King Softball Splits Nonconference Doubleheader With Lenoir-Rhyne

Bristol, Tenn. – King University softball hosted nationally strong Lenoir-Rhyne on Monday afternoon, falling 5–2 in the opener before responding with a 5–1 victory in Game Two at the King Softball Field. The Tornado (20–16) collected 16 hits across the doubleheader and earned a quality win over the Bears (22–6) behind a dominant pitching performance from Kaylee Meeks.

Game One: Bears Use Middle-Inning Surge to Take 5–2 Decision

King struck first in the third inning when Yuleesa Kennedy drove in Grace Shary with an RBI groundout to give the Tornado a 1–0 lead. Lenoir-Rhyne answered in the fourth, using a two-run homer from Montana Honeycutt and an RBI single to move ahead 3–1.

The Bears added two more in the fifth, capitalizing on an error and a groundout to extend the lead to 5–1.

King threatened in the seventh when Giana Winge singled home Ella Richey, but the Tornado were unable to complete the comeback.

Winge led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance, while Richey, Shary, Aubrey King, and Carlie Sheets each added hits. Savana Luper worked 4.1 innings in the circle before Riley Lamb closed the game with 2.2 scoreless frames.

Game Two: Tornado Respond With 5–1 Win

King bounced back in the nightcap, scoring four runs in the third inning and riding a strong outing from Meeks to secure the split.

The Tornado opened the scoring in the first when Luper singled up the middle to bring home Winge. King broke the game open in the third, beginning with an RBI double from Kennedy. Luper added a run-scoring groundout, and an error allowed Kennedy to score before Aviah Bunsic capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 5–0.

Lenoir-Rhyne pushed across a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly, but Meeks held the Bears in check throughout the afternoon. She tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just one run on five hits with three strikeouts. Lamb recorded the final three outs to secure the win.

Winge, Ryan, Kennedy, Luper, King, Bunsic, and Richey all recorded hits in the victory.

Offensive Leaders – King University

Game One

• Giana Winge: 3-for-4, RBI
• Ella Richey: 2-for-3, double
• Grace Shary: 2-for-3, run scored

Game Two

• Yuleesa Kennedy: 1-for-4, RBI double, run
• Savana Luper: 1-for-3, 2 RBI
• Aviah Bunsic: 1-for-3, RBI
• Giana Winge: 1-for-2, 2 runs

Pitching Notes

Game One

• Savana Luper: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 K
• Riley Lamb: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K

Game Two

• Kaylee Meeks: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 K (Win, 10–4)
• Riley Lamb: 1.0 IP, 0 ER

Up Next

The Tornado return to Conference Carolinas play on Wednesday, March 25, traveling to Spartanburg, S.C., for a doubleheader against Converse University at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.