SALISBURY, N.C. – The Lees-McRae softball team began its 2026 season this afternoon in a doubleheader at Catawba. Catawba took both games by final scores of 9-1 and 13-5.
Allie Johnston led the Bobcats with four hits, four RBIs, and two home runs.
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Catawba – 9, Lees-McRae – 1 F/6
LOCATION: Whitley Field – Salisbury, North Carolina
RECORDS: Catawba (2-3); Lees-McRae (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Johnston got the Bobcats on the board in the fifth inning with a solo home run.
- Catawba started the game with two runs in the first and ended the first game with a solo home run in the sixth inning for the 9-1 win.
- Taylor Beurrier, Maycee Tickle, and Logan Zephir joined Johnston with one hit apiece in the game.
- Zephir took the loss in the circle for the Bobcats after going two innings while allowing two runs (two earned) on three hits and one strikeout.
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Catawba – 13, Lees-McRae – 5 F/5
LOCATION: Whitley Field – Salisbury, North Carolina
RECORDS: Catawba (3-3); Lees-McRae (0-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Beurrier led off the second game with a solo home run in the first inning. Abby Hatley continued with a single up the middle and Johnston drove in Hatley with a two-run home run.
- Catawba answered with three runs in the bottom of the first and took the one-run lead in the second inning.
- Johnston continued her strong start with an RBI single up the middle to score Hatley in the third inning. Catawba recorded four more runs in the bottom of the third and five more runs in the fourth for the 13-5 win.
- Johnston went 3-3 with three RBIs and one run scored in the game. Hatley followed with a multi-hit game and three runs scored.
- Georgia McConnell was handed the loss after coming in relief and throwing one and two-thirds innings pitched. McConnell allowed four runs (zero earned) on three hits.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae faces Shaw in Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on X (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
