SPARTANBURG, S.C.- In the first Conference Carolinas doubleheader for the Converse Softball program, the Valkyries picked up a split against Lees-McRae with Converse taking game one, 5-3, and fell in game two, 7-2.

Converse moved to 4-10 on the season and 1-1 to open league play, while Lees-McRae improves to 3-13 and 1-1.

The Valkyries were led offensively by Shelby Bullock (Horseshoe Beach, Fla.) going 3-5 with a triple and two RBI.  Morgan Marlow (Murrells Inlet, S.C.) picked up a triple in game two.  Marissa Steadman (Roebuck, S.C.) picked up the win in game one with a career-high 10 strikeouts.

Converse continues Conference Carolinas play with their first league road doubleheader against King on Sunday, March 7.

Game One: Converse 5, Lees-McRae 3

Marissa Steadman kept the Bobcats caged in game one early picking up four straight strikeouts before LMC picked up their first base runner on a walk.  The Bobcat runner would swipe second and come around to score on a RBI single through the left side of the infield for the early 1-0 lead.

Steadman settled back down and kept the Bobcat hitters at-bay before getting some offensive support in the bottom of the fifth.

Tristan Harvey (Anacoco, La.) started off the bottom of the fifth inning with a bunt single to third base.  Savanna Fain (Inman, S.C.) moved Harvey up 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt.  Kelsie Land (Keller, Texas) singled up the middle with two outs to knot things at one apiece.  Land moved up to second on the throw home.  Morgan Marlow drew a walk before Maddison Lukens (Chandler, Ariz.) loaded the bases with an infield single.

Shelby Bullock placed a blooper into center field allowing Marlow and Land to score.  Bullock moved into scoring position on the throw and moved Lukens to third.  Mckayla Davis (Concord, N.C.) picked up a single scoring two more for the Valkyries to take the lead 5-1 after five innings.

Lees-McRae tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh to close the gap with two outs but Steadman was able to get the final out before any more damage.

Steadman pitched the complete game allowing three runs off five hits and punching out 10 batters.  Bullock and Davis collected two RBI while Land picked up one RBI.

Game Two: Lees-McRae 7, Converse 2

Converse started off the second game of the twinbill hot.  Shelby Bullock tripled to right center to get the rally started.  Mckayla Davis walked to put runners on the corners.  The Valkyries would run themselves out of any runs in the bottom of the first having both runners tagged out in a run down.

In the top of the second LMC would pick up the opening run of the game with an infield RBI single.  The Bobcats would post three more runs to stake out to a 4-0 lead after the top of the third inning.

Down 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Anna Bennett (Fulton, Md.) singled to left field before scoring on the Morgan Marlow triple to left field to cut it to 5-1.

Converse started another rally in the bottom of sixth inning.  Shelby Bullock started the inning with a walk.  Bri Putnam (Chesnee, S.C.) reached on a fielding error followed by Tristan Harvey loading the bases with an infield single.  Savanna Fain would bring in Bullock from third on the fielder's choice.

LMC would tack on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to push the Bobcat lead out to 7-2.

Morgan Marlow started for the Valkyries in the circle and took the loss.  Shelby Bullock and Anna Bennett led the Valkyries with two hits each.  Savanna Fain and Marlow collected an RBI in the loss.