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Box Score 2 BRISTOL, Tenn. – The conditions may not have been perfect, but the King University softball started their season by splitting a doubleheader with Lee University in chilly Bristol. The Tornado took the first game 3-0 behind a solid performance from pitcher Morgan Lowe before the Flames bounced back for a 7-2 win in the nightcap.
Lowe couldn't have started her season any better, striking out the first batter on three pitches and sitting the Flames (6-2) down in order in the first inning. She go run support in the bottom of the first inning from Chrissy Melcher as the senior ripped a 1-2 pitch deep off the scoreboard in left center field to give the Tornado (1-1) an early 1-0 lead.
King tacked on a pair of runs in the second inning when Amber Walker started a two out rally with a single to center field. Kelsie Craighead then ripped a well-placed triple down the right field line that scored Walker. Craighead then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 3-0 Tornado lead.
The Flames had a scoring opportunity in the third inning with back-to-back singles to start the frame. However, Lowe got a groundout before Hannah Smith threw out a would-be base stealer and Lowe induced fly ball to left to end the threat. Lowe again stranded a pair of Flame runners in the fourth as she tossed the complete game on 99 pitches. She only allowed five hits and struck out three.
Melcher led the offense with her first home run of the year while Craighead drove in one and scored another. Stephanie Rodriguez accounted for the fourth Tornado hit in the win.
In game two, the Lee bats woke up as they threatened early, but pitcher Hollyn Franklin stranded runners on second and third in the first inning. However, the Flames got on the board in the third inning as Dominique Hannah plated two with a triple to right center. Lee plated two more before King turned a double play on a line drive to Melcher at short. Rachel Polacek added the fifth run of the frame with a double to left center, and King threw out another runner trying to score at the plate to end the frame. The Flames added two more runs in the fourth inning to stretch their lead to 7-0.
King tried to come back in the sixth inning when Diamond Callwood led off the inning with a single up the middle. Smith then ripped a one-out single to left before Amber Palmer scored Callwood with a single to right center. Amanda Sports then drove in Rodriguez who pinch ran for Smith to make the score 7-2 after six innings.
However, the Tornado went down in order in the seventh as the Flames took the contest 7-2.
Amanda Wright paced the offense with two hits while Palmer and Sports each drove in a run fot the Tornado.
King will be in action again this weekend when they travel to Savannah, Ga. King will face Lenoir-Rhyne University at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a tilt with #8 and host Armstrong State University at 12:00 p.m. King will face the same two teams again on Sunday.
