JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Converse University softball team took part in the Big Region Preseason Invitational hosted by King University this past weekend in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Valkyries fell in both games on Sunday and both games on Monday.
With the losses, Converse falls to 1-5 on the season.
Game One: Tusculum 11, Converse 4
Tusculum struck first in the top of the first inning with a one-out RBI double followed by a homerun, putting them up 3-0 early. They added two more runs in the top of the third inning on a second home run.
Graduate student Megan Monk notched the Valkyries' first hit of the game with a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the third inning.
A leadoff home run in the top of the fifth inning followed by a walk and an RBI double resulted in two more runs for the Pioneers. Senior Aubree Leonard knocked a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning and freshman Alexis Felker added one more with a two-out single.
Tusculum scored four more runs in the top of the seventh inning and won 11-4.
Game Two: Mars Hill 6, Converse 5
The Lions scored four of their six runs in the top of the first inning.
The Valkyries collected just one hit before junior Madison Davis knocked a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Ava Belle Lawton, pinch running for Davis, came around to score on a no-out sacrifice fly from sophomore Olivia Jones.
Freshman Tyler Karabach brought around three runs with a bizarre play in the bottom of the fifth inning following a single, tying the game at 4-4.
Back-to-back sacrifice flies in the top of the next inning put the Lions ahead again 6-4.
A passed ball allowed the final run of the game to score in the bottom of the sixth inning and Mars Hill held on to win 6-5.
Game Three: Carson-Newman 6, Converse 0
Junior Karlie Gibson collected the Valkyries' first hit in the top of the second inning with a leadoff single. A double play followed and cleared the bases. The Eagles added one run in the bottom of the inning with a home run. They added a second run in the bottom of the fifth with a ground-rule double.
Carson-Newman pushed across four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and won 6-0.
Game Four: Emory & Henry 12, Converse 4 (5 Inn.)
Karabach opened the game with a single up the middle but was left stranded on third base.
A one-out home run from the Wasps put them up in the bottom of the second inning.
After Karabach reached on a fielding error in the top of the third inning, sophomore Myah Zuniga brought her around to score with a single into right field. Later in the inning, Jones brought Zuniga around to score with a one-out RBI, giving Converse their first lead of the tournament.
Two singles, a double and an error allowed the Wasps to strike for four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Another single and a sacrifice fly gave them two more for a total of six in the inning.
Emory & Henry added five more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Another single from Karabach turned into another RBI for Zuniga who doubled down the left field line. Gibson brought home the final run of the game later in the inning. Emory & Henry held on and forced a 12-4, run-rule victory.
On deck for the Valkyries
The Valkyries will take part in the Cougar-Hurricane Classic co-hosted by Georgia Southwestern and Columbus State. The Valkyries will be in Americus, Georgia on Friday, Feb. 13 and Columbus, Georgia on Saturday, Feb. 14. Converse first faces GSW on Friday at 11:30 A.M.
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