Harrogate, Tenn. - For just the 20th time in team history and just the second time in postseason play, a Lenoir-Rhyne pitcher threw a no-hitter. On Friday afternoon, Lauren Rakes walked just two hitters while striking out 13 and did not allow a single hit to throw her first career no-no in a 6-0 win for the Bears over Tusculum in the SAC Tournament opener. Cassidy Wall had a two-run triple to break a scoreless tie in the 4th inning, and Katelyn Rackard added a home run as the Bears move on to the semifinals tomorrow afternoon.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game Final: No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne 6, Tusculum 0
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (37-13, 18-6 SAC), Tusculum (27-21, 13-11 SAC)
Location: Dorothy Neely Softball Complex I Harrogate, Tenn.
STATS OF GAME:
- After the Bears only had one hit through the first three innings, they exploded for six runs in the fourth inning to put up a five-spot. Hannah Jennings led off the inning with a double after Julia Mardigian reached on a fielder's choice, and then Wall hit a two-run triple to right field to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.
- The Bears were not finished in the 4th. Four straight two-out singles gave the Bears the 5-0 lead. Rakes, Kendall Osborne and Savannah Moorefield had RBI singles in the inning.
- Rackard added a solo home run in the 6th; her third of the season.
- Rakes walked one in the first inning then retired the next 17 hitters before issuing a one-out walk in the 7th. She then got the last two hitters to finish off her first career no-hitter.
- Eight Bears had a hit in this game, and Rackard led the Bears by going 2-for-3 on the afternoon.
- Tusculum's Emily Sappington, who no-hit the Bears last year in Hickory, took the loss in the circle allowing all six runs in the complete game.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Meredith O'Connor had the only other post-season no-hitter - against Newberry in the SAC Conference Tournament on April 17, 2008.
- April 29th is the latest no-hitter in the calendar year for the Bears.
- Today started the 30th SAC Tournament for the Bears and their 103rd career SAC Tournament game.
- This is the Bears' sixth tournament as the No. 2 seed and they moved their record to 12-8 as the No. 2.
- The Bears remain perfect against the Pioneers in postseason play, moving their record to 7-0 all-time.
- Moorefield is now eight hits away from the program record.
- Rakes is now 11 strikeouts away from 300 on the season after her 16th double-digit strikeout outing.
- Morgan Beeler threw the last no-hitter for the Bears against Queens in the 2020 season.
UP NEXT: Bears will play Carson-Newman at 1:30 tomorrow in the SAC Semifinals.