BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lees-McRae softball combined for 15 runs and five home runs in today's Conference Carolinas sweep of Converse.
Brooks Eaddy recorded three home runs over the two contests and six Bobcat seniors were recognized before today's doubleheader.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 3; Converse – 2
LOCATION: LMC Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (17-22/12-11), Converse (17-36/6-17)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Eaddy got the Bobcats on the board first with a leadoff home run in the second inning Converse answered in the fourth with a solo home run.
- Lees-McRae broke the 1-1 tie with Eaddy's second home run of the game in the fifth with Morgan Crowe scoring on the play.
- The Valkyries got back one run in the seventh, but Lonna Addison held Converse to two runs for the 3-2 win.
- Addison earned her 14th win of the season after going the distance in the circle for the Bobcats. The freshman pitcher collected 11 strikeouts while allowing two runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk.
- Eaddy produced all three RBIs in the game and led the Bobcats with two hits and two runs. Jenna Bullard joined Eaddy with a multi-hit performance. Addison and Crowe chipped in one hit apiece.
FOR THE VALKYRIES:
- Riley Lingerfelt was dealt the loss for Converse after going six innings of work and surrendering three runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks. Lingerfelt struck out 11 on the day.
- Kiarra Thomas and Sydney Watson had one RBI each with both coming off solo home runs.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 12; Converse – 7
LOCATION: LMC Softball Field – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (18-22/13-11), Converse (17-37/6-18)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lees-McRae capped off its regular season with a 12-7 win over Converse and went 4-0 over the Valkyries in 2024.
- The Valkyries scored the first run of the contest after a RBI single from Madeline Modica in the first inning.
- The Bobcats answered in the bottom of the first with four runs. Lauren Ritchie collected a RBI groundout that scored Hannah Foster to tie the game at one run. Eaddy launched her third home run of the day to give the Bobcats the 3-1 advantage and Allie Johnston followed Eaddy with a home run over center field.
- Lees-McRae registered five runs in the bottom of the third for the 9-2 advantage over Converse. Ritchi scored the fifth run of the game for the Bobcats on a throwing error from Converse's catcher. Destiny Brown plated Eaddy on a single to center field and Logan Zephir brought in Johnston on fielder's choice.
- Crowe continued the scoring in the third with a triple that scored Foster and Zephir.
- Converse made things interesting in the fourth with four runs after the Bobcats tallied five runs in third. The Bobcats answered once again with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and took the final, 12-7.
- Zephir earned her fourth win of the season after going four complete innings and allowing six runs (six earned) on 10 hits and one walk. Addison collected her third save of the season while going three innings of relief work.
- Brown, Crowe, Eaddy, and Ritchie all had two RBIs in the contest while Johnston and Eaddy collected three hits each in the win.
FOR THE VALKYRIES:
- Victoria Dichio took the loss for Converse after allowing four runs (zero earned) on three hits in two-thirds of an inning pitched.
- Watson paced the Valkyries with four RBIs and four players from Converse had two hits in the contest.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae now enters the 2024 Conference Carolinas Softball Championship as the No. 6 and will start play in Duncan, South Carolina on Thursday, April 25.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on X (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
