BURLINGTON, N.C. – The second-seeded King University softball team used runs late in the game against seventh-seeded Belmont Abbey College to stay alive in the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship. The Tornado scored six runs in the final two innings, taking the game 7-1.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 2 King 7; No. 7 Belmont Abbey 1
LOCATION: Springwood Park; Burlington, N.C.
RECORDS: King 30-20; Belmont Abbey 21-22

OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS

• Kaycee Casteel led the King with three hits and scored two runs.
• Jenna Burnett posted two hits and drove in three while Katie McCann drove in a pair.
• Cameron Cooper and Katie Allison led Belmont Abbey with two hits each.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHTS

• Emma Hughes tossed all seven innings for King, allowing one run on eight hits and striking out four.
• Ivorie Matby and Annabeth Watkins tossed three innings apiece for Belmont Abbey. Watkins allowed six runs, five earned on six hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Casteel got things started with a single in the first for King and later scored on a Burnett single up the middle.
• The Tornado then loaded the bases, but the Crusaders got out of the jam.
• Belmont Abbey evened the score in the third inning as Morgan Smith worked a 12-pitch at bat and came up with a two-out single that scored Kelkcee Fulton.
• King loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning with no outs, but the Crusaders got out of the jam to keep the contest knotted at 1-1.
• The Tornado regained the lead in the sixth when McCann came up with a two-out single to scored Katelyn Davidson.
• McCann then scored on a Camryn Haag double, giving King a 3-1 lead.
• The Tornado extended their lead to 7-1 with four runs in the sixth. Burnett had a two-run double before McCann capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.
• The Crusaders threatened by loading the bases in the seventh, but Hughes got out of the jam, giving King the 7-1 win.

UP NEXT

• King advances to take on No. 8 Limestone in another elimination game at 3:00 p.m.
• Belmont Abbey is eliminated.