Salisbury, N.C. – The No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (26-5, 3-1) split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with Catawba (14-15, 2-2) Thursday afternoon at Whitley Field. The Bears prevailed in game one by a 2-1 score while the Indians took the nightcap, 8-1, to salvage the split.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 2, Catawba 1; Catawba 8, Lenoir-Rhyne 1
Records: No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (26-5, 3-1 SAC), Catawba (14-15, 2-2 SAC)
Location: Whitley Field | Salisbury, N.C.
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STATS OF THE GAME (Game 1):
• Lenoir-Rhyne freshman first baseman
Kylee Leonhardt (Lincolnton, N.C.) produced the lone offense of the game for the Bears with a two-run double in the fourth inning.
• LR junior
Brandi Parks (Roaring River, N.C.) improved to 12-3 after picking up the complete game victory. Parks allowed to just one unearned run while striking out five batters and pushed her winning streak to seven games.
• Catawba's Preston Ellenberg (Leland, N.C.) fell to 4-2 on the year after taking the loss.
STATS OF THE GAME (Game 2):
• Catawba took control early with a four-run first inning – aided by three Lenoir-Rhyne errors – on its way to the split. The Indians did not register a hit in the frame and finished with six unearned runs in the contest.
• Catawba's Jordan Dean (Hope Mills, N.C.) hit a solo home run while Madison Hunter (Rockwell, N.C.) (7-3) earned the complete game victory.
• Leonhardt drove in the Bears' lone run with an RBI double in the third frame. Lenoir-Rhyne junior
Emily Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) (13-2) lost for the first time in 14 decisions.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
• With the setback in the second game, Lenoir-Rhyne saw its 16-game winning streak come to an end.
• Lenoir-Rhyne is in sole possession of second place in the South Atlantic Conference standings.
UP NEXT:
Lenoir-Rhyne returns home to take on Lincoln Memorial in a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Bears Field beginning at 2:00 p.m. Catawba hosts Mars Hill in a league doubleheader Saturday at 1:00 p.m.