NEWBERRY, S.C. –
Nikole Counts tossed her first shutout of the season to lead the King University softball team to a 4-0 win over Davis & Elkins College in the opening game on Sunday. Later in the day, the Tornado fought back from a 6-0 hole, but couldn't complete the comeback, falling to the Wolves 6-5.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 4, Davis & Elkins 0; Newberry 6, King 5
LOCATION: Smith Road Complex; Newberry, S.C.
RECORDS: King 13-7; Davis & Elkins 2-12; Newberry 19-7
KING HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS – DAVIS & ELKINS
- Counts was masterful in the circle, retiring the first 12 batters she faced.
- The first Davis & Elkins baserunner came on a leadoff walk in the fifth inning before third first hit two batters later.
- Another walk loaded the bases but Counts escaped the jam to keep the Senators off the scoreboard.
- The Tornado defense was solid behind Counts, turning double plays to end the sixth and seventh innings.
- Dye got the King offense going in the first inning with a bunt single before a Miller double put runners on second and third.
- Sams then laced a single up the middle, giving King a 2-0 lead after the opening inning.
- A Dye leadoff single and two walks loaded the bases for King in the third, but the Tornado couldn't push any runs across.
- Following a leadoff walk from Carly Turner in the fifth, Miller laced a two-run home run to center field, extending the King lead to 4-0.
- That was all Counts need as she completed her first shutout of the season.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (5-3) 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Shelby Hile (0-2) 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Rachel Jones accounted for both of Davis & Elkins' hits while Honesty Holt drew a pair of walks.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS – NEWBERRY
- Foster started the game with a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout.
- However, she was left there, and the Newberry offense started fast.
- The Wolves plated six runs in the opening frame, two on a Hannah Towery double before Vanessa Wilson capped the inning with a two-run home run.
- Foster later started the third inning with another single that got the Tornado offense going.
- Dye and Miller followed with singles to load the bases.
- Peyton Day drove in one with a groundout before two scored on a Duncan triple.
- Lauren Lawson pulled King within 6-4 with a single that scored Duncan.
- Duncan entered in the circle in the second inning for the Tornado and held the Newberry offense down, only allowing one hit over the final five innings.
- The best rally for the Wolves came in the third with a pair of walks, but Duncan escaped to keep King within two runs.
- With two runners on in the sixth inning, Turner drove in Camryn Haag with a single, cutting the King deficit to 6-5.
- However, the Tornado had a runner thrown out at second to end the inning.
- Miller tried to start a rally in the seventh with a leadoff single, but that was all the Tornado could get as Newberry took the game 6-5.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Lindsey Foster (4-0) 5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Carly Turner (2-1) 1.0 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Save: Alexandrea Sullivan (1) 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Towery led Newberry with two hits and two runs batted in.
- Wilson also drove in a pair.
UP NEXT
- King returns home to take on regional rival Tusculum University. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
- Newberry travels to Queens University on Wednesday afternoon.
- Davis & Elkins hosts Frostburg State University on March 19.
