March 11, 2008

No. 23 L-R Softball Sweeps A Doubleheader From No. 13 UNC Pembroke, 8-0 And 8-0

Senior Meredith O’Connor tallies shutouts in both games as the Bears improve to 22-7 on the season

Hickory, N.C. – The No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne College Softball Team (22-7) swept a doubleheader from No. 13 UNC Pembroke (21-7), 8-0 and 8-0, Tuesday afternoon at Bears Field. Both contests were called after five innings due to the eight-run rule.

Game One – Lenoir-Rhyne 8, UNC Pembroke 0 (five innings)
Senior pitcher Meredith O’Connor (Charlotte, N.C./Appalachian State Univ.) allowed just one hit to go along 11 strikeouts while senior outfielder Jessica Luper (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill HS) hit a three-run home run to lead the Bears to the win.

L-R took control with four runs in the second inning highlighted by Luper’s home run and a three-run fifth inning ended the contest.

In the fifth frame, junior second baseman Noel Belk (Charlotte, N.C./Queens Univ.) hit a solo home run and redshirt freshman shortstop Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga./Franklin County HS) drove in the game-ending run with an RBI single for the Bears.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior centerfielder Taylor Queen (Conover, N.C./St. Stephens HS) added three hits and three runs scored while Candace Evans (Micro, N.C.) fell to 9-2 with the loss for UNC Pembroke.

Box Score

Game Two – Lenoir-Rhyne 8, UNC Pembroke 0 (five innings)
O’Connor (12-4) threw another shutout while senior first baseman Leah Krohn (Taylorsville, N.C./Alexander Central HS) hit a grand slam in a seven-run second inning to lead the Bears to the doubleheader sweep.

O’Connor scattered three hits while UNC Pembroke’s Whitney Landwermeyer (Canton, Texas) (4-3) took the loss for the Braves.

Box Score

Lenoir-Rhyne hosts Fairmont State in a doubleheader on Thursday beginning at 2 p.m.