BANNER ELK, N.C.  – The Converse University softball team's (13-17, 5-1 Conference Carolinas) offense came alive in their doubleheader against the Lee-McRae Bobcats (6-22, 0-6 Conference Carolinas) as the Valkyries tallied 32 and 36 runs across both games of their Saturday doubleheader. Converse won game one 20-16 and game two 16-4 in five innings.

Twenty runs scored in the first game is a program single-game scoring record for the Valkyries, surpassing the previous record of 18 runs that the Valkyries achieved twice last season.

Freshman Charley Swartzel set a new program record for individual RBIs in a single game with seven, passing the previous record of 5 RBIs held by two different former Valkyries.

Senior Riley Lingerfelt earned the win in game one for 3.2 innings of relief work. Less than half of the runs she allowed were earned. She struck out seven batters while earning her eighth win of the season. Sophomore Madison Davis won game two for four innings of relief work. She allowed just two runs on no walks while striking out a pair of batters.

Game One: Converse 20, Lees-McRae 16

Swartzel brought home the Valkyries first four runs of the day with a first-inning grand slam, her first collegiate home run. The Valkyries scored another run on a successful double steal and sophomore Kiarra Thomas drove in the final run of the Valkyries' first inning with a single into center field. Lees-McRae scored four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Freshman Olivia Jones scored three more runs for the Valkyries with a home run over the left field fence. Thomas rounded out the five-run inning with a two-run home run of her own. The Bobcats scored two runs in the bottom of the inning.

Swartzel hit her second home run of the day with a three-run home run in the third inning. Fellow freshman Addie Branen hit her first collegiate home run later in the inning, scoring two more runs for the Valkyries. Lees-McRae scored four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Senior Sydney Watson brought home another run in the fourth inning, which the Bobcats responded to with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning.

A fielder's choice in the fifth inning brought home the eighth run for Converse, tying the previous program scoring record. Lees-McRae responded with five runs of their own.

Jones brought home the final two runs of the game with a two-RBI single in the sixth inning. Converse held on to win 20-16.

Game Two: Converse 16, Lees-McRae 4 (5 Innings)

Lees-McRae struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The Valkyries struck for seven runs in the top of the second inning. Senior AJ Albano hit a lead-off home run to start the inning. Davis tallied the second run with a double. Watson doubled the Valkyries' score with a single down the right field line. A wild pitch brought home the Valkyries fifth run of the game. Jones hit another home run with two outs, scoring the Valkyries sixth and seventh runs of the inning.

Thomas hit a home run with one out in the third inning. A would-be third out was misplayed by the Bobcats and Converse scored their ninth run of the game. Lees-McRae scored one run in the bottom of the inning.

Junior Aubree Leonard scored two more runs for the Valkyries in the fourth inning with a two-out, two-RBI single. The Bobcats again scored one run in the bottom of the inning.

Albano scored two more runs for the Valkyries in the fifth inning with a double. Thomas hit her second home run of the game later in the inning to put the Valkyries up 16-4.

The Bobcats went down in order in the bottom of the fifth inning.

On deck for the Valkyries:

With their grueling weekend over, the Valkyries are off until Wednesday, March 26 when they head to Bristol, Tennessee to take on the King University Tornado. First pitch is scheduled for 2 P.M.

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