BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team got off to a quick start against Emory & Henry College on Saturday morning, but the Wasps came back to take the 7-4 victory. Later in the day, King fell behind Queens University, but came storming back to win the game 12-11 in eight innings.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Emory & Henry 7, King 4; King 12, Queens 11 (F/8)
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 7-5; Emory & Henry 10-3, Queens 9-9
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Rikkelle Miller had a big day, going 6-for-9 with a pair of doubles. She ripped the game-winning double in the eighth inning against Queens.
- Camryn Haag and Erin Foster each hit a home run against Queens.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS – EMORY & HENRY
- Nikole Counts retired the Wasps in order, bringing the Tornado to plate.
- Foster and Carly Turner both singled before a Peyton Day triple gave King a 2-0 lead.
- Day then scored on a Lauren Lawson single, giving King a 3-0 lead.
- The lead was short-lived, however, as the Wasps plated four runs in the second inning. The frame was capped by an Anna Thomas two-out, two-run double to right field.
- Morgan Silvis extended the Emory & Henry lead to 6-3 with a two-run home run in the third inning.
- Haylee Dy started the third inning for the Tornado with a bunt single and later scored on a Miller double to right center, cutting the King deficit to 6-4.
- However, a walk and another Thomas double, extended the Emory & Henry lead to 7-4 in the fourth inning.
- Chelsea Sams tried to get the Tornado offense going with a one-out double in the sixth, but she was stranded.
- In the seventh, Miller singled with two outs, but it wasn't enough as the Wasps took the game 7-4.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Avery Adkins (6-1) 7.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Nikole Counts (2-3) 3.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Thomas led the Wasps with two hits and three runs batted in.
- Silvis drove in two on one hit while Allyson Steadman scored twice.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS – QUEENS
- Queens jumped ahead with two runs in the first inning, the second on a Jordyn Thompson single to take a 2-0 lead.
- The Royals doubled their lead to 4-0 on a two-run single from Haley Nelson with two outs in the second inning.
- Haag got the Tornado on the board as worked out of an 0-2 count and ripped the ninth pitch of the at bat over the left field fence with two outs in the third inning.
- Dye started the Tornado half of the third inning with a bunt single and Turner followed with a double.
- The pair then scored on a Sams double before Haag evened the score at four with a single that scored Sams.
- Delaney Porter put King ahead with a single that scored Maggie Deel before Foster ripped a two-out, two-run double, giving the Tornado a 7-4 lead.
- Queens scored a pair, one on a dropped fly ball, cutting the King lead to 7-6.
- Day extended the King to 8-6 with a double that score Miller in the fourth, but the Royals responded in the fifth.
- Kayla Smith ripped a two-run home run in the fifth to even the score before a two-single from Haley Hmiel gave Queens a 9-8 lead.
- King regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on a Foster two-run home run to left field.
- Both teams were then retired in order in the sixth before Jordan Hunt evened the score with a leadoff home run in the seventh inning.
- King went down in order in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.
- In the top of the eighth, a Kasidi Staley sacrifice fly gave the Royals an 11-10 lead.
- King came back and got that run back immediately as Turner ripped a leadoff single to right field. Dye scored on the play as the right fielder misplayed the ball.
- Miller then took the first pitch she saw off the wall in right center, scoring Turner and giving King the 12-11 victory.
OF RECORD
- Winning Pitcher: Marleigh Duncan (4-2) 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
- Losing Pitcher: Khristen McPherson (1-2) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Nelson, Hunt and Thompson all registered two hits for the Royals.
- Nelson drove in three while Staley and Smith drove in two each.
UP NEXT
- The teams play again on Sunday at King. The Tornado take on Queens at 10:30 a.m. with the Royals taking on Emory & Henry at 1:00 p.m.
- King the faces Emory & Henry at 3:00 p.m.
