Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 HICKORY, N.C. – The King University softball team played a- pair of tough teams on the final day of the Lenoir-Rhyne Tournament and the Tornado came away with their first win of the season. In their second game of the day, King defeated Columbus State University 9-7 behind a 10-hit effort. Earlier in the day, King played a tight contest with #10 Georgia College as the Bobcats pulled away late to take an 11-1 victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #10 Georgia College 11 King 1; King 9, Columbus State 7
LOCATION: Bear Field; Hickory, N.C.
RECORDS: King 1-7; Georgia College 12-1; Columbus State 10-6
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
- Freshman Alliyah Sands had a big day for the Tornado, recording two of King's five hits in the opener against Georgia College. She then blasted her first career home run, helping King to their first win of the season against Columbus State.
- Hannah Smith drove in four and ripped two doubles against Columbus State.
- Olivia Lawson also recorded two hits and drove in a pair in the win over the Cougars.
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS – #10 Georgia College
- The opening contest was a pitcher's duel early, and the Bobcats scraped a run across in the third. Baylee Hall walk to start the inning and later scored on a Taylor Campbell double, giving Georgia College a 1-0 lead.
- The Bobcats threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs, however, Tornado pitcher Morgan Lowe limited the damage. Following a sacrifice fly scored one she got a strikeout for the second out of the inning. The bases were again loaded, but Lowe induced a flyout to end the frame and leave the bases loaded.
- King bounced back in the bottom of the fifth, ripping three straight doubles, the second two by Lawson and Amber Walker to cut the Tornado deficit to 2-1.
- However, the Bobcats broke the game open in the sixth and seventh innings. Georgia College plated three in the sixth, two on a Kristen Brooks double. The Bobcats plated six in the seventh inning, three on a home run from Campbell.
- The Tornado loaded the bases in the sixth, but couldn't push any runs across, falling to the Bobcats 11-1.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Marisa Boyette (1-0) 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
Losing Pitcher: Hayley Smothers (0-3) 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS – Columbus State
- The Tornado started the bottom of the first inning on a roll, scoring four runs before an out was recorded. Smith started the scoring with a two-run double and Lawson followed with a two-run single. Kelsey Nave made it a 5-0 lead with a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
- The Cougars came back however, scoring five runs in the third to even the tally. Late in the inning, Columbus State got a two-run double from McKenzie Fagioli, followed by a two-run home run from Kailey Boone, evening the score at 5-5.
- The Tornado regained the lead in the bottom of the inning as Jennifer Kern blasted her fourth home run of the season.
- King added two more on another Smith double in the fourth inning, stretching the King lead to 8-5.
- Sands gave King an insurance run as she led off the sixth inning with her first career home run.
- It proved to be a fairly big insurance run as the Cougars scored a pair of runs and left a pair of runners in the seventh inning. Fagioli drove in one with a single and later scored on an error to make the final score 9-7 in favor of King.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Smothers (1-3) 4.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Save: Lowe (1) 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Hanna Manley (0-1) 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Campbell went 2-for-4 and drove in five to lead Georgia College while Hannah Coursey went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Brooks also drove in two for the Bobcats and Abi LeRoy registered a pair of hits.
- For Columbus State it was Fagioli who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three runs batted in.
- Boone also drove in a pair while Kia Smith scored twice.
UP NEXT
- King plays their first home game of the season on Tuesday when they take on Tusculum College. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.
