Charlotte, N.C.-- The No. 21 Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team opened South Atlantic Conference play with a bang this afternoon. Freshman Morgan Beeler tossed the program's first no-hitter since 2017 in game two and the LR bats clubbed seven home runs in a sweep of Queens on Wednesday afternoon. The Bears have now won 16 straight over Queens with the last loss coming in 2013 and held the Royals to just two hits in today's doubleheader. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game 1 Final: #21 Lenoir-Rhyne 8,  Queens 0
Game 2 Final: #21 Lenoir-Rhyne 9,  Queens 0
Records: #21 Lenoir-Rhyne (20-4, 2-0), Queens (14-15, 0-4 SAC)
Location: Tuckaseegee Dream Fields  I Charlotte, N.C.

STATS OF GAME ONE:

• LR erupted for four home runs in the opener by four different players. Lauren Rakes opened the barrage with a 2-run shot in the second inning and Kory Hammett made it back-to-backers with a solo shot in the next at bat.
• In the fourth inning, Kylee Leonhardt connected on a grand slam to seal the victory for the Bears. 
• Once again, the Bears would go back-to-back when Talon LaClair followed the grand slam with a solo shot to right. 
• Rakes earned the complete game shutout in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out six. Rakes also went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs with the bat. 

STATS OF GAME TWO:

• Beeler cruised through game two, retiring 15 of the 18 batters she faced. The freshman allowed two walks and hit a batter but struck out eight in the dominant performance. Beeler improved to 9-1 on the season. 
• Once again, Rakes got the scoring started with a second-inning home run. LR would add three more runs in the inning courtesy of a passed ball and then another 2-run bomb, this one from Leonhardt. 
• Hannah Jennings drove in a run with a single in the third and Ashten Hinkle connected on a 3-run bomb to right center for the first long ball of her career. Leonhardt made the score 9-0 with an RBI ground out. 
• LR had eight hits and took advantage of three errors by Queens which led to four unearned runs. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• With her first homer of the day, Leonhardt surpassed her total from 2019. Her second bomb of the day gave her 10, one shy of tying her career-high of 11 as a freshman. Leonhardt leads the league in homers and is second in the conference in RBI. 
• LaClair is just one RBI from 100 on her career. 
• Entering the game, Savannah Moorefield was the only play in D2 with at least 75 at-bats to have a batting average over .500.  
• LR was the last South Atlantic Conference team to play a league game with today being their league opener. 

UP NEXT:  Bears return home for a SAC doubleheader vs Mars Hil at 2:00 PM on Saturday.