BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team split their season opener doubleheader taking game one and dropping game two against Davis & Elkins College. Casey Gilbert pitched a shutout, giving King the 9-0 victory in game one, but Davis & Elkins got their bats going in the second game to take the 3-2 victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 9, Davis & Elkins 0; Davis & Elkins 3, King 2
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 1-1; Davis & Elkins 1-1
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
- Gilbert led the Tornado on the mound and at the plate in the first game, finishing with a three-hit shutout and going 2-for-3 with a three-run home run.
- She added another homer in the second game, scoring two runs.
- Erin Foster recorded two hits and scored two runs on the day.
- Sydney Bailey recorded two hits in the first game, including one double that scored two runs.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Tornado threatened early, scoring three runs in the first inning after a single to center field by Meagan Puckett scored Danielle Parks and a line-drive to the fence by Foster scored Puckett and Haylee Dye.
- The momentum on offense for King continued into the second inning.
- After a throwing error committed by the Senators' catcher, Bailey scored at home, giving King a 4-0 lead.
- Gilbert recorded her first hit of the day in the second inning, scoring Parks.
- Foster started out the third inning with a single to center, then Bailey added two runs to the board after a double to left field that scored Foster and Chelsea Sams.
- In the fourth inning, Gilbert sent a pitch over the center-field fence that scored two runs, extending King's lead to 9-0.
- The Tornado defense kept the Senators scoreless in the fifth inning, eventually taking the contest 9-0 by run-rule.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Casey Gilbert (1-0) 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
Losing Pitcher: Haley Grindstaff (0-1) 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- The Tornado took the lead in the first inning as Puckett ripped a one-run single up the middle that scored Dye.
- King took a 2-0 lead as Gilbert hit another home run in the third inning.
- The offense came alive for Davis & Elkins in the fourth inning and the Senators evened the score after Rhetta Persinger hit a two-run home run.
- After Sydney Carter reached first on an error in the fifth inning, Kelsie Millner hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Carter
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Ryn Boelter (1-0) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher: Emma Hughes (0-1) 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Persinger posted two hits on the day, including a home run in the second game.
- Ryn Boelter and Honesty Holt finished the day with two hits each.
UP NEXT
- King travels to Lander University to play a doubleheader against Lander and Concord University on Friday. The games are scheduled for 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Davis & Elkins travel to play Tusculum College on Monday.
