KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- The Lees-McRae softball team jumped out a lead in the third inning, but was unable to sustain the lead in a 9-1 loss to Caldwell College to conclude the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. Saturday morning.
The Cougars (3-1) scored all nine of their runs in the last two innings while amassing 11 hits. The Bobcats (4-20) pitching staff looked as if they were working on consecutive shutouts until the sixth inning.
Tori Wright (Boone, N.C.) and Kendall Fowler (Buford, Ga.) notched back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the third and both advanced on wild pitches. Sarah Stallings (Greensboro, N.C.) reached on an error while Wright scored the Bobcats' lone run.
The Cougars Brielle Reighn tied the contest at one with an RBI single in the top of the sixth before a sacrifice fly and RBI double from the next two batters gave Caldwell a 3-1 advantage.
Lauren Frye delivered the big blow with a two-run single before Taylor Billings (Sophia, N.C.) froze Kate Hogan to end the frame.
LMC threatened in the bottom of the sixth while two runners reached, but a fielder's choice ended it with two outs.
An Alyssa Calderon RBI single extended the Cougar lead to 7-1.
A fielding mishap led to two unearned runs while Caldwell claimed the victory.
Fowler and Billings notched a pair of hits each while Billings suffered the loss after tossing all but two outs and allowing three earned runs.
LMC returns to action March 18 for a doubleheader in Athens, W. Va., to play Concord at 2 & 4 p.m.
- LMC -
