LAKELAND, Fla. – The King University played a pair of solid contests on Wednesday at Florida Southern College. The Tornado dropped game on 2-0, but came back to win game two 2-1 with a run in the seventh inning.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Florida Southern 2, King 0; King 2, Florida Southern 1
LOCATION: Chris Bellotto Field; Lakeland, Fla.
RECORDS: King 13-6; Florida Southern 8-12
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Jessica Campbell posted six hits in seven at bats on the day and scored the game-winning run in the seventh inning of game two.
- Haylee Dye laced two doubles in game two.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The contest was a pitcher's duel as King's Savana Luper only gave up two hits over six innings.
- The Tornado posted five hits in the contest, two from leadoff hitter Campbell.
- Both teams stranded a running in the first inning before Luper left a pair of Moccasins on base in the second.
- A walk started the Florida Southern half of the third inning before a King defensive miscue on a sacrifice bunt allowed one run to score.
- A groundout then scored the second run, giving Florida Southern a 2-0 lead.
- Lilly Million singled in the fifth, but was stranded and Alyssa Suits started the seventh inning with a single.
- An Aviah Bunsic infield single put two Tornado runners on with one out.
- However, Ashley Blessin got the final two outs to give Florida Southern the 2-0 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Ashley Blessin (4-4) 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
Losing Pitcher: Savana Luper (4-2) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- The Tornado got off to a hot start with a Campbell single, and following a pair of outs, Haylee Dye laced a double.
- However, the Moccasins left King runners at second and third in the inning.
- Nikole Counts worked around a leadoff baserunner before retiring the next six hitters.
- Campbell started the third inning with a single and was sacrificed to second base before scoring on another Dye double to give King a 1-0 lead.
- Florida Southern evened the score in the fourth inning on a two-out bases loaded walk, but Counts got a strikeout to end the inning with the bases loaded.
- In the sixth, Million and Bunsic recorded back-to-back singles to start the inning, putting runners on second and third with no outs.
- However, a flyout turned into a double play as the Moccasins cut down the go-ahead run at the plate.
- A Campbell one-triple in the seventh ignited the Tornado offense.
- Thompson reached on an error and stole second before a Megan Dobrev sacrifice fly scored Campbell and give King a 2-1 lead.
- Florida Southern got a two-out base runner and she stole second before Counts got a strikeout to end the inning and give King the 2-1 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (3-2) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Losing Pitcher: Amanda Lieberman (2-1) 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Skyler Ralstin led the way for Florida Southern with two hits on the day, both coming in game two.
UP NEXT
- King travels to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
- Florida Southern hosts Southwest Minnesota State University on Thursday.
