BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team swept the North Greenville University Trailblazers in a doubleheader on Friday to earn the season sweep as more of a Northwest Division lead in the Conference Carolinas.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King 7 – NGU 6 | King 9 – NGU 5
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 24-18, 11-7 CC | 25-17, 11-9 CC
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
- Katie Ryan secured the first out of the game with a diving catch in center field.
- Rachel Jardim opened the bottom of the second inning with a double to left center field, Giana Winge's single pushed Jardim to third base before Grace Shary singled to right to allow Jardim to score the first run of the day.
- North Greenville took the lead with three runs in the top of the third, but King responded with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
- After the bases were loaded on walks drawn by Katie Ryan, Tori Ryan, and Aviah Busic, Winge had her second single of the night to allow K. Ryan to score. Staley Vaught followed with a single to left field that allowed both T. Ryan and Bunsic to score, putting the Tornado up 4-3.
- The Tornado expanded their lead as K. Ryan scored on T. Ryan sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
- The Trailblazers score three runs on three hits in the top of the fifth inning, putting the visitors up 6-5.
- On the first pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning, Alyssa Suits went the yard to tie the game and hype up the Tornado bench and fans.
- King walked-off the game as Winge opened the seventh inning with a single before Vaught singled to right field before advancing to third on an error – pushing pinch runner Autumn Campbell home.
KING HIGHLIGHTS – GAME ONE
- Giana Winge went three for three with an RBI and a walk.
- Katie Ryan had a hit and a walk to get on base, scoring twice.
- Alyssa Suits and Staley Vaught each had two hits and with a combined four RBIs, including Suits solo home run.
- Rachel Jardim had a double for her only hit of the game.
- In the field, the Tornado turned three double plays.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
- North Greenville opened game two with a triple before scoring on the next play to take an early 1-0 lead. It would be the Trailblazers only lead of the game as King scored three runs in the opening frame.
- Katie Ryan led off with an infield single before taking second base on a wild pitch. She then scored on a Tori Ryan single up the middle. Rachel Jardim and Giana Winge followed with their own singles up the middle. T. Ryan scored on Winge's hit to give the Tornado a 2-1 lead – a lead that King would not give up for the remainder of the game.
- Jardim scored to close the first inning with King on top 3-1.
- Alyssa Suits hit an infield single that allowed Grace Shary to score, pushing King's lead to three runs after two innings. North Greenville responded with two runs in the top of the third to close the lead.
- The next scoring for either team came in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Tornado scored four runs on five hits. Bunsic, Vaught, Shary, and Demakas opened the inning with four straight singles and all four scored in the inning. Both Bunsic and Vaught were able to score on Demakas' single through the right side. Shary then scored on a wild pitch, and Demakas scored on a T. Ryan double through the left side.
- The Trailblazers scored two runs on a double to left field in the sixth inning for their final runs of the game. To get the final out of the inning, Bunsic made a behind the shoulder catch in shallow center field from her short stop position.
- King would score their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Bunsic scored on a Shary sacrifice bunt after she initially got on base with a walk before moving to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball.
KING HIGHLIGHTS – GAME TWO
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher
Savana Luper – King (9-6) 3.0 IP, 4 H, 3, R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Kylee Horsely – King (5-3) 3.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher
Georgia Lieb – North Greenville (1-2) 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Sydney Clark – North Greenville (5-3) 0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Save
Kaylee Meeks – King (2) 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
UP NEXT
The King University softball team will head on the road to face Converse on Tuesday, April 8
th before returning home to face Barton in their final home game of the season.
