SPARTANBURG, S.C – Megan Powell pitched her first career no-hitter in a 3-0 win in game two, the program's third no-hitter since the 2005 season, while
Jordyn Scott went a combined 5 for 8 from the plate with seven RBIs, two doubles, and two runs scored, to lead the Lees-McRae softball team to a sweep of host Converse in the Conference Carolinas doubleheader this afternoon. The Bobcats won the first game by a score of 14-2.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 14; Converse – 2 (5 inn.)
LOCATION: Tyger River Stadium – Spartanburg, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (9-16/3-4), Converse (1-30/0-7)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Julie Gast went 3 for 3 from the plate with a double, three runs scored, and an RBI, while Scott went 3 for 4 with a team-high five RBIS and two runs scored.
- Lauren Ritchie also went 3 for 4 from the dish with two RBIs, while Hannah Foster and Jada Wilson combined for four hits, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
- Rylie Webster finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs, while Aliyah Compton and Kasey Spease also collected hits and Emma Jackson tallied a run scored and an RBI.
- Lees-McRae opened the scoring in the top of the first as Gast doubled to left field to score Compton and Jackson reached first on an error to score Gast to give the Bobcats an early 2-0 lead.
- Converse scored in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1.
- After a scoreless second inning, the Bobcats used a two-RBI single by Scott, an RBI single by Ritchie, and a two-RBI single by Webster to extend the lead to 7-1 in the third inning.
- The Valkyries scored their final run in the bottom of the third to trim the deficit to 7-2.
- Foster hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 8-2, while Scott hit a two-RBI double and Wilson followed up with an RBI single of her own to push the lead to 11-2.
- Lees-McRae continued their scoring in the fourth as Ritchie doubled to left field to score Wilson to give the Bobcats a 12-2 lead.
- The Bobcats closed out their scoring in the top of the fifth as Foster doubled to center field to score Gast and Scott singled to left field to score Foster to extend the lead to 14-2.
- Lees-McRae held Converse scoreless in the bottom of the fifth to clinch the conference win.
- Wilson surrendered only one earned run on five hits to clinch her fourth win of the season in the circle.
FOR THE FOES:
- Two Valkyries finished with multiple hits, while Maggie Griffis and Belle Roper gave up only seven earned runs on 17 hits for Converse in the circle.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 3; Converse – 0
LOCATION: Tyger River Stadium – Spartanburg, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (10-16/4-4), Converse (1-31/0-8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Scott went 2 for 4 from the plate to go along with a double and two RBIs to pace the Bobcats in the later game.
- Meredith Summey collected the other RBI in the game, while Gast and Ritchie both finished with a hit and a runs scored.
- Powell also collected a hit in the second game, while Hannah Foster scored a run.
- Lees-McRae opened the scoring for the second consecutive game as Scott doubled to left field to score both Foster and Gast to give the Bobcats an early 2-0 lead.
- After holding the Valkyries in check in the bottom of the inning, Summey scored Ritchie from third base on a hit back to the pitcher.
- Powell and Emily Ingle were locked in a pitcher's dual for the remainder of the contest with no runs scored and only four hits.
- Lees-McRae held on for the conference sweep after Powell completed her first no-hitter.
- Powell finished with six walks and a season-high 14 strikeouts, the most by a Bobcat since 2019, to earn her fifth win of the season in the circle.
FOR THE FOES:
- Emily Ingle gave up one earned run on five hits in seven innings of work for Converse.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will return to Banner Elk for the first time this season as they host Chowan in a Conference Carolinas twin bill on Friday, April 1 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).
