CENTRAL, S.C. – In what were a pair of back-and-forth games, the King University softball team split a doubleheader at Southern Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon. The Tornado held off the Warriors to take game one 7-4, but Southern Wesleyan scored four late runs to overtake the Tornado 6-3 in the nightcap.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 7, Southern Wesleyan 4; Southern Wesleyan 6, King 3
LOCATION: Varsity Field; Central, S.C.
RECORDS: King 14-24, 8-8 Conference Carolinas; Southern Wesleyan 18-22, 7-9 Conference Carolinas

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

• Hannah Smith led the way offensively for King, collecting five hits on the day. She went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in to start the day before driving in one and going 3-for-4 in game two.
• Kaycee Casteel went 2-for-3 in each game and score three runs on the day.
• In game one, Amber Walker drove in three runs and went 2-for-4. She added two hits in game two for four on the day.

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• King grabbed the lead in game one in the second inning as Morgan Lowe reached on an error to start the frame. She later scored on a Walker double, giving King a 1-0 lead.
• The lead stayed there until the fourth inning when Allison Barbee started a two-out rally for the Warriors. She Lizzie Fela then followed with a double that score Barbee and evened the tally at 1-1.
• The Tornado regained the lead in the top of the fifth as Casteel sparked the King offense with a double to left field. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for Smith, who came up with the big hit for King. Smith laced a double to right center, scoring all three runs and giving King a 4-1 lead.
• It didn't take long for Southern Wesleyan to answer, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sara Sweatt drove in one with a single to left center and Fela drove in a pair, evening the score at 4-4 with single to center field.
• Alliyah Sands started the sixth inning for King with a walk and later scored on a Jennifer Kern single up the middle to put the Tornado back on top.
• Walker gave King a pair of insurance runs with a double that scored Lowe and Lauren Rowsey, stretching the King lead to 7-4.
• The Tornado had a chance to put the game away, but left the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
• The seven runs were all Hayley Smothers needed however, as the Tornado left-hander worked around a pair of runners in the seventh, but got the final out to give King the 7-4 win.

OF RECORD

Winning Pitcher: Smothers (8-11) 7.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Natalie Johnson (2-6) 1.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Casteel started a rally for King in the third inning with a bunt single. She later stole second and scored on a Hannah Devotie infield single.
• Southern Wesleyan evened the tally in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ashleigh Wilbur drove in Katie Byrd with a single through the right side.
• The Tornado bounced back and regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Casteel scored on a Kern sacrifice fly, giving King a 2-1 lead.
• Again the Warriors had and answer as the Tornado turned a double play with the bases loaded, but the tying run scored.
• Southern Wesleyan grabbed the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth, and Barbee made it a 6-2 Warrior advantage with a three-run double to right center field.
• With two runners on in the seventh inning, Smith ripped a ground-rule double that scored Devotie, but that was all the Tornado would get as the Warriors took the game 6-3.

OF RECORD

Winning Pitcher: Hunter Hoskins (10-7) 7.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Losing Pitcher: Lauren Smith (5-7) 5.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

FOR THE FOES

• Barbee drove in four runs in game two for the Warriors and went 2-for-5 on the day.
• In game one it was Fela who led the way, going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in.

UP NEXT

• King returns to action again on Tuesday when they travel to take on Bluefield State College. First pitch from Bluefield, W.Va. is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
• Southern Wesleyan is in action again on Tuesday at North Greenville University.