ROME, GA – The Emmanuel Softball team traveled to Rome, GA today to take on the Shorter University Hawks for a two-game conference series. The Lions got off to a great start, taking game one 8-2 and earning the game two win in comeback fashion, 7-6! With the win, the Lions improve to 8-13 on the season and 3-1 in conference play.
GAME ONE
The Lions got on the board early in the 1
st inning.
Ellee Varner reached on a fielding error, advancing to 2
nd.
Abby Rocco followed that up by lacing a double to right center to score Varner, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead.
Reagan Garrett walked to put runners on the corners and a sacrifice fly scored Rocco to end the top of the inning with the Lions leading 2-0.
The Lions kept things going in the top of the 2
nd.
Aggie Bennett singled up the middle to start the inning and stole 2
nd. Varner singled to right field to move Bennett to third and Rocco got hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Jaryn Gibson took advantage by hitting a double to right center to score three runs, giving the Lions a 5-0 lead.
The Lions added a run to their lead in the top of the 3
rd. Buffington walked to start things off, then Lester was hit by a pitch to put runners on 1
st and 2
nd.
Arlie Gooden walked to load the bases and Varner singled to 2
nd to score a run, giving the Lions a 6-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the 6
th when the Hawks scored 2 runs on a hit to make it 6-2, Lions.
The Lions answered in the top of the 7
th.
Grace Ausborn walked to start the inning and advanced to 3
rd on a wild pitch. Ciarra Passmore went yard to score Ausborn, giving the Lions an 8-2 lead which would be the final score.
At the plate,
Ellee Varner was 2-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
In the circle,
Cassidy Jenkins went 7.0 innings and fanned 8 batters, giving up just 2 runs on 3 hits.
GAME TWO
The Lions got on the board first in game two.
Eliana Cooper started off the 3
rd inning with a walk, and she scored on a single by
Abby Rocco to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The Hawks threatened in the bottom of the 3
rdwith three hits but couldn't get a run across.
The Hawks went to work in the bottom of the 4
th inning, scoring 6 runs on 7 hits to take a 6-1 lead.
The Lions answered back with a strong at-bat in the top of the 5
th.
Aggie Bennett doubled to start the inning and
Arlie Gooden followed that up with a single down the left field line, advancing to 2
nd on a throw.
Ellee Varner kept things going with a single up the middle to score Bennett and Gooden to make the score 6-3, Hawks. Rocco singled up the middle to move Varner to 2
nd, and
Jaryn Gibson singled down the left field line to score her to cut the Hawks lead to 6-4.
Reagan Garrett singled to right field to load the bases and
Gabby Buffington hit a sacrifice fly to score Rocco to make it 6-5, Hawks.
After a scoreless 6
th inning, the Lions got back to work in the 7
th. Gibson walked to start the inning and
Gabby Buffington followed that up with a 2-run shot to center field to give the Lions a 7-6 lead. Passmore kept the inning alive with a 2-out single up the middle and Bennett walked to put runners on 1
st and 2
nd, but a strike out kept the Lions from plating more runs.
At the plate,
Gabby Buffington was 2-3 with 3 RBI's and a run scored, while
Arlie Gooden was 2-3 with a run scored.
In the circle,
Carly Forrester got the start and threw 3.2 innings. She gave up 6 runs on 9 hits, striking out 2 batters.
Reagan Garrett relieved her, throwing 3.1 innings and giving up 2 hits and a walk.
The Lions will be back in action on Friday as they host Erskine in a doubleheader at 2 & 4PM.
