JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The King University softball team split their nonconference doubleheader Saturday afternoon, falling to Carson-Newman in the first game before beating West Virginia State 11-7 in a second game that went eight innings.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Carson-Newman 8, King 2; King 11, West Virginia State 7
LOCATION: The Vick; Jefferson City, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 5-3, Carson-Newman 12-3, West Virginia State 1-6
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Lauren Lawson hit a pair of home runs, going 2-for-6 with six runs batted in.
- Peyton Day was 3-for-7, with two doubles and three runs batted in.
- Haylee Dye was 3-for-8, with two RBI and a double.
HOW IT HAPPENED – CARSON-NEWMAN
- The Eagles jumped in front early, scoring a run in each of the second and third innings before scoring twice in the fourth and three times in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead.
- King was able to score a pair in the sixth, when Dye led off with a single into left field. She would be retired when Carly Turner reached on a fielder's choice.
- After a strikeout, Lawson delivered her first home run of the day, going to right-center field and making the score 7-2.
- Carson-Newman would add a run in the sixth and send the Tornado down in order in the seventh to win 8-2.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Syerra Rogers (4-1) 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO
Losing Pitcher: Marleigh Duncan (2-2) 5.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Emily Harris went 4-for-4, with a run scored and a run batted in.
- Carmen Holt, Rogers and SieAnna Cameron all went 2-for-3, with Cameron driving in a pair of runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED – WEST VIRGINIA STATE
- The Yellowjackets wasted very little time, scoring in the first to take a 1-0 lead.
- It took until the third inning for King to respond, as Day led off with a double down the right field line, advancing to third on a groundout.
- Erin Foster then stepped up to the plate and hit a triple down the left field line, scoring Day and evening the score at one.
- King took the lead in the fourth, when Day delivered a two-RBI single to give King the 3-1 lead.
- After West Virginia State tied the game in their half of the fourth, Lawson delivered a grand slam, clearing the bases and putting King in front, 7-3.
- The Yellowjackets tied the game in the seventh, sending it to extra innings.
- It was in the eighth where King finally pulled away, as Day hit an RBI double to left center field to score what would turn out to be the game winning run.
- Foster then followed up with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring another run for the Tornado.
- Dye wrapped things up with a double to right field, bringing in two more runs and giving King the 11-7 lead that would eventually stand, as Nikole Counts set WVSU down in order in the eighth.
OF RECORD
- Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (2-1) 8.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 5 SO
- Losing Pitcher: Emilee Walker (0-1) 8.0 IP, 9 H, 11 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Lindsey Phares went 3-for-5 at the plate for West Virginia State, while Tori Lambert was 2-for-4, with a home run and five runs batted in.
UP NEXT
- King will be back on the road Wednesday when they travel to Harrogate, Tenn. to face Lincoln Memorial University before hosting a round robin tournament with Queens and Emory & Henry next weekend.
