BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lauren Ritchie,
Megan Powell,
Jordyn Scott, and
Rylie Webster all hit home runs in the second inning of game two, an inning in which the Bobcats tallied 12 run on eight hits, while Powell also struck out nine batters to collect her ninth win of the season, to lead the Lees-McRae softball team to a 16-3 win in the later game to salvage a split against Emory & Henry in the non-conference doubleheader this afternoon. The Bobcats fell short in a 9-4 loss in game one.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Emory & Henry – 9; Lees-McRae – 4
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Emory & Henry (26-14), Lees-McRae (16-23)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Emma Jackson went 3 for 3 from the plate with a double and two runs scored to pace the Bobcats in the early game, while Ritchie went 2 for 3 with a double and a solo home run.
- Aliyah Compton and Webster both went 2 for 3 from the dish, with Webster also collecting an RBI.
- Julie Gast and Hannah Foster also finished with hits in game one, with Gast also tallying a pair of RBIs.
- After a scoreless first inning, Ritchie led off with a solo home run in the bottom of the second to give the Bobcats the early lead in game one.
- The Wasps responded with a run in the top of the fifth to even the score.
- Gast hit a two-RBI single to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to score both Compton and Jackson to give the Bobcats a 3-1 lead.
- A three-run home run for Emory & Henry in the top of the sixth gave the Wasps a 4-3 lead and five runs on five hits in the top of the seventh extended the lead to 9-3.
- Webster singled up the middle to score Jackson to trim the deficit to 9-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, but a final out gave the Wasps the win in the early game.
- Jada Wilson and Jasmine Fong gave up seven earned runs on 12 hits in game one for the Bobcats.
FOR THE FOES:
- Five Wasps collected multiple hits in the early game, led by Reece Chasteen with a home run and four RBIs.
- Avery Adkins gave up four runs on 11 hits to earn the win in the circle for Emory & Henry.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 16; Emory & Henry – 3 (5 inn.)
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (17-23), Emory & Henry (26-15)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Compton went 3 for 3 from the plate with a triple and three runs scored, while Powell and Scott both went 2 for 3 from the dish and tallied a combined two home runs, four runs scored, and two RBIs to pace the Bobcats in the second game.
- Webster went 1 for 1 with a grand slam, while Ritchie went 1 for 4 with a three-run home run.
- Gast went 1 for 1 with two RBIs, a run scored, and two walks, with Jannon Glaspie going 1 for 1 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
- Foster and Jackson also collected hits for the Bobcats in the later game.
- Lees-McRae opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Gast hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Compton and give the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead.
- The Bobcats exploded for 12 runs on eight hits in the bottom of the second inning to extend the lead to 13-0.
- Webster started things off with a one-out grand slam to left-center field to score Glaspie, Jackson, and Powell and extend the lead to 5-0.
- Foster hit a single up the middle to score Compton to push the lead to 6-0.
- Ritchie hit a three-run home run in the next at-bat to score Foster and Gast to extend the deficit to 9-0.
- Powell and Scott hit home runs in the next two at-bats, combined with Ritchie's to give the Bobcats home runs in three consecutive at-bats, to push the lead to 11-0.
- Glaspie and Webster both scored on wild pitches to close out the second-inning scoring for the Bobcats.
- The Wasps cut into the deficit by scoring three runs in the top of the third inning.
- Glaspie singled up the middle in the bottom of the third inning to score both Jackson and Scott and push the lead back to 15-3.
- Gast closed out the game's scoring with a double to left center to score Compton from third base.
- Powell surrendered three earned runs on five hits and struck out nine batters to clinch the win in the circle for the Bobcats.
FOR THE FOES:
- Five different Wasps collected hits in game two, while Anna Thomas, Olivia Yates, MaKayla Dowdy, and Grace Harper combined to give up 15 earned runs on 13 hits in the circle.
FOR THE FOES:
- This marks the third time since 2010 that the Bobcats have tallied four home runs in a single game.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will host Emmanuel (Ga.) on Friday, April 22 for Senior Day with the doubleheader 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).
