CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Lees-McRae softball team tallied 14 runs on 21 hits, including a combined seven-RBI performance from
Lauren Ritchie and
Kasey Spease and two homeruns from the plate and nine strikeouts in the circle for
Megan Powell, en route to claiming an 8-4 come-from-behind victory over the University of Charleston and a 6-2 win over host Queens (N.C.) to close out the Queens Round Robin this afternoon.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 8; University of Charleston – 4
LOCATION: Tuckaseegee Dream Fields – Charlotte, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (2-5), University of Charleston (0-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Aliyah Compton, Emma Jackson, Hannah Foster, and Ritchie all finished with multiple hits in game one to pace the Bobcats, combining for four RBIs, a triple and five runs scored.
- Spease also went 1 for 1 from the plate with a two-RBI double, while Jordyn Scott, Jannon Glaspie and Jada Wilson also collected hits, including a two-run homerun by Wilson.
- After a scoreless first inning, Charleston opened the scoring in the top of the second inning with three runs on two hits and later extended their lead to 4-0 on a solo homerun in the top of the third.
- Lees-McRae responded in the bottom of the fourth with a two-RBI double by Spease with two outs that scored both Jackson and Foster.
- Wilson followed up Spease's double with a two-run homerun to even the score at 4-4.
- The Bobcats reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Ritchie singled with two outs that scored Foster, who connected on a triple a few pitches earlier.
- Lees-McRae closed out the game's scoring in the bottom of the sixth as a Jackson single scored Glaspie from third base and a single by Ritchie scored both Jackson and Compton to extend the lead to 8-4.
- The Bobcats held off the Eagles in the top of the seventh to clinch the non-conference sweep.
- Raygan Rensing and Jada Wilson gave up a combined four earned runs on four hits in seven innings of work.
FOR THE FOES:
- Four Eagles collected his in the opening game of the day, led by Hannah Rose who went 1 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
- Danielle Bauer surrendered eight runs on 12 hits to be credited with the loss in the circle.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 6; Queens (N.C.) – 2
LOCATION: Tuckaseegee Dream Fields – Charlotte, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (3-5), Queens (N.C.) (5-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Powell paced the Bobcats in the later game, going 3 for 3 from the plate with two homeruns, three RBIS and two runs scored.
- Julie Gast and Foster also finished with multiple hits in the second game, with Spease going 1 for 2 from the plate with two RBIS and two walks.
- Ritchie also went 1 for 3 from the plate with a walk and two runs scored.
- After a scoreless first inning, Lees-McRae opened the scoring in the top of the second inning as Powell hit a two-run homerun to give the Bobcats the early lead.
- The Bobcats extended the lead in the top of the third inning as Spease singled up the middle that scored both Foster and Ritchie to push the lead to 5-0.
- Queens responded with a single run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 5-1.
- Powell pushed the lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth with a lead-off solo homerun.
- Lees-McRae held the Royals to only one run on two hits in the final three innings to clinch the non-conference win.
- Powell struck out nine batters and only allowed two runs on five hits to earn the win in the circle for the Bobcats.
FOR THE FOES:
- Kayla Smith went 2 for 3 from the plate to pace the Royals, while Kaylee DeJesus chipped in two RBIs
- Jordan Dunn and Khristen McPherson gave up six earned runs on nine hits in the circle for Queens.
NOTEWORTHY:
- Megan Powell becomes only the fifth Bobcat since the 2017 season with a multiple home runs in a single game.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will travel to Emory, Virginia on Wednesday, Feb. 16 for a non-conference doubleheader against Emory & Henry starting 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).
