JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — King University softball wrapped up Day Two of the Big Region Tournament with a gritty split on Monday, falling 2–1 in an eight-inning heartbreaker to Mars Hill before responding with a composed 2–0 shutout over Emory & Henry. The Tornado now sit at
4–2 on the season, continuing to showcase elite pitching, clean defense, and timely hitting.
GAME ONE: Mars Hill 2, King 1 (8 Innings)
Luper Strong Again, But Lions Break Through Late
The opener delivered a classic pitchers' duel, with both teams trading zeros for seven innings. King starter
Savana Luper was outstanding, tossing a complete game while keeping Mars Hill off the board until extras. The sophomore right-hander allowed
eight hits, just
one earned run, and struck out
three, inducing
16 groundouts in a highly efficient 119-pitch performance.
Mars Hill finally broke the stalemate in the top of the eighth. With two runners aboard,
S. Cecil delivered the decisive swing — a two-run single up the middle to put the Lions ahead 2–0.
Tornado Rally Comes Up Just Short
King answered immediately in the bottom half.
Sophia Waters entered as a pinch-runner, advanced into scoring position, and scored on
Katie Ryan's RBI groundout to cut the deficit to 2–1. The Tornado brought the tying run to the plate again, but Mars Hill ace
K. Akins — who struck out
12 in an eight-inning complete game — managed to escape with the win.
Offensive Highlights
King finished with
five hits and played
error-free defense, but couldn't find the breakthrough swing against Akins' strikeout-heavy outing.
GAME TWO: King 2, Emory & Henry 0
Meeks Dominates as Tornado Secure the Split
King wasted no time resetting the tone in Game Two. Behind a masterful performance from
Kaylee Meeks, the Tornado controlled the game from start to finish, blanking Emory & Henry 2–0.
Meeks was in command all afternoon, firing a
four-hit shutout with
six strikeouts and just
two walks. The sophomore right-hander faced only 28 batters, induced 11 flyouts, and never allowed more than one baserunner in an inning. She improved to
2–0 on the season with the win.
Early Offense Enough to Carry the Day
King struck quickly in the first inning. After
Aubrey King singled and
Katie Ryan reached,
Aviah Bunsic delivered a sharp RBI single up the middle to put the Tornado ahead 1–0.
In the third,
Yuleesa Kennedy added insurance with a towering
solo home run, her first of the season, extending the lead to 2–0 — more than enough for Meeks to finish the job.
Offensive Highlights
King again played
error-free defense, marking their sixth straight game without a miscue.
A Day Defined by Pitching and Poise
Across both games, King showed:
- Two complete-game performances from Luper and Meeks
- Zero defensive errors on the day
- Clutch hitting in key moments
- Resilience after a tough extra-inning loss
Up Next
King returns to action on Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 14–15, at the King Invitational, a three-game slate beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET.
