SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Battling with the King University Tornado (23-21, 10-8 Conference Carolinas) for the second time this season, the Converse University softball team (17-33, 6-14 Conference Carolinas) split their Tuesday doubleheader at Tyger River Stadium. The Valkyries took game one 5-4 and dropped game two 11-2 in five innings.
Junior Riley Lingerfelt took a perfect-game bid into the seventh inning before walking the lead-off batter. She struckout nine batters in the complete-game victory, making her the founding member of the Valkyries' single-season 200 strikeout club. She is the fifth Division II pitcher nationally to reach the milestone this season.
Freshman Madison Sheadel led the Valkyries offensively with four hits on the day, three of which came in game one. She tallied one RBI. Freshman Kiarra Thomas and senior Madeline Modica led Converse in RBIs with two each across the two games.
Game One: Converse 5, King 4
Lingerfelt collected four strikeouts across the first two innings including striking out the side in the first. Offensively, the Valkyries were able to get runners on, but were unable to capitalize on the runners.
Two singles to lead off the inning turned into an RBI bunt single for sophomore Karleigh Crabill, putting runners on the corners with one out. Modica notched a sacrifice fly, doubling the lead to two runs. Sophomore Victoria Dichio and Sheadel each added another run with an RBI single. Entering the fourth inning, the Valkyries led 4-0.
After the first two runners of the fourth inning reached base, Thomas added another run with an RBI single through the left side. Crabill loaded the bases with another bunt single, but a pair of fielder's choices cut down the Valkyries runners at the plate, ending the threat for King.
Lingerfelt reached 200 strikeouts as she ended the sixth inning by getting the Tornado's third baseman to chase a pitch out of the zone.
King scratched across four runs in the top of the seventh with a one-out three-run home run and a bases-loaded walk, but recomposed and sat the next two batters down on strikes, leaving three stranded on base and ending the game in a 5-4 Converse victory.
Game Two: King 11, Converse 2 (5 Innings)
King opened the game with six runs in the top of the first.
Modica notched her second RBI of the day with a one-out single up the middle, cutting the lead to 6-1.
After King plated another run in the top of the second, Thomas led-off the second with a solo home run.
The Tornado plated two runs in the top of the third and then one each in the fourth and fifth innings.
Converse loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but were unable to bring any home to score, and the game ended via the run rule 11-2.
On deck for the Valkyries:
The Valkyries are back in action tomorrow, April 17, as they make up their March 22 doubleheader at Belmont Abbey beginning at noon in Belmont, North Carolina. Converse rounds out the regular season in the Tar Heel state with a return trip to Lees-McRae on Saturday, April 20. First pitch with the Bobcats is scheduled for 1 P.M.
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