BANNER ELK, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne softball team combined for 39 hits and 10 home runs in 16-6 and 16-8 wins over Lees-McRae on Monday.
Avery Kiger led the way at the plate, going 5-for-7 with four RBIs, two home runs, and two runs scored. In total nine Bears hit a home run on the day, including the first of
Chloe Woodward and
Kennedy Lange's careers.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game One Final: #18 Lenoir-Rhyne 16, Lees-McRae 6
Game Two Final: #18 Lenoir-Rhyne 16, Lees-McRae 8
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (35-11), Lees-McRae (10-32)
Location: Banner Elk, N.C. | Bobcat Field
STORY OF GAME ONE:
- Lenoir-Rhyne led 8-0 after three innings.
- Avery Kiger, Kennedy Lange, and Faith Carrigan all went yard during that stretch of scoring.
- Lees-McRae answered with three runs in the fourth, buy Kynlee Dextraze answered with a solo shot of her own in the fifth.
- The Bears scored seven runs over the final two innings, capped off by a home run from senior Erin Lookabill.
- 11 Bears had a hit in this one.
- Madison Primm was 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
- Kaylan Brown was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored.
- Isabelle Wilkins (2-3) three the final four innings of the game to pick up the win.
STORY OF GAME TWO:
- The Bobcats jumped on the Bears early, going up 3-0 after one.
- Home runs from Autumn Joyce and Adriana Lamantia gave the Bears a 4-2 lead after two.
- The lead was extended to 7-3 after Avery Kiger's second home run of the day in the fifth.
- The Bears scored eight runs in the seventh, closed out by long balls from Madison Primm and Chloe Woodward.
- Nine separate Bears combined for 19 hits.
- Avery Kiger was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
- Adriana Lamantia was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
- Arabelle Shulenburger (1-1) went the distance, striking out four in the win.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Lenoir-Rhyne is 28-2 all-time against the Bobcats, with those losses coming in 2023 and 2024.
- Thanks to their 10 home runs today, the Bears now rank second in the country with 66 home runs.
- The 66 hme runs ranks sixth all-time in program history. The record of 102 was set in 2010.
- Madison Primm now has 141 career RBIs, nine away from entering Lenoir-Rhyne's all-time top 10.
UP NEXT: The Bears will travel to Carson-Newman on Saturday for their biggest conference matchup of the season. Should the Bears sweep the Eagles they would win the SAC regular season title outright. A split would mean the teams share the title, while a sweep from the Eagles gives them the championship. Anderson, who is 16-4 in SAC play, also has a chance to clinch a share of the title and plays Emory & Henry Saturday. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Jefferson City, Tennessee.