Hickory, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (39-9, 16-2), ranked No. 24 in NCAA Division II, swept Lincoln Memorial (19-26-1, 7-11), 10-0 and 5-4, in a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Bears Field.
Game One – Lenoir-Rhyne 10,
Lincoln Memorial 0 (five innings)
Lenoir-Rhyne senior catcher Sarah Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) hit a grand slam in the first inning and finished with five runs batted in while sophomore shortstop Madison Carter (Bessemer City, N.C.) drove in four runs to lead the Bears to the victory.
The Bears put the contest away early – leading by a 10-0 score after three innings – in run-ruling the Lady Railsplitters. Lenoir-Rhyne freshman outfielder Erin Boone (Creedmoor, N.C.) and sophomore outfielder Christina Walker (Roxboro, N.C.) both finished with three hits and two runs scored in the win.
Lenoir-Rhyne senior Maryann Hoskins (Havelock, N.C.) improved to 14-6 after taking the win. Lincoln Memorial's Brianna Taylor (Ooltewah, Tenn.) fell to 10-12 after suffering the loss.
Box Score
Game Two – Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Lincoln Memorial 4
Walker broke a 4-4 tie with the game-winning, run-scoring ground out in the bottom of the sixth inning while Hoskins pitched a scoreless seventh inning for her fourth save of the year as the Bears swept the Railsplitters.
Lincoln Memorial scored four times in its half of the sixth inning highlighted by a two-run home run from Samantha Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) to tie the score but came up short after falling behind by a 4-0 margin.
Walker finished with three runs batted in while Kenley and junior first baseman Sydney Landreth (Disputanta, Va.) both hit solo home runs for the Bears in the win. On the mound, Lenoir-Rhyne freshman Emily Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) improved to 7-2 with the victory. Smith (8-9) was tagged with the loss.
Box Score
Lenoir-Rhyne next faces Queens in Charlotte, N.C., while Lincoln Memorial takes on Mars Hill in Mars Hill, N.C. Both South Atlantic Conference doubleheaders take place on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.