Hickory, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team recorded a pair of extra-inning walk-off wins for a doubleheader sweep over Lees-McRae. The Bears took game one 3-2 in eight innings, then rallied from four runs down in the second game for a 9-8 victory, also in eight innings.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Finals: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Lees-McRae 2 (8 innings); Lenoir-Rhyne 9, Lees-McRae 8 (8 innings)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (6-5), Lees-McRae (0-4)
Location: Bears Field | Hickory, N.C.
 
STATS OF GAME ONE
Macie Gibson scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth, coming home from second on a force out and an error.
Brandi Parks tossed 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief to pick up the win, getting an inning-ending lineout double play in the top of the seventh and retiring the side in order in the eighth on two strikeouts and a foul out.
Leanna Sherrill drove in the Bears' first two runs, doubling home Talon LaClair in the bottom of the second and plating Kylee Leonhardt with a single in the fourth.
Second baseman Cassie Healy's diving stop and centerfielder Savannah Moorefield's sliding catch helped limit Lees-McRae to one run with the bases loaded in the top of the first.
Lees-McRae left 12 runners on base.
 
STATS OF GAME TWO
Moorefield's bloop single to left-center drove in Gibson with the tying run and Healy with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
Sherrill's two-out bases-loaded walk, followed by Natalie Parham's two-run single rallied the Bears from a three-run deficit to tie the game 7-7 and force extra innings.
Leonhardt hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third.
Healy's bunt single and a throwing error led to two runs in the bottom of the second as the Bears built a 3-0 lead.
First baseman Mackensi Swain recorded an unassisted double play in the top of the sixth.
Parks started game two and re-entered the game in the eighth to pick up the win.
.Lees-McRae scored seven runs on eight consecutive hits before recording an out in the top of the third.
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
The Bears posted a 3-1 record with three walk-off wins over the weekend.
The double plays turned by Lenoir-Rhyne were the Bears' first two of the season.
Parks was the winning pitcher in both ends of the doubleheader.
The Bears swept the doubleheader despite getting outhit in both games.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears play host to Limestone Wednesday in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is 2 p.m.