BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team split their Conference Carolinas doubleheader with Francis Marion University Saturday, falling 13-7 in game one before
Nikole Counts threw a complete-game shutout as King took the second game 7-0.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Francis Marion 13, King 7; King 7, Francis Marion 0
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 21-19, 8-6 Conference Carolinas; Francis Marion 36-9, 14-3 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Francis Marion jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings before Suits hit her first home run, a solo shot in the bottom of the second.
- After the Patriots scored in the fourth, the Tornado put up three runs in their half of the inning, with Lilly Million starting the inning with a double to left center field.
- She scored when Bunsic homered to left center, pulling King to within 8-3.
- Two batters later, Ryan hit her solo home run, cutting the lead to 8-4.
- King added two more in the fifth, with Jardim starting the inning with a solo home run before Katie Ryan doubled down the left field line.
- After Haylee Dye singled to advance K. Ryan to third, she scored on a sacrifice fly from Tinsley Thompson.
- Both teams scored a run in the sixth, with King's being the second home run of the day for Suits.
- Francis Marion scored four runs in the top of the seventh, hanging on for a 13-7 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Alyssa Poston (21-3) 7.0 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
Losing Pitcher: Savana Luper (8-7) 1.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- King started the scoring in the second, scoring three runs on three hits.
- Thompson started with a single through the left side, with Bunsic reaching on a fielder's choice.
- Bunsic scored on a single by T. Ryan, who advanced to second when Suits stole third, scoring on a throwing error.
- Jardim then reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, stretching the lead to 3-0.
- In the third, Dye started with a double, scoring when Million tripled to left center field. Million then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Thompson to make it a 5-0 game.
- Million drove in two more in the fourth, singling through the right side to score K. Ryan and Staley Vaught.
- The Patriots would leave six runners on base over the final three innings, including two in the seventh as the Tornado held on for a 7-0 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (4-7) 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
Losing Pitcher: Abby Williams (2-4) 2.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Taylor Watford had a home run in the first game, finishing the day 2-for-5.
- Alyssa Poston picked up the win in the first game, throwing all seven innings, with seven earned runs on eight strikeouts.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado will play two doubleheaders on the road, starting Tuesday at Converse. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
- Francis Marion will play at Lees-McRae on Sunday afternoon.
