SPARTANBURG, S.C – The King University softball team swept the Converse Valkyries on Tuesday afternoon and secured the outright Northwest Division title. An 11-run fourth inning in game one, pushed the Tornado to a 15-3 lead before they rallied in the late innings of game two to take it 6-3.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King 15 – Converse 3 | King 6 – Converse 3
LOCATION: Tyger River Stadium; Spartanburg, S.C.
RECORDS: King 26-18, 13-7 CC | Converse 16-26, 8-10 CC
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
- King scored first as a double from Rachel Jardim scored Katie Ryan who had hit a lead-off double.
- In the third inning, Alena Demakas scored on a Alyssa Suits sacrifice fly to third base.
- The Tornado capitalized on nine hits and four Converse errors to score 11 runs in the fourth inning. Jardim led-off the inning with her second double of the game, Giana Winge followed with a two-run home run to left field to put King up 4-0. Aviah Bunsic hit a double down the left field line before scoring as Staley Vaught reached on a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Vaught scored on a throwing error as Demakas put the ball in play. K. Ryan and Demakas both scored on the same play. In her second at-bat of the inning, Jardim singled to center field, driving in both pinch runner Autumn Campbell and T. Ryan. Bradlie Warner scored as a pinch runner before Vaught drove in Bunsic and Winge before the second out was recorded.
- The Valkyries scored three in the bottom of the fourth inning but King responded with two runs a Jardim hit a home run to center field with Tori Ryan on base after hitting a double down the left field line. The 15-3 score ended the game in a run-rule after five innings.
KING HIGHLIGHTS – GAME ONE
- Rachel Jardim went 4-4 with two doubles and a home run. She drove in five runs and scored twice herself. Aviah Bunsic went 3 of 4 with a double and scoring twice. Giana Winge had a home run, while Katie Ryan, Tori Ryan, and Staley Vaught each added a double.
- Nine different Tornado players scored for King's 15 runs, with K. Ryan, T. Ryan, Jardim, Winge, Bunsic, and Demakas each scoring twice.
- Kaylee Meeks pitched a complete five innings, allowing four hits, three runs, walking three batters while striking out four.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
- King again scored in the first inning, as Alyssa Suits singled down the first base line before Tori Ryan hit a double down the other line. Suits scored on a wild pitch.
- Converse hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead for the time being.
- Staley Vaught's single in the top of the sixth scored both Aviah Bunsic and Autumn Campbell to tie the game.
- Giana Winge hit her second home run of the day in the seventh inning, this time scoring three runs. The King defense then controlled the bottom of the seventh inning with the first two batters grounding out to Suits at third base and the final batter grounding out to first baseman Rachel Jardim.
KING HIGHLIGHTS – GAME TWO
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher
Kaylee Meeks – King (3-4) 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
Savana Luper – King (10-6) 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher
Riley Lingerfelt – Converse (11-10) 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Riley Lingerfelt – Converse (11-11) 7.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO
UP NEXT
The Tornado will return to Bristol for their last home doubleheader on Friday at 2 and 4 pm as they host Barton.
