ANDERSON, S.C. – The King University softball team opened the NCAA Southeast Regional with a contest against regional rival and fifth seeded Lincoln Memorial University. The Railsplitters jumped ahead in the first inning, but the fourth seeded Tornado fought back and pulled within one. However, it wasn't enough as Lincoln Memorial took the contest 5-3.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 5 Lincoln Memorial 5, No. 4 King 3
LOCATION: AU Softball Complex; Anderson, S.C.
RECORDS: King 41-16; Lincoln Memorial 36-18
TIME OF GAME: 1:49
KING HIGHLIGHTS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Lincoln Memorial grabbed the lead with a walk and a sacrifice bunt followed by a triple from Sierra Hucklebee.
- Emma Webb then ripped a home run to right center, giving the Railsplitters a 3-0 lead.
- Nikole Counts then got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
- The Tornado offense was held without a hit by Emma Frost, with the first baserunner coming on a two-out walk in the third inning.
- The Railsplitters extended their lead to 4-0 with an unearned run in the fourth inning.
- Turner and Rikkelle Miller started the King half of the fourth inning with back-to-back singles before Haylee Dye was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
- Following an out, Haag hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Turner.
- Miller then scored on a throw to second and Dye went to third.
- Helms followed with an infield single, scoring Dye and pulling King within 4-3.
- Lincoln Memorial put runners on the corners with no outs in the fifth, but Marleigh Duncan got three straight outs to end the inning.
- Foster and Turner registered consecutive singles to start the fifth, but Frost retired the next three Tornado hitters to keep Lincoln Memorial in the 4-3 lead.
- The Railsplitters added one on a two-out double in the seventh, and Frost made it standup in the bottom of the inning.
- She retired the Tornado in order, handing King the 5-3 defeat.
FOR THE FOES
- Hucklebee and Grace Cochran led Lincoln Memorial with two hits each.
- Webb drove in a pair.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Emma Frost (22-8) 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Nikole Counts (19-8) 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The defeat snaps King's school-record 15-game winning streak.
UP NEXT
- King will take on Conference Carolinas foe Francis Marion University at 12:30 p.m. on Friday in an elimination game. The winner will play again at 3:00 p.m. against the loser of Lincoln Memorial and Anderson University.
- King and Francis Marion have split five games this season with the Patriots winning twice in Florence, S.C. and King taking a pair of wins in the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship.
