SPARTANBURG, S.C.  – A seventh-inning rally ended with a two-RBI walk-off single from junior Sydney Watson, giving Converse a 8-7 victory in game two of the Converse University softball team's (11-15) doubleheader with the Claflin University Panthers (4-13). The Valkyries won game one 8-0 in six innings. Watson ended the day with seven of Converse's RBIs.

Junior Riley Lingerfelt received the win in the circle in game, while sophomore Victoria Dichio won game two. Lingerfelt struckout 12 batters, her sixth game this season with double-digit strikeouts. Dichio fanned four in four innings of work.

Game One: Converse 8, Claflin 0 (6 Innings)

Sophomore AJ Albano kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the second inning with a one-out sacrifice fly.

With runners on the corners and no outs, sophomore Ayellad Howard singled to kickoff the scoring in the fifth inning. Freshman Kiarra Thomas hit a sacrifice fly two batters later, plating Converse's third run of the game. Watson cleared the bases with a three-run home run, putting the Valkyries up 6-0 heading into the fourth inning.

Freshman Madison Davis hit her first collegiate home run in the fourth inning, putting Converse one run away from enacting the run rule.

That run came in the sixth inning as a bases-loaded walk to senior Emily Ingle pushed the eighth and final run of the game across home plate.

Game Two: Converse 8, Claflin 7

Howard doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and came around to score after a throwing error from the Panthers' shortstop allowed sophomore Chesney Miles to reach base.

Watson and Davis hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning, putting Converse up 4-0.

The Panthers scored twice in the top of the fourth but back-to-back RBI singles from Howard and Miles kept the lead at four runs, 6-2.

Claflin got two more runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, cutting the lead to one run, 6-5.

Two more runs in the top of the seventh gave the Panthers their first lead of the day, and forced Converse back up to the plate. With two runners in scoring position, Watson singled through the right side, scoring both runs and giving Converse the walk-off victory, 7-6.

On deck for the Valkyries:

The Valkyries return to the diamond on Wednesday, March 13 as they start Conference Carolinas play against North Greenville. First pitch is scheduled for 3 P.M.

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