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Box Score 2 BRISTOL, Tenn. – The bats awoke for the King University softball team in a big way on Tuesday as they pounded out 22 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Bluefield State College. The Tornado took game one 9-0 behind a pair of home runs from Amanda Sports and followed by winning the nightcap 8-0 behind a one-hit shutout from Hollyn Franklin.
Stephanie Rodriguez started the day with a double to lead off the bottom of the first inning in game one. It didn't take her long to come around and score as Sports laced the second pitch she saw over the left field fence for her third home run of the season, giving King (6-14) a 2-0 after one.
Tori McComas then started a rally in the second inning with a leadoff infield single. She then scored on a Rodriguez single up the middle before Chrissy Melcher, Hannah Smith and Amber Walker all registered two-out run scoring hits to give King a 6-0 after two innings. The Tornado put the game out of reach in the third inning as McComas came around to score on a Breanna Duff triple before Rodriguez drove her in with a sacrifice fly. Sports made it a 9-0 lead when she crushed her second home run of the game, this one to center field over the 225 sign at the King Softball Complex.
Tornado pitcher Morgan Lowe made the runs stand up, but she had to work out of a bit of a jam in the fifth inning, stranding a pair of Bluefield State (3-11) runners. Lowe struck out seven in five innings while allowing four hits and earning her fifth win of the season.
The top two hitters in the order for King, Rodriguez and Sports went a combined 4-for-5 in the game with four runs scored and five runs batted in. Rodriguez went 2-for-2, scored twice and drove in two while Sports went 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in three. Walker also registered two hits in the contest, going 2-for-3 with one run batted in.
The King offense didn't slow down in the nightcap, plating seven runs in the first inning. Rodriguez again was the catalyst, ripping a leadoff single before scoring on a Sports sacrifice fly. McComas came up with a two-run single for the Tornado while the other four runs scored on four run scoring hits for King. In the inning, King plated seven runs on eight hits.
In the fourth inning, Franklin had to work out of a jam, but she induced a groundout to strand Bluefield State runners on second and third. Smith then put the game out of reach in the bottom of the inning, lacing her fourth home run of the season to give King an 8-0 lead. Franklin then retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame, giving King the victory.
Franklin only allowed one hit, coming in the fourth inning, while striking out three in her first career victory. Rodriguez paced the offense, going 3-for-3 form the leadoff spot while Smith and Walker each went 2-for-3 in the victory.
King will be in action again on Wednesday when they host Conference Carolinas rival Lees-McRae College. First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m.
