BANNER ELK, N.C. --- The Lees-McRae softball was swept by Limestone in doubleheader action in Conference Carolinas play Sunday afternoon at LMC Softball Field in Banner Elk, N.C.
Limestone 4, Lees-McRae 1
The Saints (22-11, 11-2 CC) used three-hit performances from Bailie Maybry and Emma Swearingen while Courtney Smith threw four no-hit innings in relief.
LC's Erika Hansen collected one of her two RBI's when she drove in Maybry in the top of the first. Maybry led the inning off with a single to left.
Hansen struck again an inning later with another RBI single. The Saints drew back-to-back walks to lead off the frame. Swearingen singled as the next batter to extend the lead to three, 3-0.
Sophomore Charlie Dutton (Monroe, Ga.) regained her composure and got out of the bases loaded jam with a strikeout and pop out to end the frame.
The Bobcats (5-34, 0-11) loaded the bases in the bottom of the third after Alix Green (Little Mountain, S.C.) and Sarah Stallings (Greensboro, N.C.) hit consecutive one-out singles. Senior Amanda Decker (Apex, N.C.) drove in Green with an RBI groundout.
LMC threatened in the sixth when they loaded the bases once again, but Smith buckled down and got a strikeout to end the threat.
Maybry tacked on an insurance run with a gap-splitting double, allowing Sam Thornton to score.
Dutton (2-16) took the loss after throwing a staggering 167 pitches and amassing seven strikeouts.
Freshman Sarah Tucker (Monroe, N.C.) continued her recent success at the plate by going 1-for-3.
Limestone 13, Lees-McRae 3 (6 Innings)
The Saints (23-11, 12-2) used a complete-game effort from Josie Weber (13-2) while Thornton clobbered a three-run homerun to highlight a four-RBI game.
The Bobcats (5-35, 0-12) saw sophomore Valerie Hickey (Umatilla, Fla.) produce a multi-hit game.
Thornton broke a scoreless tie with a tater to left field in the top of the fourth. LC's Tessa Faucette and Hansen led the inning of with consecutive singles.
Decker plated Hickey with a run-scoring single and used a Saint error to motor all the way to third.
Tucker cut the deficit to one, 3-2, with an RBI single up the middle. Tucker would eventually score the game-tying run after stealing third and scoring on a throwing error.
The Saints blew the game open with a seven-run fifth, powered by six hits, including a three-run blast from Sydney Turner.
LC put the run-rule in affect when pinch hitter Tori Noland drove in a pair with a single through the left side in the top of the sixth.
LMC would load the bases in the bottom of the frame, but was unable to push across any runs.
The Bobcats welcome Pfeiffer for a doubleheader Wednesday, April 15 at 3 p.m. in Banner Elk, N.C.
- LMC -
