GAFFNEY, S.C. --- Limestone College's Leah
Quant took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of game two, and the
Saint softball team held off a late rally by Lees-McRae College in
game two of a Conference Carolinas doubleheader on Monday afternoon
to complete the twin-bill sweep.
Limestone (17-23, 7-7 CC) collected 13 hits in the doubleheader,
including 11 in game two, while limiting Lees-McRae (12-27, 3-9 CC)
to two runs and seven base knocks on the afternoon.
Karli Robb (Hayes, Va.) paced the Bobcats with two hits, as
Amanda Decker (Apex, N.C.) and Kristen Oakes (Lenoir, N.C.) each
drove in a run. Laurel Gregg (Mars Hill, N.C.) pitched well in game
one, allowing one unearned run on two hits and striking out five in
six innings of work. Holi Crickenberger (Boydton, Va.) took the
ball in game two, surrendering one earned run and striking out two
through four innings. Oakes tossed the final two frames, allowing
one run.
Game One: Limestone 1, Lees-McRae 0 (Box Score)
The opener proved to be a classic pitching duel, as the two
starters allowed a combined four hits and nine base runners through
four innings. Lees-McRae provided perhaps the best scoring threat
in the fourth, when Kim Colley (Marion, N.C.) stroked a leadoff
double and advanced to third on a sacrifice, before the Saints
retired the final two batters of the frame to keep the score
knotted at 0-0.
Limestone would score the only run of the game in the bottom of
the sixth, as Kirstyn Burleson doubled to lead off the inning and
later scored on a Bobcat miscue. The Bobcats got out of the inning
with a clutch double play, as the Saints responded by retiring the
side in the top of the seventh to seal the victory.
Game Two: Limestone 5, Lees-McRae 2 (Box Score)
Limestone got on the board early in the night cap, plating four
runs in the bottom of the first on four hits and three Bobcat
miscues to take a 4-0 lead following a bases-clearing triple by
Kayla Kelley. The Saints would add a run on four hits in the sixth
to push the advantage to 5-0 following an RBI single by Alex
Aburto.
Quant was the story of the game for the Saints, as she allowed
just two base runners courtesy of a pair of errors over the first
six innings to take a no-hitter into the seventh. After the junior
starter was relieved to start the seventh, Lees-McRae began to
rally, pushing across two runs on RBI singles by Decker and Oakes
before Quant re-entered. Quant then shut the door, retiring the
final three batters of the inning to close out the win.
Lees-McRae returns to the diamond on Wednesday when the Bobcats
host St. Andrews University in conference play at 3 p.m. at the
Bobcat Softball Field.
- LMC -
