BANNER ELK, N.C. – Julie Gast,
Lauren Ritchie, and
Sarah Beth Thomas all posted multiple hits and combined for seven RBIs as the Lees-McRae softball team tallied 13 runs on 11 hits in game one, including eight runs on three home runs in the first inning, to earn a split against visiting Converse in the Conference Carolinas twin bill this afternoon.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 13; Converse – 0
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (10-23/5-10), Converse (4-30/1-12)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Gast finished 2 for 4 from the plate with three RBIs, a home run, and a double to pace the Bobcats in game one.
- Thomas and Ritchie both went 2 for 3 and combined for four RBIs, four runs scored, and a pair of home runs.
- Mallory Myers finished 1 for 1 with two RBIs and two walks drawn, while Hannah Foster, Katelyn Wyatt, Christian Welch, and Amber Corvin all registered a hit.
- Lees-McRae sprinted out of the gates in the opening game by connecting on a pair of home runs by Thomas and Gast (the team's first two at-bats) to take an early 2-0 lead.
- Two batters later, the Bobcats extended the lead to 5-0 on an RBI double by Wyatt and a two-run home run by Ritchie.
- Lees-McRae closed out the inning by scoring three runs off a pair of Valkyries errors to take an 8-0 lead.
- After scoring their ninth run on a walk with bases loaded, the Bobcats pushed the lead to 12-0 on an RBI single by Thomas and a double by Gast that scored both Myers and Corvin.
- Lees-McRae closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Myers.
- Charlsy Traylor was credited with the win in the circle, giving up only two hits in four innings of work. Jenna Bullard pitched the final inning in relief.
FOR THE FOES:
- Maria Luce and Moriah Gomez both registered a hit for the Valkyries in game one.
- Jordan Moore and Daija Irizarry shared time in the circle, scattering 10 earned runs on 11 hits in four innings of work.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Converse – 9; Lees-McRae – 4
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Converse (5-30/2-12), Lees-McRae (10-24/5-11),
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Traylor paced the Bobcats in game two, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Thomas finished 1 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored, while both Wyatt and Richie both went 1 for 3 with an RBI each.
- Corvin and Myers also registered a hit in game two.
- Lees-McRae opened the scoring for the second-consecutive game on back-to-back RBI singles by Wyatt and Richie in the bottom of the first to give the Bobcats an early 2-0 lead.
- After a scoreless second inning, Converse scored three runs on four hits in the top of the third inning to reclaim the lead.
- The Valkyries scored two more runs in the top of the fourth and in the top of the fifth inning to push the lead to 7-2.
- The Bobcats were able to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth as Thomas doubled to right-center to score Myers and Traylor snuck a single down the left-field line to score Thomas to trim the deficit to 7-4.
- Converse scored two late insurance markers in the top of the seventh to complete the scoring.
- Traylor gave up seven earned runs on 13 hits in 6.1 innings of work to register the loss. Wyatt gave up one run on one hit in 0.2 innings of relief.
FOR THE FOES:
- Abbigale Outlaw went 3 for 4 in game two with a pair of runs scored to pace the Valkyries.
- Reagan Owens was credited with the win in the circle, giving up only four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will host Belmont Abbey in a conference doubleheader on Friday. The twin bill starts at 1 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
