hit, finishing the contest on 71 pitches. Cole led the King offense, going 2-for-2 with two runs driven in and one run scored.
King will be in action again on Saturday when they travel to take on the University of Mount Olive. First pitch from Mount Olive, N.C. is slated for 4:00 p.m.
