DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The eighth seeded King University softball team scored four runs in the seventh inning to hold of elimination in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. The Tornado defeated fifth seed Lincoln Memorial 6-2 behind a complete game from
Nikole Counts in the circle.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 8 King 6, No. 5 Lincoln Memorial 2
LOCATION: Lynn Cottrell Park; Dahlonega, Ga.
RECORDS: King 36-23; Lincoln Memorial 36-25
TIME OF GAME: 1:30
KING HIGHLIGHTS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Campbell started the contest with a double down the right field line before being sacrificed to third by Haylee Dye.
- Lawson then lifted a fly ball to right field, scoring Campbell and giving King a 1-0 lead.
- Counts struck out a pair in the first inning to keep the Tornado ahead after the first inning.
- Following a leadoff single in the bottom of the third inning, Kelsie Tuggle ripped a double that scored Anna Kate Reichter, evening the score.
- However, King answered in the fourth as Turner started the inning with a walk and was pinch ran for by Baillie Murray.
- Murray later scored on a Million single to center field, giving King a 2-1 lead.
- Lincoln Memorial evened the score at two on and pair of Tornado defensive miscues and a walk I the fourth.
- The Railsplitters then loaded the bases, but Counts struck out consecutive batters for inducing a groundout to end the inning and keep the game even at 2-2.
- Turner laced a two-out double to put King runners on second and third in the fifth, but the Railsplitters got out of the inning.
- Lincoln Memorial responded with a runner on second with one out in the bottom of the inning, but Counts got the final two outs to keep the contest knotted at two.
- Camryn Haag started the seventh inning with a double to left center before Campbell placed a single in center field to play Haag and give King a 3-2 lead.
- Campbell then scored on a Lawson double before a Turner single plated Dye.
- Million extended the King lead to 6-2 with a sacrifice fly that scored Lawson.
- Following a pair of two-out base runners in the seventh, Counts induced a groundout to end the game and give King the 6-2 win.
FOR THE FOES
- Tuggle posted two hits to lead the Railsplitters.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (4-8) 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
Losing Pitcher: Hayle Tamaro (14-12) 6.0 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
UP NEXT
- King now takes on fourth seed Columbus State University on Friday evening at 5:00 p.m. in another elimination game.
