BANNER ELK, N.C – Megan Powell and
Jada Wilson combined for three home runs, including a grand slam by Powell, and 11 RBIs in the opening game, while both Powell and Wilson posted victories in the circle for the Bobcats, as the Lees-McRae softball team clinched a sweep of Chowan in the team's home opener this afternoon. The Bobcats have won four in a row and move to 6-4 in the Conference Carolinas this season.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 13; Chowan – 2 (5 inn.)
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (11-16/5-4), Chowan (7-21/2-7)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Powell went 2 for 3 from the plate with two home runs, six RBIs, and three runs scored, while Wilson went 2 for 2 with a home run, five RBIs and a run scored, to pace the Bobcats in the opening game.
- Aliyah Compton also finished with two hits in the early game to go along with two runs scored.
- Julie Gast and Lauren Ritchie went a combined 2 for 6 from the dish with two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI.
- After a scoreless first inning, Wilson opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning by hiiting an RBI single to center field to score Powell from third base to give the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead.
- Lees-McRae exploded for 11 runs on five hits in the bottom of the third inning to grab momentum and extend the lead to 12-0.
- Compton opened the scoring by crossing the plate on a wild pitch, while Powell connected on a two-run homer in the next at-bat to extend the lead to 4-0.
- Wilson homered a few at-bats later with two runners on base to push the lead to 7-0.
- After Gast doubled to left center to score Ryle Webster and extend the lead to 8-0, Powell connected on a grand slam to push the lead to 12-0.
- Chowan scored both of their runs in the top of the fourth inning to trim the deficit back to 12-2.
- Lees-McRae closed out their scoring in the first game as Wilson hit a sacrifice fly to score Ritchie in the bottom of the fourth inning.
- Wilson did not give up an earned run on two hits in five innings of work for the Bobcats in game one.
FOR THE FOES:
- Two Hawks collected hits in the early game, while Ina Womack, Bailey Wilcox, and Keira Teserovitch combined to give up 11 earned runs on eight hits in the contest.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 7; Chowan – 3
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (12-16/6-4), Chowan (7-22/2-8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Gast went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored to pace the Bobcats in the later game, while Hannah Foster went 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
- Powell went 1 for 4 with two RBIs, while Aliyah Compton went 1 for 4 with a triple and a run scored.
- Jordyn Scott, Ritchie, Emma Jackosn, and Madison Rowe all collected hits for the Bobcats.
- After a scoreless first inning, Ritchie gave the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead by scoring off of a wild pitch in the bottom of the second inning.
- Lees-McRae extended the lead to 3-0 as Gast singled to left center to score both Rowe and Jackson.
- The Bobcats pushed to lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth as Foster singled to score Compton, Gast scored a throwing error by the Hawks who were trying to pick off Foster at second base, and Powell grounded out to scroe Foster.
- Chowan cut the deficit to 6-3 in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run.
- Lees-McRae closed out the game's scoring in the bottom of the sixth as Powell grounded out to score Gast from third base.
- Powell did not give up an earned run on seven hits in seven innings of work to clinch the win in the circle.
FOR THE FOES:
- Haleigh Reid went 2 for 2 from the plate with three RBIs, a home run, and a run scored to pace the Hawks.
- Megan Vincent gave up five earned runs on 11 hits in the circle.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will close out the Conference Carolinas weekend tomorrow as they host Barton in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
