March 27, 2008

Lenoir-Rhyne And Wingate Split South Atlantic Conference Softball Doubleheader

Bears move to 4-2 in conference play

Wingate, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne College Softball Team (27-10, 4-2) split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with Wingate University (22-12, 6-2) Thursday afternoon. The Bears took the first game of the day, 2-1, in nine innings while the Bulldogs won the second contest, 7-3.

Game One - Lenoir-Rhyne 2, Wingate 1 (nine innings)
In a game that was scoreless through seven innings, the Bears got on the board in the top of the eighth frame.

Freshman outfielder Heather Brock (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbush HS) was placed on second base via the international tiebreaker rule. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from redshirt freshman shortstop Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga./Franklin County HS), then scored on an RBI groundout from freshman infielder Chelsea Elmore (Belmont, N.C./South Point HS).

Wingate responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning. With Jessica McCraw (Waxhaw, N.C.) on second base, Leyila Meyers (Marietta, Ga.) reached on an error, moving McCraw to third. Two batters later junior outfielder Heather Winchester (Waxhaw, N.C.) delivered with an RBI single to tie the game at one.

In the top of the ninth, Lenoir-Rhyne senior outfielder Taylor Queen (Conover, N.C./St. Stephens HS) delivered a two out RBI single to left field, plating sophomore outfielder Brittany Cherry (Myrtle Beach, S.C./Carolina Forest HS) for the winning run.

Senior Meredith O’Connor (Charlotte, N.C.) (17-6) went the distance for the Bears, allowing one unearned run on three hits while striking out 14. Brittany Blankenship (Midlothian, Va.) (11-6) took the loss for the Bulldogs.

Box Score

Game Two - Wingate 7, Lenoir-Rhyne 3
After being held to one run in the game one, Wingate got off to a running start in the nightcap thanks to a three-run home run by Jamie Millen (Monroe, N.C.) in the first inning.

The Bulldogs would add to their lead in the third inning as Courtney Wagner (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and Emily Chavis (Berkely Lake, Ga.) hit RBI doubles.

The score remained unchanged until the sixth inning until junior second baseman Noel Belk (Charlotte, N.C./Queens Univ.) brought the Bears to within two runs, 5-3, with a two out, three-run homer.

Wingate answered back in the bottom half of the frame with a home run of its own. After Chavis started the inning off with a double to right-center field, Myers hit a two-run shot, providing the Bulldogs with a four-run lead.

Blankenship (12-6) picked up the win in relief, giving up 5 hits and 3 runs over the final 3.2 innings while O’Connor (17-7) suffered the loss for L-R.

Box Score

Lenoir-Rhyne will play host to SAC provisional member Brevard on Sunday afternoon at Bears Field. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.