BANNER ELK, N.C. – Seven different Bobcats hit home runs, while
Charlsy Traylor posted a pair of victories in the circle, as the Lees-McRae softball team tallied 17 runs on 24 hits to clinch the doubleheader sweep of visiting Belmont Abbey in the Conference Carolinas twin bill this afternoon.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 11; Belmont Abbey – 6
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (11-24/6-11), Belmont Abbey (17-12/13-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Six Bobcats posted multiple hits in game one, led by Hannah Foster and Christian Welch who each went 3 for 4 and finished with a combined six RBIs and four runs scored.
- Katelyn Wyatt went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Amber Corvin, Lauren Ritchie, and Mallory Myers also finished with a pair of hits.
- After Belmont Abbey opened the scoring with a three-run first inning, the Bobcats cut the deficit to 3-1 on a lead-off home run by Foster.
- The Crusaders extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the second inning.
- Lees-McRae used a pair of RBI singles by Foster and Ritchie to cut the lead to a 5-3 and a sacrifice fly by Corvin to trim the deficit to 5-4.
- Welch and Myers closed the second inning on back-to-back singles to give the Bobcats a 6-5 lead.
- After the Crusaders evened the score at 6-6 in the top of the fifth, Lees-McRae used home runs by Welch and Myers and a two-RBI single by Wyatt to extend the lead to 11-6.
- Traylor shut down Belmont Abbey in the final two innings to clinch the win in the circle by giving up only one earned run on eight hits in seven innings of work.
FOR THE FOES:
- Hailey Gass finished 4 for 4 with three RBIs to lead the Crusaders in game one.
- Four pitchers saw action in the circle for Belmont Abbey, with Alannah Browne being credited with the loss.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 6; Belmont Abbey – 2
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (12-24/7-11), Belmont Abbey (17-13/13-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Ritchie finished 2 for 3 from the plate with two RBIs in game two to pace the Bobcats, while Sarah Beth Thomas was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
- Julie Gast, Traylor, Foster, Wyatt, and Corvin all also registered a hit in game two.
- Belmont Abbey opened the scoring for the second-consecutive game by scoring on a home run in the first inning.
- After pushing the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third, the Bobcat used a two-run home run by Thomas to even the score.
- Lees-McRae broke the deadlock with a solo home run by Wyatt in the bottom of the fourth.
- The Bobcats closed out the game's scoring on a lead-off home run by Traylor and a two-run home run by Ritchie in the bottom of the sixth.
- Traylor only gave up two runs on six hits in game two to earn her second victory of the day.
FOR THE FOES:
- Sydney Pon finished 2 for 3 from the plate with two RBIs to pace the Crusaders in the later game.
- Annabeth Watkins gave up three runs on five hits to be credited with the loss for Belmont Abbey.
NOTEWORTHY:
- The seven home runs hit by the Bobcats in the doubleheader are the most in a twin bill since the 2010 season.
- The Bobcats ended the Crusaders' 13-game winning streak.
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).
