DUNCAN, S.C. – Grayson Buckner kept the Lees-McRae softball team alive in the 2023 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament with a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the eighth in an elimination game against fourth-seeded Emmanuel (Ga.).
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 9; Francis Marion – 10 F/8
LOCATION: Tyger River Park – Duncan, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (31-17/17-7), Francis Marion (39-11/17-7)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In the first game of the day, Lees-McRae fell 10-9 in extra innings to Francis Marion after the Patriots scored seven of their 10 runs in the final four frames of the winner's bracket contest.
- Lauren Ritchie answered Francis Marion in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run over the left-field fence as the Bobcats led 2-0.
- Emma Jackson started a two-out rally in the third with a RBI single to third base as Julie Gast scored on the play. Hannah Foster singled up the middle to score both Buckner and Megan Powell.
- Ritchie singled through the left side to give Lees-McRae the 6-2 advantage through three full innings.
- Francis Marion scored one in the top half of the fourth, but the Bobcats answered once more after a two RBI single via Powell.
- Megan Matsil, Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, knotted the score at eight runs after a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. The Bobcats were retired in order as the two sides went to extra innings.
- Francis Marion took their first lead of the game since the second inning with two runs in the eighth to lead 10-8.
- Jordyn Scott led the bottom of the eighth off with a double to center field as Rylie Webster and Scott were now in scoring position for the Bobcats.
- Gast plated Webster with an RBI groundout and Powell drew a five-pitch walk to have runners at the corners. Francis Marion survived the contest with the 10-9 win after Buckner's line drive off the bat was caught by the right fielder to end the game.
FOR THE PATRIOTS:
- Makayla Cuthbertson, Taylor Watford, and Reagan Glanz all notched two hits in the win and four Patriots drove in two runs each.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 1; Emmanuel – 0
LOCATION: Tyger River Park – Duncan, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (32-17/17-7), Emmanuel (30-21/15-7)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In their elimination game, the Bobcats and the Lions battled with neither side scoring in regulation.
- Powell was terrific once again for Lees-McRae in the circle and tossed a complete-game shutout to keep the Bobcats alive in the 2023 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament.
- Powell held Emmanuel off the scoring column in the top of the eighth and set the stage for a walk-off victory in the bottom half of the inning.
- Gast advanced Crowe on a sacrifice bunt and Powell drew a four-pitch to have runners at the corners. Buckner sent a line drive to the right center and Crowe touched home plate as the Bobcats earned the 1-0 victory and staved off elimination on Saturday.
FOR THE LIONS:
- Ellee Varner paced Emmanuel with two hits and Kinsley Goolsby had the other base knock for the Lions.
- Maddie Edwards suffered her fifth loss of the season after surrendering the game-winning run in the eighth.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae will now play No. 1 King tomorrow afternoon in an elimination game starting at 2 p.m. in Duncan, South Carolina.
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