BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team swept a doubleheader from Carson-Newman University for the first time in program history. The Tornado came from behind to take game one 4-3 before taking the second game 13-2, the biggest Tornado win in series history.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 4, Carson-Newman 3; King 13, Carson-Newman 2
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 5-3; Carson-Newman 2-8
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Jessica Campbell hit two home runs and drove in eight runs on the day, all coming in the second game.
- The eight runs batted in sets a King record for RBI in a game.
- Tinsley Thompson posted four hits on the day, two in each contest and drove in one in the opening game.
- Lilly Million drove in one on two hits in game one.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Carson-Newman grabbed the lead two batters into the contest with a single from Abbi Martin and double from Macey Hughes.
- The Eagles extended their lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly from Brooke Matyasovsky in the third inning.
- An infield single in the fourth scored one and stretched the Carson-Newman lead to 3-0.
- Haylee Dye sparked the King offense with a one-out triple in the fourth inning and Million followed with a double to get King on the board.
- Million later scored on a Megan Dobrev single, pulling King within 3-2.
- Bradlie Warner started the bottom of the fifth with a double to right center and later scored on a Thompson single to right field, evening the score at three.
- Alyssa Suits dropped down a squeeze bunt that scored Thompson and gave King a 4-3 lead.
- Marleigh Duncan then retired the side in the sixth and seventh to earn her first win of the year.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Marleigh Duncan (1-2) 7.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher: Lexi Lacy (0-1) 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- King got off to a hot start in the first when Suits ripped a single that scored Thompson and Dye took advantage of a defensive miscue to give King a 2-0 lead.
- Nikole Counts then left runners at second and third in the second when she got a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
- Campbell ripped her first home run of the day, a line drive to center field that scored three and gave King a 5-0 lead in the second.
- Carson-Newman scored one in the third before Campbell struck again in the bottom of the inning.
- King plated one run on an Eagle error before Campbell crushed another home run to right field, giving King a 9-1 lead.
- Back-to-back doubles for Carson-Newman scored on run, but Counts retired the next three batters to keep the King lead at 9-2.
- Three straight two-out walks stretched the King lead to 10-2 in the fourth before a Staley Vaught single plated another run.
- Campbell then laced a two-run double down the left field line to give King a 13-2 advantage.
- Counts worked around a two-out walk in the fifth to give King the 13-2 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (2-1) 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Losing Pitcher: Kayleigh Bowers (1-2) 1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Syerra Rogers led Carson-Newman with four hits on the day. She also drove in one.
- Hayden Dye, Martin and Hughes added two hits each.
UP NEXT
- King travels to top-ranked University of North Georgia on Wednesday. First pitch from Dahlonega, Ga. is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
- Carson-Newman hosts Kentucky State University on Wednesday.
