SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind their longest game of the season and a pair of one-run decisions, the Converse University softball team swept the Erskine Flying Fleet on Friday afternoon at Tyger River Stadium. 

With the wins, Converse improves to 13-35 overall and 9-17 in Conference Carolinas play. Erskine falls to 13-27 and 11-15 in conference action.

Freshman pitcher Gracee Stucki picked up the win in the circle in both games, securing her ninth and tenth wins in the circle this season.

Game One: Converse 8, Erskine 7 (11 Inn.)

Both teams were scoreless in the first before Erskine started the scoring with runs in top of the second and third innings.

Senior Kiarra Thomas got the Valkyries on the board in the bottom of the third as she picked up a one-out RBI. The Flying Fleet added two more runs in the top of the fourth.

Converse added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as junior Ava Wells and senior Aubree Leonard drew back-to-back bases-loaded one-out walks. Freshman Alexis Felker drove in the tying run on the next at-bat.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when a two-out dropped pop fly cost the Valkyries two runs, putting Erskine up 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.

A lead-off walk came around to score when freshman Tyler Karabach hit the two-out equalizing home run, sending the game into extra innings.

Neither team scored their placed runner in the eighth and both teams did so in the ninth. Neither team plated a run in the 10th inning.

After Erskine failed to score in the top of the 11th inning, Leonard walked the game off with a single into center field, pushing Converse past Erskine 8-7 in 11 innings.

Game Two: Converse 12, Erskine 11

After Erskine scored one run in the top of the first inning, the Valkyries were off to the races. Back-to-back-to-back singles from Leonard, graduate student Megan Monk and Thomas to start the inning evened the score. The Flying Fleet secured two outs, but with two in scoring position, senior Karlie Gibson doubled up the middle, putting Converse up 3-1. Felker scored Gibson with a single down the right-field line.

Following a first-inning pitching change, freshman Ava Chapman singled into right field, scoring the Valkyries fifth run of the first inning. Leonard concluded the first inning with her second single of the inning, putting Converse up 7-1. In total, the Valkyries stole four bases in just the first inning.

Erskine chipped away at the lead with three runs in the top of the second. Sophomore Charlie Swartzel picked up a one-out RBI to push the lead back to four runs.

Erskine again scored once in the top of the third. A two-out wild pitch allowed Leonard to score, pushing the lead back to four runs, 9-5.

Both teams added one run in the fourth inning, with Felker picking up the Valkyries' RBI with a one-out single into left-center field.

Erskine again scored one run in the top of the fifth. The Valkyries got the run back with a two-out RBI single from Gibson and added an insurance run on a double steal.

A four-spot from the Flying Fleet in the top of the sixth made things interesting, but Converse held on to win the game 12-11.

On deck for the Valkyries
The Valkyries return to action tomorrow, April 18, as they host the Southern Wesleyan Warriors for Senior Day. First pitch is scheduled for 2 P.M. with Senior Day festivities to precede the action.

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