BANNER ELK, N.C. – The King University softball team won the Conference Carolinas Northwest Division championship Thursday afternoon as they split their conference doubleheader with Lees-McRae. After falling 7-6 in game one, the Tornado won a 2-0 pitcher's duel in the second game to clinch the division title.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae 7, King 6; King 2, Lees-McRae 0
LOCATION: LMC Softball Field; Banner Elk, N.C.
RECORDS: King 24-22, 11-11 Conference Carolinas; Lees-McRae 16-22, 11-11 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Haylee Dye, Lilly Million and Tori Ryan all had home runs in game one with Million's being a three-run home run.
- Ryan also had a solo home run in the second game, while Bradlie Warner was responsible for a run scoring in game two.
- Nikole Counts threw a complete game shutout in the circle, recording seven strikeouts.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Dye led off for the Tornado, hitting a solo home run to put King in front 1-0.
- The Bobcats scored six runs over the next three innings, taking a 5-1 lead.
- T. Ryan hit a two-out solo home run in the fourth, but the Bobcats got the run back in the bottom to take a 7-2 lead.
- In the fifth, Lilly Million hit a three-run home run, allowing Tinsley Thompson and Dye to score, pulling the Tornado to within 7-5.
- Katie Ryan was hit by a pitch leading off the seventh, advancing to second on a wild pitch before Dye singled to right field, allowing K. Ryan to score and pulling the Tornado to within 7-6.
- King got the game-tying run to second with two outs, but were unable to push the game-tying run across, falling 7-6.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Lonna Addison (13-11) 7.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 12 SO
Losing Pitcher: Marleigh Duncan (7-8) 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- After both teams went down in order in the first, T. Ryan started the second with a solo home run to give the Tornado a 1-0 lead.
- K. Ryan led off the fifth with a single up the middle, scoring a couple batters later when Bradlie Warner singled to left field, advancing on the throw while K. Ryan scored on a fielding error, stretching the lead to 2-0.
- In the seventh, the Bobcats had two runners on with one out, and hit a single to left field. King's defense was able to throw out the runner at the plate, setting up Nikole Counts for a game-ending strikeout, winning the game, and the Northwest Division title.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (7-7) 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO
Losing Pitcher: Logan Zephir (3-7) 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Hannah Foster and Taylor Beurrier both had home runs, with Beurrier hitting a three-run shot in the first game.
- Brooks Eaddy had a pair of hits, including a double and a run scored.
UP NEXT
- King will host Chowan Saturday afternoon for their final home game of the season.
- Lees-McRae will host Converse Saturday afternoon
