BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to power their way to a nonconference sweep Sunday afternoon, beating Emory & Henry 9-7 after beating Queens 4-3 earlier in the day.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 4, Queens 3; King 9, Emory & Henry 7
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 10-5; Emory & Henry 10-5, Queens 10-10
KING HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS – QUEENS
- Haley Mullins earned her first career start and was solid in the circle for the Tornado. She scatted nine hits over five innings.
- The King offense responded after Queens put up one run in the first inning on a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch.
- Erin Foster was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the first and later scored on Turner double off the center field fence.
- In the second inning, Samantha Helms worked a leadoff walk before Haag ripped a home run to left center, giving King the 3-1 lead.
- The King lead grew to 4-1 on as a Helms sacrifice fly scored Turner who started the inning with a single up the middle.
- The Royals chipped away with a pair of runs in the fifth, one on a single from Hayley Nelson and another on a double from Kayla Smith.
- Duncan relieved Mullins in the sixth inning and stranded a pair of runners, keeping the Tornado ahead 4-3.
- Duncan then worked around a two-out walk to record her first save of the season and give King the 4-3 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Haley Mullins (1-0) 5.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Kate Hunter (5-2) 3.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Save: Maleigh Duncan (1) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Smith led Queens with three hits and drove in two.
- Kaylee DeJesus added two hits and two runs scored.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS – EMORY & HENRY
- The contest was a pitcher's duel early as each team only had one hit through the first three innings.
- The Tornado offense broke through in the fourth inning with four runs.
- Haylee Dye reached on an error to start the fourth inning before scoring on a Turner double.
- Miller then single before a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third.
- King added another run on a Lauren Lawson groundout and another on an Emroy & Henry miscue.
- Haag gave King a 4-0 lead with a single that score Helms.
- Emory & Henry responded for seven runs in the fifth inning.
- The frame was highlighted by a Morgan Silvis two run single and an Emily Scaggs two-run double.
- King regained the lead with five runs in the sixth inning as Miller started the frame with a triple and scored on a Peyton Day single.
- Haag then evened the score at seven with a two-run single to right field before the Tornado grabbed a 9-7 lead on a Delaney Porter fly ball.
- The second run scored on an Emory & Henry miscue.
- Nikole Counts then retired the side in order in the seventh, giving King the 9-7 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (3-3) 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Losing Pitcher: MaKayla Dowde (2-2) 0.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Morgan Silvis went 2-for-4 at the plate, with two RBI.
- Emily Scaggs was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
- Avery Adkins threw one inning, recording a strikeouts and allowing no hits or runs.
UP NEXT
- King stays at home to take on Concord University on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
- Queens hosts Catawba College on Tuesday afternoon.
- Emory & Henry travels to 11th-ranked Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday afternoon.
