Hickory, N.C. - It was the tale of two games on Wednesday, as the Lenoir-Rhyne Softball team fell 9-8 in their opener vs. #24 Tusculum before lighting up the scoreboard in a 17-1 game-two victory.

The Bears hit eight home runs on the day, with three coming off the bat of freshman Avery Kiger.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game One Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 8, #24 Tusculum 9
Game Two Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 17, #24 Tusculum 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (26-16, 13-7 SAC), Tusculum (34-10, 12-8 SAC)
Location: Hickory, N.C. | McCrorie Family Stadium

STORY OF GAME ONE:

• Lenoir-Rhyne had a 2-1 lead after two innings before Tusculum pushed across five unearned runs in the top of the 3rd.
• Kiger got one of the runs back with a solo shot just inside the foul pole in the bottom of the third. 
• Tusculum continued to push late, scoring one run in the fifth and two in the seventh to go up 9-3.
• Madison Primm hit a three-run home run and Kiger hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 9-8, but it was too little too late as the Pioneers took this one by one.
• Warren had her sixth three-hit game of the season, going 3-for-4 as the Bears had 11 hits in the opener.
• Kiger finished with the two home runs and picked up three RBI's.

STORY OF GAME TWO:

• The Bears scored early and often in this one, going up 8-0 after just one inning of play.
• Lenoir-Rhyne led 4-0 before Madison Wilson hit her second home run of the season to extend the lead to 7-0.
• Katelyn Rackard closed out the first inning scoring with a solo shot to center.
• The Bears extended their lead to 12-0 in the second thanks in part to a monster shot over the flagpole from Alexandria Gray. 
• Lani Warren and Avery Kiger hit back-to-back bombs to open the third inning.
• Julia Mardigian, Wilson, and Rackard each picked up RBI's to close out the scoring for the Bears.
• Madison Wilson was the mvp of this game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with 5 RBI's and throwing a complete game, three hit victory on the mound.

STATS OF THE MATCH:

• Rackard is played and started her 200th and 201st career game today. 
• Primm (24-47) and Kiger (23-45) both came into this game hitting .511 with runners in scoring position. 
• Primm had her fifth career 4 RBI game in the first game today. 
• 15 of Warren's 39 RBI's this season have came with two outs. 

UP NEXT: Lenoir-Rhyne will travel to Newberry on Saturday for their last road conference double header. The Wolves sit at 21-26 (9-11 SAC) and fell twice to Wingate earlier today. First-pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM from Newberry, South Carolina.