BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team swept Concord University on Sunday afternoon in the Tornado's home opener.
Rachel Jardim hit the walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning as King won game one 7-6. The Tornado exploded for 19 hits and 14 runs in the second game to win in six innings.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 7 – Concord 6 (10 innings) | King 14 – Concord 6 (6 innings)
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 6-4 | Concord 2-9
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
- King got on the board first in the second inning, scoring a total of five runs. Alyssa Suits doubled to right center to drive in Rachel Jardim. With the bases load, Jessica Campbell hit a triple driving home Katie Ryan, Suits, and Shaina Addair. Campbell was able to score during the next at-bat with a passed ball.
- Concord responded with three runs in the top of the third with two hits.
- The Mountain Lions got within a run of the home team in the fourth inning as they scored on a single through the left side.
- The visitors tied the game in the top of the seventh inning, and with King unable to score in the bottom, the game headed to extra innings.
- With the ghost runner at second, Concord was able to score in the top of the eighth inning. King matched the score as Aviah Bunsic crossed the plate as Jardim grounded out. The Tornado loaded the bases but were unable to score the winning run in the 8th inning.
- Jardim hit a single to right field in the bottom of the second to score Bunsic from her ghost runner spot on second base to win the game for the Tornado.
KING HIGHLIGHTS – GAME ONE
- Eight different King players recorded at least one of the team's 11 hits. Alyssa Suits went 3-4 from the plate, scoring once and driving in one run.
- Rachel Jardim's only hit of the night came in the tenth. She recorded two RBIs, a run, and walked once. Aviah Bunsic scored twice, including the game winner.
- Jessica Campbell had three RBIs off her triple in the second inning.
- Savana Luper went 8 innings and struck out 7 batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
- Once again, King got on the board first, this time with three runs in the first inning. Jessica Campbell scored on a wild pitch after laying down a lead-off bunt to get on base. Rachel Jardim doubled to right field to score Aviah Bunsic before Alyssa Suits hit a sacrifice fly and Tori Ryan scored.
- Concord scored in the top of the second on a King error.
- King had back-to-back singles in their half of the second inning as Bunsic and T. Ryan made contact with the ball, scoring Katie Ryan and Campbell, making the score 5-1 in favor of the home team.
- The Mountain Lions were able to score from first base on a double to left field before leaving the bases loaded in the third inning.
- Alyssa Suits scored for King as Grace Shary hit a single to right center to bring King's score to 6. Concord tied the game in the top of the fourth with a grand slam from Courtney Raines.
- In the remaining three innings, King had 11 hits and scored 8 runs. The first two to be added were on back-to-back two-out doubles from Suits and Sheets, allowing T. Ryan and Suits to score.
- In the fifth inning, Bunsic hit a one-out double to left field, driving J. Campbell home. Jardim hit a double to the other side of the field allowing Bunsic to score.
- King closed the game with K. Ryan and Carlie Sheets scoring on a Shary single and a Concord error. Shary scored as J. Campbell hit a single through the right side before Campbell herself was able to score on a sacrifice fly from Bunsic.
KING HIGHLIGHT – GAME TWO
- Jessica Campbell went 4 for 4 at the plate, scoring four times and recorded 1 RBI.
- Aviah Bunsic went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs. And Tori Ryan went 2 for 3 with 2 runs, 1 RBI, and 1 walk.
- Nine Tornado had at least 1 hit, while seven had more than one hit as King had 19 hits. Jardim (2), Bunsic (1), Suits (1), and Sheet (1) all hit doubles.
- Kaylee Meeks had 6 strikeouts in four innings of work in the circle and allowed 6 hits.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher
Sophia Waters – King (1-1) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Kaylee Meeks – King (2-2) 4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO
Losing Pitcher
Reghan Hintz – Concord (0-3) 2.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Josi Ervin – Concord (1-4) 3.2 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
UP NEXT
The King University softball team will travel to Tusculum on Wednesday February 26 for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
