BRISTOL, Tenn. –
Nikole Counts and
Haley Mullins combined to throw a no-hitter for the King University softball team in a 21-0 rout of Converse to close out their Conference Carolinas doubleheader. King won the first game 8-0 in six innings.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 8, Converse 0 (6 innings); King 21, Converse 0 (5 innings)
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 29-15, 12-6 Conference Carolinas; Converse 1-41, 0-18 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Haylee Dye went 5-for-8 at the plate, with three doubles and two RBI along with a successful stolen base.
- Samantha Helms drove in six runs, while going 3-for-4 at the plate and scoring three runs as well.
- Carly Turner threw the full six innings in game one, allowing no runs on three hits with seven strikeouts.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Neither team was able to score early, with King loading the bases in the second inning before a double play killed the scoring chance.
- The Tornado finally broke through in the fourth, scoring six runs on five hits, including a two-RBI triple down the left field line courtesy of Erin Foster that made the score 4-0.
- Dye and Turner then hit back-to-back doubles to left field, with both resulting in runs to make it a 6-0 lead for King.
- After stranding a pair in the fifth, King put the finishing touches on the game in the sixth, starting with a leadoff double by Foster.
- After a pair of hit by pitches loaded the bases, a wild pitch allowed Foster to score, making the score 7-0.
- The final blow came off the bat of Camryn Haag, who singled to right center field to score Tori Ryan with the game-winning run, 8-0.
OF RECORD
- Winning Pitcher: Carly Turner (8-1) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
- Losing Pitcher: Maggie Griffis (1-13) 5.1 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- It didn't take until the fourth inning for King to score in game two, as in the bottom of the first Due hit a one-out double, advancing to third on a passed ball and scoring on a Turner single to left field to give King an early 1-0 lead.
- The second inning was a big one for the Tornado, as they scored 11 runs on 10 hits.
- The inning started with eight straight Tornado reaching base, including a three-run home run from Helms, an RBI double from Lilly Million and an RBI single for Peyton Day.
- After the Valkyries made a pitching change, the Tornado resumed their offensive outburst, as Dye singled to put two on for Turner, who singled to right field, with two runs scoring on a throwing error by the right fielder to make it 8-0.
- After adding four more runs, the inning came to an end on a line drive double play.
- King would be held off the board in the third, but resumed their onslaught in the fourth, where they scored nine runs on four hits and six Converse errors.
- Dye stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third and reached base on a fielding error by the third baseman, allowing both runners to score while Dye advanced to third base.
- After taking an 18-0 lead, Helms hit a double to center field, scoring Maggie Deel and Chelsea Sams, extending the lead to 20-0.
- The Tornado scored one final run in the inning, when Dye doubled down the left field line to score Helms before a groundout to third ended the inning.
- In the top of the fifth, Mullins struck out the first two batters before getting Madeline Mod to lineout to center fielder Ryan, who made a diving play to end the game and seal the perfect game for the Tornado.
OF RECORD
- Winning Pitcher: Haley Mullins (2-0) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
- Losing Pitcher: Emily Ingle (0-6) 3.2 IP, 7 H, 13 R, 4 Er, 3 BB, 2 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Grace McKinney, Griffis and Madeline Modica had the only three hits of the day for the Valkyries, all of which came in the first game. McKinney also drew a walk and was hit by a pitch.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- This was the first no-hitter for the Tornado since March 17, 2021 when Carly Turner threw a perfect game in a 23-0 win over Bluefield State College.
- This was the second time that King has had a combined no-hitter against Converse, with the last being April 20, 2017 when three pitchers combined in a 12-0 win.
- The 21 runs scored in the second game was the most since that March 17, 2021 game against Bluefield State
UP NEXT
- The Tornado are back in action Friday afternoon, when they host Lander University in a nonconference doubleheader, scheduled for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
- Converse is in action Thursday, when they host North Greenville University in another Conference Carolinas match.
