SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind a seven-run third inning and a five-hit performance from senior ace
Riley Lingerfelt, the Converse University softball team (4-10) took its first-ever victory over in-state foe Anderson (8-6) 11-2 in five innings. The Valkyries dropped game two 7-6.
Lingerfelt collected the win in game one for her complete-game, five-inning performance. She struck out five batters. She tossed 1.2 innings in game two and collected three more strikeouts. Freshman pitcher CJ McBride tossed 5.1 innings in her game-two start, striking out a pair of Trojans.
Game One: Converse 11, Anderson 2 (5 Inn.)
Anderson struck first in the top of the first when a leadoff walk came around to score with two outs.
After two walks to start the inning, Converse responded in the bottom of the first when senior Sydney Watson smashed her first home run of the season past the left field fence.
A two-out, RBI single brought Anderson back within one but a rope from the outfield from junior Aubree Leonard saved one run from scoring and forced the Trojans to settle for just the single run. The game's final eight runs were all scored by Converse.
Four consecutive walks to start the inning brought home the first run of the inning. Junior infielder Katelynn Tuxbury brought home two more runs on the next at-bat with a single to left field. Sophomore Madison Davis and Leonard hit back-to-back singles to plate three more runs. Converse brought one more run across the plate before the inning's end, going up 10-2.
The game's final run came as freshman shortstop Olivia Jones hit a no-doubt bomb past the outfield fence for her first collegiate home run.
Game Two: Anderson 7, Converse 6
After a scoreless first inning, Converse struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Kiara Thomas and junior Cara Willis hit back-to-back RBI singles to start the scoring in game two.
Anderson responded with two runs of their own in the top of the third, but Converse bounced back to reclaim a two-run lead in the bottom of the inning. Jones knocked a one-out double to right-center field, scoring a leadoff walk in the inning. A double steal attempt work to perfection as, with runners on first and third, the Valkyries' runner from first stayed in a rundown long enough for Jones to score on the play.
A two-out single for Anderson in the top of the fourth plated another run, cutting Converse's lead to one run, 4-3.
Freshman Charley Swartzel collected a pair of two-out RBIs in the bottom of the fourth, the last of Converse's runs during the doubleheader.
Four runs by Anderson, spread evenly across the fifth and sixth innings, gave Anderson a one-run lead with Converse having six outs to find a game-tying seventh run.
The Valkyries had two runners reach with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but three consecutive outs sealed the game as a 7-6 Anderson victory.
On deck for the Valkyries:
Converse returns to the diamond on Saturday, Feb. 22 as they head to Salisbury, North Carolina to take part in the Catawba Round Robin. They square off with Frostburg State at 1:30 P.M. before taking on the tournament's hosts at 3:30 P.M. The Valkyries are then back in action on Sunday, Feb. 23 as the Catawba Round Robin continues. They first take on Flagler at 11:30 A.M. before rematching the Bobcats at 1:30 P.M.
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