MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The Lees-McRae softball team split their doubleheader on the road this afternoon at Mount Olive. The Bobcats used three home runs in the first contest for a 5-2 victory over Mount Olive.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 5; Mount Olive – 2
LOCATION: Nancy Chapman Field – Mount Olive, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (8-11/3-0), Mount Olive (20-8/1-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Hannah Foster led off the day with a five-pitch walk and Allie Johnston drove her in with a two-run home run over the center field wall.
- The Trojans tied the contest at 2-2 with a two-run home run via Lark Collins.
- The two sides were even through four innings, but Lees-McRae broke the tie with three runs in the fifth. Foster homered over the left field wall for the 4-2 advantage for the Bobcats and Lauren Ritchie followed with a solo home run.
- Lonna Addison shut down the Trojan offense with scoreless innings in the final three frames. Addison was electric in the circle for the Bobcats with eight strikeouts in the complete game. Addison moved her season record to 7-7 and lowered her season to 2.66 on the day.
- Foster compiled two hits and one walk in four plate appearances and two RBIs to lead the Bobcats. Johnston followed with one hit and two RBIs. Brooks Eaddy joined Addison and Ritchie with one hit apiece.
FOR THE TROJANS:
- Collins had the lone runs batted in for Mount Olive with two and two hits. Emma Mooney, Olivia Reardon, and Cana Shrock collected one hit each in the first game.
- Hannah Killough took the loss in game one while going five innings and surrendering five runs (five earned) on five hits and two walks. Killough struck out seven in the game.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 1; Mount Olive – 5
LOCATION: Nancy Chapman Field – Mount Olive, Tennessee
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (8-12/3-1), Mount Olive (21-8/2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Mount Olive got on the board first in the second game with a sacrifice fly from Collins.
- Johnston extended her hit streak to six games with a RBI double in the third inning. Mount Olive answered with a solo home run in third from Emily Cassidy.
- The Trojans scored three more runs in the fourth inning and earned the 5-1 victory in game two.
- Logan Zephir suffered the loss for the Bobcats after going 3.1 innings pitched in the start. Zephir allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and one walk while striking out one. Addison tallied six strikeouts in two and two-thirds of relief.
- Morgan Crowe, Foster, Johnston, and Ritchie all had one hit in the second game of the doubleheader.
FOR THE TROJANS:
- Callie Thornton went 9-1 on the season with a complete-game victory in game two. Thornton allowed one run (one earned) on four hits while striking out four on the day.
- Carly Curcio paced the Trojans with two RBIs on one hit and one run. Cassidy followed with two hits and one RBI.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae hosts Belmont Abbey on Tuesday, March 19 for a doubleheader in Banner Elk. The two games with the Crusaders is the Bobcats' home opener of the 2024 season.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on X (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram.
