BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lees-McRae softball powered past Erskine on Saturday afternoon in a Conference Carolinas sweep in Banner Elk. The Bobcats used five home runs over the two games to power past the Flying Fleet.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 7; Erskine – 5
LOCATION: LMC Softball Field – Central, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (13-18/8-7), Erskine (6-29/3-14)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Hannah Foster doubled to the right. center gap for the Bobcats in the bottom of the third. Foster advanced to third on a fly out and Allie Johnston brought Foster home on a two-out RBI double to right field. Lauren Ritchie hit her first of three home runs on the afternoon to give Lees-McRae the 3-0 lead.
- The Bobcats continued their momentum in the bottom of the fourth after Shelby Knaak led off the inning with a single. Lonna Addison delivered a home run over the left-field wall as the Bobcats led 5-0. McKenzie Presson followed with a double to the outfield and Foster singled home pinch runner Kasey Spease for the six-run lead.
- Erskine cut the deficit to five runs in the top of the fifth, but Ritchie launched her second home run of the game to lead off the bottom of the fifth for the Bobcats.
- The Flying Fleet continued to chip away at the deficit with two more runs in the sixth and made things interesting in the seventh after Gabby Burroughs hit a two-run home run over the fence to make the score 7-5. Addison was able to bounce back as the Bobcats grabbed the first game by a score of 7-5.
- Addison, Foster, Johnston, and Ritchie all had two hits in the first game of the day. Ritchie led the Bobcats with two RBIs and Addison followed with two runs batted in.
- Addison also took the win in the circle with a complete game while allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks. Addison struck out seven in the contest.
FOR THE FLYING FLEET:
- Kaylee Odum was handedthe loss after surrendering five runs (five earned) on six hits. Mallory Ruzicka came in relief of Odum and allowed two runs (two earned) on five hits in three innings.
- Burroughs paced Erskine at the plate with two hits and two RBIs. McKinna Taylor had two hits and one RBI in the game.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 8; Erskine – 2
LOCATION: LMC Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (14-18/9-7), Erskine (6-30/3-15)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lees-McRae racked up eight runs on 11 hits in the second game of the day for the 8-2 victory over the Flying Fleet. The Bobcats used six runs in the sixth inning and recorded three extra base hits.
- The Bobcats struck first in the first with Foster scoring a fielding error by Erskine.
- The Flying Fleet knotted the contest at one run after Ellie Rapson hit a RBI single to second base that plated Camryn Jordan. Lees-McRae answered with a run in the bottom of the inning after Foster singled in Destiny Brown on an RBI single.
- Erskine battled back in the fifth after Burrough brought home Kyndall Chandler on an RBI double to left field.
- The Bobcats broke the game open in the sixth after Addison gave the Green and Goldthe two-run advantage on a two-run home run over the left-field wall. Lees-McRae loaded the bases full as Ritchie recorded her third home run of the day to make the score 8-2 in favor of the Bobcats.
- Addison worked around a double to earn the sweep for the Bobcats on Saturday afternoon. Addison earned the victory after throwing three complete innings of relief. Addison struck out five and scattered two hits in the game.
- Logan Zephir went four innings for the Bobcats in the start and gave up two runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out two.
- Ritchie paced the Bobcats with four RBIs on two hits and Addison had two RBIs on her home run. Foster recorded two hits, two walks, and two runs in effort. Nine different Bobcats registered a hit in the game.
FOR THE FLYING FLEET:
- Payton Cox took the loss for Erskine after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits and four walks.
- Burroughs had a team-high three hits in four plate appearances for the Flying. Burroughs and Rapson each tallied an RBI in the nightcap.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae looks to continue its momentum tomorrow with a doubleheader against Francis Marion starting at 1 p.m.
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