CENTRAL, S.C. --- Sophomore Sarah Tucker continued her hot week with four hits and Karly McRary swiped a pair of bases while the Lees-McRae softball team split with Southern Wesleyan in Conference Carolinas action Friday afternoon at Varsity Field in Central, S.C.
Lees-McRae 8, Southern Wesleyan 3
The Bobcats (7-26, 3-8 CC) scored the most runs in a conference contest since April 13, 2011 (8 vs. St. Andrews) while seven players recorded a hit. The Warriors (16-21, 5-8) struck out nine times while mustering only two hits.
SWU struck for a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after a two-run double from Katie Byrd.
Coach Jaclin Poole's team cut the deficit in half following a run-scoring knock from junior Sarah Beth Ashley (Walkertown, N.C.).
LMC took the lead in the top of third after plating three runs.
Freshman Kara Cunningham (Indian Trail, N.C.) opened the frame with a double before McRary (Marion, N.C.) moved her to third with an infield single.
McRary stole second before Emily Merriam (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) drove in Cunningham on a fielder's choice.
Tucker (Monroe, N.C.) notched a RBI groundout before freshman Noel Cassidy (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) lofted a sacrifice fly to left.
The Bobcats scored four more runs in the top of the fifth. Tucker produced a run-scoring single, plating McRary.
Merriam scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a fielder's choice.
Freshman Brea Lawson (King, N.C.) drove in Tucker with a fielder's choice. Junior Charlie Dutton (Monroe, Ga.) helped her own cause with a RBI single with two outs.
Dutton (2-10) earned the victory after striking out six in four innings of work.
Southern Wesleyan 4, Lees-McRae 0
The Warriors (17-21, 6-8) enjoyed a two-hit performance from leadoff man Sara Sweatt. The Bobcats (7-27, 3-9) used a three-hit performance from Tucker.
SWU used a pair of doubles in the bottom of the fifth to score three runs after using a RBI single in the fourth.
Cunningham (1-10) suffered the loss despite allowing two hits and one run in four innings of work.
Tucker is currently riding a four-game hit streak.
LMC travels to Pfeiffer for a CC doubleheader Saturday, April 9 at 2&4 p.m., respectively, in Misenheimer, N.C.
- LMC -
