SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind a complete-game performance from freshman pitcher Gracee Stucki and a ten-hit outburst in game one, the Converse University softball team split their Saturday doubleheader with the Southwest-Division champions, the Southern Wesleyan Warriors. The Valkyries won game one 6-4 but fell in game two 11-0 in 5 innings.

With the split, Converse moves to 14-36 overall and 10-18 in Conference Carolinas action. Southern Wesleyan moves to 34-12 overall and 22-5 in conference action.

Stucki picked up the win in game one, her 11th of the season. She allowed four runs, one earned, on seven hits in 7.0 innings pitched. She struck out three batters.

Prior to the first game, Converse softball honored eight seniors: Madison Davis, Jaydin Gentile, Karlie Gibson, Aubree Leonard, Megan Monk, McKenna Schuler, Kiarra Thomas and Angela Tucker.

Game One: Converse 6, Southern Wesleyan 4

Sophomores Charley Swartzel and Olivia Jones picked up two-out RBIs in the bottom of the first inning. Both coming with the bases loaded, Swartzel was hit by a pitch and Jones drew a walk, putting Converse up 2-0 heading into the second inning.

After a 1-2-3 top of the second, back-to-back lead-off singles from Leonard and Gentile came around to score on a two-RBI double from Monk. Davis picked up an RBI on a single later in the inning. She later scored on a wild pitch, putting Converse up 6-0 heading into the third inning.

The game was then scoreless again until the top of the fifth inning when a one-out double came around to score on a two-out single, giving the Warriors their first run of the game.

Southern Wesleyan plated three runs in the top of the sixth inning, but went down in order in the top of the seventh and the Valkyries won 6-4.

Game Two: Southern Wesleyan 11, Converse 0 (5 Inn.)

The Warriors scored one run each in the tops of the first and second innings. Monk picked up the Valkyries' first hit of the game with a one-out single in the bottom of the first.

Southern Wesleyan plated three runs each in the tops of the third, fourth and fifth innings.

Converse's other hits came on one-out singles from Gentile in the third and Monk in the fifth.

On deck for the Valkyries
The Valkyries return to the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship for the second time in program history. As the No. 12 seed, Converse will face off against fifth-seeded UNC Pembroke in the first-round single-elimination game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 P.M. on Thursday, April 23, at Tyger River Park.

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