SPARTANBURG, S.C.- In the first doubleheader in the Championship Stadium at Tyger River Park, the Converse softball team was unable to overcome the late inning rallies by Limestone as the Saints took the Conference Carolinas doubleheader 9-0 and 8-1 on Wednesday evening.
Converse (6-24, 1-13) was led offensively by Maddison Lukens (Chandler, Ariz.) collecting three hits and a RBI at the plate. Mckayla Davis (Concord, N.C.) picked up two hits and a walk in the nightcap while teammate Shelby Bullock (Horseshoe Beach, Fla.) went 2-3 in the first game.
Bri Putnam (Chesnee, S.C.) had a stellar game in centerfield robbing a home run in the night cap and had a diving catch in game one.
Converse returns to the field Saturday, April 9 against Belmont Abbey in a Conference Carolinas clash. First pitch is at 1pm in the Tyger River Park Championship Stadium.
Game One: Converse 0, Limestone 9
Limestone (21-10, 8-1) got on the board early in game one after a two out triple. The Saints would push across the first run of the contest on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning.
Maddy Lukens picked up the first hit for the Valkyries in the bottom of the first and moved up 60 feet on a Saint's fielding miscue. But a pickoff and a groundout ended the rally.
The Saints threatened in the top of the second after a lead-off double. A shot in the right center gap that would have been extra bases was tracked down by Bri Putnam on a diving attempt for the second out.
Limestone would add to their lead in the final three innings scoring eight runs off of two Converse errors.
Game Two: Converse 1, Limestone 8
Limestone once again jumped on the board in the top of the first inning. The Saints started off the nightcap with a single followed up a sac bunt and a tag up. A single through the left side of the infield brought home the first run for the Saints.
Converse had a chance in the bottom of the fourth inning to knot things up at one apiece. Kelsie Land (Keller, Texas) started off the rally getting hit by a pitch. Anna Bennett (Fulton, Md.) drew a walk to push Land into scoring position. Mckayla Davis singled to left field but Bennett was thrown out heading back towards second base for the third out.
The Valkyries were able to tie things at 1-all in the bottom of the fifth inning. Savanna Fain (Inman, S.C.) drew a lead-off walk. Morgan Marlow (Murrells Inlet, S.C.) put down a sacrifice bunt to push pinch runner Makaylah Plemmons (Union County, S.C.) to second. Maddy Lukens singled to right field for the RBI and to tie the contest at one apiece.
Bri Putnam kept the Saints off the scoreboard for a moment in the top of the sixth as Putnam robbed Saints' Swearingen of a home run for the second out as Putnam flipped over the outfield fence.
Limestone would tack on two runs off of two Valkyrie errors with two outs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-1 lead late.
The Saints would add five runs in the top of the seventh and take the second game 8-1.