DUNCAN, S.C. – The Converse (0-14) softball team dropped two games to open the Mid-South Tournament hosted by Limestone College on Saturday afternoon. The Valkyries fell 7-2 to Tiffin in game one before dropping a 9-0 affair to Georgia College in the nightcap.
GAME ONE: CONVERSE 2, TIFFIN 7
Tiffin broke the early tie in the top of the first inning after scratching a single run on one hit. A leadoff single would eventually come around to score on a sacrifice fly. However, Converse picked up a run of its own in the bottom of the first. Following a strikeout to start the frame, Marissa Steadman and Allison Plafcan went back-to-back with singles, putting runners on the corners with one out. Mariah Blackmon followed that with a fielder's choice groundout that plated Steadman and tied the game at 1-1.
The Valkyries defense held TU scoreless in the second and the offense gave the Purple and Gold the lead in the home half of the second with another run. After the first two batters were retired Anna Bennett drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on a base hit by Erin Rios. That set up an RBI single by Jena Massing to give CC the 2-1 lead after two innings of play.
The third inning was scoreless for both teams before Tiffin came back to knot the game at 2-all in the top of the fourth. Hayley Kobie reached on an error by the Valkyrie defense and eventually came around to score on an RBI single by Chloe Swaisgood.
Converse went down quietly in its portion of the fourth and the Dragons blew the game open with a 5-run fifth inning, taking a comfortable 7-2 lead late in the contest. Libby Crow contributed a two-RBI double during the at-bat.
The Valkyries managed only one hit over the final three innings of play and dropped game one by the score of 7-2. Steadman took the loss and fell to 0-6 on the season after throwing 7.0 innings and allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits, striking out a season-high six batters. April Bennett picked up the win in relief for the Dragons, tossing 2.0 innings.
GAME TWO: CONVERSE 0, GEORGIA COLLEGE 9 (5 INNINGS)
The Valkyries threatened in the top of the first, putting two runners on with two outs, but could not push across a run to break the early scoreless tie. That missed opportunity proved costly for the Purple and Gold as Georgia College tallied five runs on five hits in the bottom of the first to give the Bobcats a 5-0 lead after one. Three different players collected RBI hits for GC in the at-bat.
After a scoreless second inning for both teams Georgia College opened the game up with two runs in each of the third and fourth innings, ballooning the lead to 9-0 after four full frames. That would be all the runs needed for the Bobcats as they held on to capture the 9-0 win.
Jianna Pellegrino was credited with the loss after going only 1.0 inning and giving up five unearned runs on five hits. Hannah Boring gave up one earned run in 3.0 innings of relief. Kayla Price took the win with 5.0 innings of shutout ball.
Weather permitting, Converse will be back in action tomorrow afternoon with a pair of games to end the Mid-South Tournament. The Valkyries will play UNC Pembroke at 10 a.m. before challenging Lincoln Memorial at noon.