GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Converse College softball team lost two games at Lander University on Tuesday evening.

GAME INFORMATION

Scores: Converse (5, 0), Lander (10, 8)

Records: Converse (3-17), Lander (18-5-1)

Location: Doug Spears Field, Greenwood, S.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME ONE: Converse 5, Lander 10

Lander was the early aggressor, posting six runs over the first three innings, staking itself to a comfortable lead in game one. However, Converse came back with a single run in the top of the fourth, trimming the deficit to 6-1. 

Allison Plafcan led things off with a single before moving down to second after Moriah Gomez reached on an error by the Bearcat shortstop. That set up Ryan Finazzo's RBI single that allowed Plafcan to score. 

After holding Lander scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, Converse continued to chip away at the lead, tacking on three more runs in the top of the sixth frame. Gomez and Finazzo started things with back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second with no outs. An infield fly allowed both runners to move up before Gomez scored on a wild pitch. 

Abbigale Outlaw drew a walk and came around to score on a Morgan Berndt two-RBI double, pulling the Valkyries to within 6-4. However, Lander scored those three runs back plus one more in the bottom half of the sixth, running the lead out to 10-4 heading to the final inning of play. 

The Valkyries were able to push across one run in the seventh, capitalizing on an error by the Lander third baseman, but that was the last run of the contest as the Bearcats took game one by the final of 10-5. 

GAME TWO: Converse 0, Lander 8 (6 innings)

The Bearcats scored three runs in each of the first two innings followed by a single run in the third, racing out to a 7-0 lead early in game two. 

Converse was poised to cut into the lead in the top of the fourth after placing runners on second and third with one out, but the next two batters were retired via strikeout, ending the threat and keeping the Vals off the board. 

The Valkyries were not able to establish another threat over the fifth and sixth innings, which allowed Lander to score one run in the bottom of the sixth to end the game in run-rule fashion. 

UP NEXT

Converse will begin Conference Carolinas play on Saturday, March 14, making a trip to Murfreesboro, N.C. to face the Hawks of Chowan University. Game one will start at 2 p.m.