BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team picked up a senior day sweep Saturday, taking a pair of games from Chowan University. The Tornado took game one 9-7 before winning 10-6 in the second game.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 9, Chowan 7; King 10, Chowan 6
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 26-22, 13-11 Conference Carolinas; Chowan 5-33, 2-22 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Lilly Million and Tinsley Thompson both had home runs on the day, with Thompson adding a double, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
- Nikole Counts threw the full seven innings in game two, striking out eight batters on 113 pitches to earn her eighth win of the season
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Chowan scored four runs in the top of the first on a grand slam.
- In the bottom of the first, Million hit an RBI single through the left side, later scoring when Aviah Bunsic singled up the middle to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
- The Hawks then got a two-RBI single in the third to take a 6-2 lead.
- In the bottom of the inning, King scored three runs on three hits, including a two-RBI single from Bunsic and an RBI double by Bradlie Warner that pulled King to within 6-5.
- Both teams scored in the fourth, with Tori Ryan hitting an RBI single for King, allowing Thompson to score and keeping it a one-run game.
- Thompson drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the fifth, as she came to the plate with two runners on and two outs, singling up the middle to score Caitlyn Bishop.
- King took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth, as Bunsic once again drove in a run, doubling to left center to score Ryan and put King in front 8-7.
- A couple batters later, Warner hit a double to deep center field, allowing Bunsic to score and making it a 9-7 lead.
- King ended the game on a wild pitch, where the Chowan baserunner was thrown out trying to score.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Savana Luper (8-8) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Losing Pitcher: Alex Bishop (2-12) 5.2 IP, 13 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- This time it was the Tornado who got things started, as Thompson hit a inside-the-park home run with one out to put the Tornado in front 1-0.
- Chowan responded with six runs on three hits in the second to take a 6-1 lead.
- King then scored three times in the bottom of the second, with Thompson hitting a two-RBI double, with Ryan hitting a single to center field, scoring Thompson and making the score 6-4.
- Katie Ryan flew out in the third, with Alyssa Suits scoring on a throwing error by the catcher to trim the lead to 6-5.
- T. Ryan added an RBI in the fourth on a sacrifice fly that allowed Dye to score the game-tying run.
- The Tornado then scored four runs in the fifth, including a three-run home run by Million that made it a 10-6 King lead.
- In the seventh, Chowan got runners to first and second with two outs, but Counts got a strikeout looking to end the game, with King winning 10-6.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (8-7) 7.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ET, 2 BB, 8 SO
Losing Pitcher: Calliope James (1-8) 2.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Elizabeth Ingle had a home run in the first game, finishing 1-for-3, with four RBI.
- Ingle then went 2-for-4 in the second game, with three RBI.
UP NEXT
- King will close the regular season Sunday at Emory & Henry, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
