HICKORY, N.C. – Lonna Addison propelled the Lees-McRae softball team to a 3-1 victory over No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne in the first game on Thursday afternoon. Addison went the distance and struck out 11 Bears while only surrendering one run (one earned) on four hits and three walks.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 3; No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne – 1
LOCATION: Bears Field – Hickory, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (3-4), No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne (10-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The two sides were stuck in a pitcher's duel as Addison and Lauren Rakes matched each other with no runs scored in the first five frames.
- Lees-McRae broke the ice in the top of the sixth after Lauren Ritchie blasted a two-run shot over the left field wall to give the Bobcats the two-run advantage. LR got back one run in the bottom of the sixth after Julia Mardigian hit a solo home run.
- Addison gave herself insurance with a solo home run in the top of the seventh and worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-1 win in Hickory.
- Hannah Foster and McKenzie Presson joined Addison and Ritchie with one hit in the game.
- Addison earned her third victory of the season after going the full seven innings and setting a season-high with 11 strikeouts in the performance.
FOR THE BEARS:
- Rakes went seven innings of work for Lenoir-Rhyne and allowed three runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks.
- Julia Mardigian had two hits and one RBI to pace the Bears. Katelyn Rackard and Lora Beth Wood each collected a hit in the first game of the day.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 2; No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne – 10
LOCATION: Bears Field – Hickory, North Carolina
RECORDS: No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne (10-4), Lees-McRae (3-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lenoir-Rhyne earned the split in the doubleheader with the 10-2 victory over the Bobcats. The Bears scored in all five innings with two three-run innings in the second and four frames.
- The Bobcats cut the deficit to two runs after Beurrier's sacrifice fly in the third and a two-out RBI double via Ritchie.
- Leah DiBello suffered the loss in the circle after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in two innings of work.
FOR THE BEARS:
- Faith Carrigan secured the win for Lenoir-Rhyne after going 2.1 innings of relief in the second contest.
- Madison Wilson went 4-4 at the plate and recorded one RBI while Lora Beth Wood had five RBIs and two hits.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae faces South Atlantic Conference member on Sunday, Feb. 25 with Limestone in Gaffney, South Carolina starting at 1 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on X (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
