JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Emory & Henry University Softball Team (3-3) went 1-1 on the first day of the Big Region Preseason Invitational, hosted by King (Tenn.) University Saturday. The Wasps fell to the host Tornado by a 2-1 score to start the day before bouncing back to thrash Converse University, 11-3, to close the day's action.
The Basics
GAME ONE – King (Tenn.) 2, Emory & Henry 1
GAME TWO – Emory & Henry 11, Converse 3 (six innings)
LOCATION – Johnson City, Tennessee
VENUE – James K. Ellis Athletic Complex at Winged Deer Park
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (3-3, 0-0 SAC); King (Tenn.) (2-1, 0-0 Carolinas); Converse (2-8, 0-0 Carolinas)
Game One – King (Tenn.) 2, Emory & Henry 1
King got on the board in the bottom of the third on a ground ball RBI by Jessica Campbell. The Tornado made it a 2-0 contest in the sixth when Katie Ryan hit a sacrifice fly to right field driving in Campbell.
Emory & Henry mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh. With runners on second and third, junior second baseman Abigail Street (Glade Spring, Va.) drove in senior centerfielder Mackenzie Williams (St. Augustine, Fla.). The Wasps attempted to tie the contest on the next at bat when a pitch went to the backstop but the King catcher recovered to tag E&H's runner for the final out of the game, 2-1.
Savana Luper picked up the complete-game victory, scattering one run on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. E&H junior Malorie Reeves (Galax, Va.) took the tough-luck loss, allowing two unearned runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 11, Converse 3 (six innings)
E&H jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. A pair of runs came around to score when freshman catcher Liberty Johnson (Arvonia, Va.) singled down the third base line. Johnson made it a 3-0 contest when she crossed the plate due to a wild pitch.
Converse closed the gap to 3-2 in the second with a RBI fielder's choice by Charley Swartzel and a single by Sydney Watson. The Wasps pushed their advantage to 7-2 with four unearned runs in the fourth highlighted by a two-run ground-rule double by sophomore designated player Tristyn Tofano (Roanoke, Va.).
In the sixth, E&H added four more to extend the lead to 11-2. Johnson had a two-run home run to left while Street notched a RBI base knock to right and fifth-year Katelyn Siekerka (El Cajon, Calif.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Valkyries got a run back in the bottom of the sixth but the "eight-run advantage" rule remained in effect, ending the game 11-3 in favor of the Wasps.
Emory & Henry sophomore Destiny Good (Staunton, Va.) earned the win in relief, allowing one run on four hits in 4.2 innings of work. C.J. McBride took the loss for Converse, allowing 11 runs on 11 hits with five walks and six strikeouts.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will complete its run in the Big Region Preseason Invitational on Sunday with an 11:00 a.m. contest against Barton College.
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