BANNER ELK, N.C. – Megan Powell was dominant in the circle for the Lees-McRae softball team as the Bobcats secured the 5-1 game one victory over No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne on Thursday afternoon.
Hannah Foster recorded two home runs and three RBIs in game two.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 5; No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne – 1
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (11-8/0-0), No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne (22-5/5-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In their first win over Lenoir-Rhyne since 2012, the Bobcats got on the board first in the second inning with Jordyn Scott plating Foster on a RBI single to left field.
- Powell held the Bears off the scoreboard for five complete innings and Powell added insurance runs off a two-run home run in the fourth inning with Emma Jackson rounding the bases also.
- LR cut the deficit to two runs after Powell walked in a run in the sixth inning, but Julie Gast sent a two-run home run over the left-center wall to give Lees-McRae the 5-1 advantage.
- Powell sent the Bears in order in the final frame with back-to-back strikeouts.
- Morgan Crowe paced the Bobcats with two hits in game one of the doubleheader with Gast and Powell providing two-RBI games for Lees-McRae.
- Powell earned her fifth win of the season going the distance in the circle and striking out eight Bears while surrendering one run (one earned) on three hits and eight walks.
FOR THE BEARS
- Anna Blume, Julia Mardigian, and Katelyn Rackard all collected one hit each in the contest with Blume having the lone RBI.
- Morgan Beeler suffered the loss for Lenoir-Rhyne after going 3.1 innings and allowing three runs (three earned) on four hits. Beeler threw a no-hitter on Tuesday afternoon at No. 18 Wingate.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 7; No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne – 9
LOCATION: Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (11-9/0-0), No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne (23-5/5-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In a high-scoring affair in the night cap of the doubleheader, Lenoir-Rhyne grabbed the 9-7 decision.
- LR got on the board in the first inning after Cassidy Wall singled through the left side with Rackard scoring on the play.
- Foster sent her first of two home runs of the afternoon in the bottom of the second with a two-run shot that plated Jackson also.
- The Bears knotted the score in the top half of the third and pushed their lead to 4-2 after Talon LaClair answered with a two-run home run.
- Scott and the Bobcats did not go away as Scott sent a 1-1 count pitch over the left-center fence to cut the lead to one run and the Bobcats took the lead with back-to-back home runs via Foster and Rebecca Grovdahl in the fourth inning.
- Lenoir-Rhyne scored three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead once again at 7-5, but Lees-McRae answered once more with two runs in the bottom half with Crowe scoring off a sacrifice fly and Jackson collecting an RBI single to follow.
- In the sixth inning, the Bears tacked on two more runs and held off the Bobcats in the final two frames for the 9-7 win.
- Foster and Jackson each had multi-hit games for Lees-McRae with Foster having a game-high three RBIs. Grovdahl, Jackson, Powell, and Scott all contributed one RBI in the second game.
- Grayson Buckner took the loss in the circle for the Bobcats after relieving started Jada Wilson. Buckner went 1.2 innings pitched while allowing two runs (two earned) on four hits and striking out one.
FOR THE BEARS:
- Beeler recorded the win after replacing starter Brooklin Heavner in the fifth inning. Beeler collected her 12th win of the season after going three complete innings while giving up two runs (zero earned) on two hits and one walk.
- Wall led the Bears in the win with a three-hit performance and three RBIs also. LaClair followed with two RBIs and had two walks.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae is back on the diamond on Sunday, March 19 for a non-conference doubleheader with Mars Hill.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
