BANNER ELK, N.C. - Magen West worked 15 innings in the circle
and picked up both wins as the Lees-McRae College Lady Bobcats
(19-15, 7-7) swept, 5-4 and 4-1, the Coker College Lady Cobras
(14-15, 6-8) in Conference Carolinas softball action.
West's back-to-back complete game wins gave the Lady Bobcats their
first sweep of Coker in four years. In her 15 innings, she
compiled 10 strikeouts, allowed 18 hits and only walked one
batter. She only allowed five runs, four earned, for a 1.87
era.
On the offensive side for Lees-McRae Meagen Knowles continued her
hot hitting over the weekend by going 4-for-6, for a .667 batting
average on the day. Knowles had four singles, scored three runs,
had two RBI and stole a base in her only attempt. On the weekend,
Knowles was 7-for-12 with a .583 batting average. She drove in
five RBI and scored five runs.
As a team, Lees-McRae batted an impressive .346 on the day, while
Coker only hit .281.
In game one, Brittany Owens put the Lady Cobras on the scoreboard
first in the top of the fourth inning with a solo blast over the
centerfield fence.
But, Lees-McRae quickly responded with four runs in the bottom of
the fourth inning. West, Paula Fryar and Anna Carter started the
inning off with back-to-back-to-back singles. Carter's single
drove in West to tie the game and sent Fryar to third. The Lady
Bobcats manufactured a run when Carter took off from second on the
pitch and drew a throw allowing Fryar to score from third to give
the team a 2-0 lead. Then with one out, Knowles singled to put
runners on the corners for Amanda Leonard, who stroked a two-run
double down the left field line that extended the lead to 4-1.
Coker tied the game at four in the sixth inning with three runs on
five hits. The highlight of the inning was an RBI double by Allie
Bragg.
After a scoreless seventh, the game headed into extra innings. In
the top of the eighth, with the international tiebreak in effect,
West got Owens to line into Ashley Benfield at third, who alertly
doubled off the runner placed at second to start the inning. West
got the final out of the inning on a ground ball to Knowles at
second.
In the home half of the eighth Paula Fryar was placed at second and
was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Carter. Kim Coley
delivered the game winner with a single to right that scored Fryar
giving Lees-McRae a 5-4 win.
Coley was 3-for-4 with the game-winning RBI, and Knowles was
2-for-3 to lead the Lady Bobcats. Leonard delivered two RBI.
Owens led the Lady Cobras by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs
scored. Miranda Klees had two hits in three plate appearances as
well.
In game two, West pitched out of two jams in the first and second
innings while the offense came through with two runs in each
inning.
In the first inning Veronica Ollier led off with a single and then
stole second and third. Knowles drove in Ollier with a single to
left and later scored when West singled to center.
In the second inning RBI singles by Knowles and Carter extended the
Lees-McRae lead to 4-0.
In the top of the third West again worked out of a jam. After a
single and a double to lead off the inning, West got three fly outs
to strand the runners and preserve the lead.
In the fourth inning the Cobras loaded the bases with one out, but
West got a comebacker and turned a 1-2-3 double play with Fryar to
escape her fourth jam of the game.
Coker scored their only run off West in the top of the seventh on
an Owens RBI double to right center. West stranded runners on
second and third to earn the 4-1 win for Lady Bobcats.
Knowles, who was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, led
Lees-McRae offensively. Ollier and Benfield both had one hit in
two plate appearances.
Klees and Owens paced Coker by going 3-for-4 at the plate. Two of
Owens' three hits were doubles.
Lees-McRae will host Limestone College Tuesday, April 7th at 2:00
p.m. for their next game, weather permitting.
Game
one box score
Game
two box score
Photo
Gallery
Pictured Top: Magen West
Pictured Bottom Upper: Meagan Knowles batted 4-for-6 on the
day.
Pictured Bottom Lower: Magen West pitched two complete games,
15 innings, earning two wins.
