BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team put together another solid offensive output in game one on Friday afternoon to defeat Barton College 10-1. However, the Tornado ran into a solid pitching performance in game two as Barton won the nightcap 4-2.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 10, Barton 1; Barton 4, King 2
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 21-11, 5-3 Conference Carolinas; Baton 22-4, 9-3 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Erin Foster, Carly Turner and Lilly Million all hit home runs for the Tornado.
- Million's tied the game in the game two and was her first career home run.
- Turner drove in three in game one while Tinsley Thompson posted three hits on the day with two doubles and two runs batted in.
- Camryn Haag, Million and Haylee Dye all drove in two on the day.
- Million's home run also set the school record for home runs in a season as the Tornado now have 37 big flies. The previous record was 36 last season.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- After Turner retired the side in the first inning, Foster laced the first pitch of the bottom of the inning over the left field fence to give King the lead.
- Dye later drove in Samantha Helms with a sacrifice fly to give the Tornado a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
- However, King left the bases loaded in the inning.
- Barton scored one in the second, but the Tornado responded in the bottom of the second inning.
- Thompson doubled and Foster was hit by a pitch before Turner ripped a home run off the scoreboard to extend King's lead.
- Haag later drove in Rikkelle Miller with a single up the middle to extend the Tornado lead to 6-1.
- King put the game out of reach in the fourth with four runs. The frame was highlighted by a Thompson two-run double that scored Peyton Day and Haag.
- Turner made that stand up as she retired the side in the fifth to give King the 10-1 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Carly Turner (4-1) 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
Losing Pitcher: Rilee Jones (5-4) 1.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Barton grabbed a 1-0 lead with a pair of two out hit by pitches and two wild pitches.
- The Bulldogs manufactured another run in the third inning following a Savannah Branch leadoff single to take a 2-0 lead.
- Miranda Holmes held down the powerful King offense early on as Helms record the first hit for King in the third inning.
- Dye ripped a one-out double that sparked the King offense in the fourth.
- Million then ripped a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence to even the score at two.
- However, Barton regained the lead I the fifth inning as Branch reached on an error to start the inning.
- Following a pair of outs, a single to center field scored Lindsey Massengill.
- Barton added an insurance run following another Tornado miscue in the seventh, extending their lead to 4-2.
- That was all Holmes needed as she retired the Tornado in order in the seventh to hand King the 4-2 defeat.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Miranda Holmes (9-0) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO
Losing Pitcher: Nikole Counts (9-5) 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Sloane Correa led Barton with four hits and drove in one.
- Kandyce Condrey and Branch posted two hits each on the day.
- Massengill and McCrae Knapp each drove in one run.
UP NEXT
- King hosts Chowan University on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
- Barton travels to Lees-McRae College on Saturday afternoon.
