PEMBROKE, N.C. – The King University softball team started the Conference Carolinas portion of their schedule in a big way Friday, sweeping the UNC Pembroke Braves in a road doubleheader, including a convincing 9-2 win in the second game.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, UNCP 2; King 9, UNCP 2
LOCATION: UNCP Softball Field
RECORDS: King 18-8, 2-0 Conference Carolinas; UNCP 11-7, 0-2 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Samantha Helms was 2-for-3 on the day, with both of her hits being home runs in game two.
- Carly Turner went 3-for-8 at the plate with three RBI while also throwing 3.2 innings in the circle, allowing three hits and striking out three batters.
- Haylee Dye and Peyton Day also hit home runs for the Tornado in game two.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Braves threatened to score right away in the first, as the first two batters of the game reached base, but Nikole Counts was able to record three strikeouts to escape the jam.
- After threatening to score in both the second and third innings, UNCP posted their first run in the fourth on an RBI single to right field.
- King responded in a big way in the fifth, scoring three runs on three hits.
- After the first two batters were retired, Day drew a walk, advancing to second on a single from Lily Million.
- Tinsley Thompson dropped a double on the left field line, allowing Day to score.
- Turner was the next batter, and hit a double to right-center field, scoring two more runs and handing King a 3-1 lead.
- UNCP responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run to make it 3-2.
- The Braves got two baserunners in the sixth, but Marleigh Duncan, who came on earlier in the inning, recorded a key strikeout to strand the runners.
- In the seventh, Duncan set the Braves down in order, including a strikeout and a pair of flyouts to center field to close out the game.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (8-3) 4.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO
Losing Pitcher: Kinsley Sheppard (5-3) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
Save: Marleigh Duncan (3) 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Erin Foster started game two by drawing a walk, which brought up Samantha Helms. She delivered a home run to right-center field to quickly put King up 2-0.
- Miller and Turner then hit back-to-back singles before moving up on a wild pitch. Camryn Haag would walk to load the bases.
- Day then stepped up and hit a ground ball to the first baseman, who threw home for the force out. The Braves would escape the inning with a swinging strikeout.
- Helms got her second at-bat of the day in the second, hitting another home run, this one a solo shot to left-center field to extend the King lead to 3-0.
- Turner would follow with a double, scoring when Miller laced a single into left field to make the score 4-0 in favor of King.
- The Braves scored twice in the bottom of the third to cut the Tornado lead in half, with both runs coming on a double to right-center field.
- Neither team was able to score again until Turner hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth, allowing Duncan to score and extend the lead to 5-2.
- King would score four more runs in the seventh, with Dye and Day hitting home runs, with Day's being a two-run shot.
- Turner would allow a baserunner in the bottom of the seventh but escaped with no runs allowed.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Marleigh Duncan (7-4) 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Madison Dyson (4-2) 2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Madison Carriker was 3-for-5 on the day for the Braves and drew three walks.
- The Braves left 23 runners on base, 13 of which came in game one.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado have a quick turnaround, as they will face Francis Marion Saturday. First pitch of the doubleheader is at 2 p.m.
- The Braves are also in action Saturday, hosting Lees-McRae
