BURLINGTON, N.C. – The Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament started with a barn burner between King University and Erskine College. The Tornado grabbed  a 6-2 lead early, but the Flying Fleet came back with five runs in the sixth inning to take the contest 7-6.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 5 Erskine 7, No. 4 King 6
LOCATION: Springwood Park; Burlington, N.C.
RECORDS: King 31-18; Erskine 19-24

OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS

• Hannah Devotie led the Tornado, going 4-for-4 with two runs scored while Summer Hayes drove in a pair.
• For Erskine it was Chandler Crawford and Lydia Trexler, each recording a pair of hits.
• Sydney Smith drove in two.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHTS

• Syndey Davis started for the Flying Fleet, giving up three runs on three hits in three and one-thirds innings.
• Sheridan Butcher got the win for Erskine, tossing three and two-thirds innings in relief, allowing only three hits.
• For King Emma Hughes tossed five and one-thirds innings before being relieved by Hayley Smothers.
• Hughes allowed six runs, five earned while Smothers allowed one unearned run.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• King threatened in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of hits to load the bases. However, the Flying Fleet escaped the jam, leaving the bases full.
• The top of the order again got things going for the Tornado in the third inning. Devotie scored on a double steal before Erin Roper drove in Hannah Riddle with a two-out single.
• Hayes made it a 4-0 Tornado lead with a two-run single up the middle.
• Erskine answered in the top of the fourth as Rhinehardt singled to start the frame. She later scored on a two-out double from Trexler, cutting the Flying Fleet deficit to 4-1.
• Becca Gold started the fourth inning for the Tornado with a single and later scored on a Riddle groundout. Devotie scored on an error on the same play, giving King a 6-1 lead.
• Crawford laced a one-out home run in the fifth, cutting the Erskine deficit to 6-2 after five.
• The Erskine offense came to life in the sixth inning, scoring five runs on four hits. Smith had a two-run double early in the frame and a two-out single from Branham evened the score.
• Brittany Reynolds then gave Erskine a 7-6 lead when she worked a bases loaded walk.
• The Tornado had a pair of two-out runners in the sixth inning, but couldn't score.
• In the seventh, Kay Brokering started the frame with a double and was pinch run for. A sacrifice bunt put the runner on third with one out.
• However, the Flying Fleet got the final two outs to take the contest 7-6.

UP NEXT

• Erskine will take on the winner of top seed Pfeiffer University and eighth seed Lees-McRae College at 5:00 p.m.
• King faces the loser of second seed Limestone College and Barton College at 3:00 p.m.