Salisbury, N.C. —- The Catawba College softball team split its two games on the opening day of the Nan Whitley Invitational on Saturday, falling to Flagler before walking off in a win over Converse.
GAME ONE | Flagler 9, Catawba 6
TEAM STATISTICS
- Flagler out-hit Catawba 13-8
- Both teams recorded three extra-base hits; Catawba had two of three homers
- The Catawba left five runners on base; Flagler stranded six
- Flagler recorded both stolen bases
- The Saints' pitchers allowed six runs on eight hits and five walks, striking out two; Catawba's staff allowed nine runs on 13 hits and three walks, striking out four
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Kary Hales was 4-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored
- Grace Flynn went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored
- Kate Holland provided solid relief, allowing one run in 3.1 innings of work
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs for Flagler in the second; Morgan Hicks' sac fly put the Saints on the board first
- Hales hit a leadoff solo homer to left center to tie the game
- A sac bunt moved runners over to second and third, where Flynn drove them home on a two-RBI double to take a 3-1 lead
THIRD INNING
- The Saints once again loaded the bases with no outs in the third
- An RBI groundout and back-to-back RBI base hits put the Saints ahead 4-3
- Hales homered again with one out in the third in the bottom half
FOURTH INNING
- Two RBI singles and a three-run homer added to Flagler's lead in the fourth, ahead 9-4
SEVENTH INNING
- A walk loaded the bases for Catawba with one out in the seventh
- Hales' RBI infield singles and Maddy Altiers' RBI groundout cut Flagler's lead to 9-6
GAME TWO | Catawba 9, Converse 8
TEAM STATISTICS
- Both teams recorded nine hits
- Catawba had five of seven extra-base hits; both teams hit a homer
- The Catawba Indians left three runners on base; Converse stranded six
- Catawba's pitchers allowed eight runs on nine hits and six walks, striking out six; the Valkyries' staff allowed nine runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out five
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Hales was 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, four RBI and a run scored
- Kinsley Caldwell drove in two on a homer and scored twice
- Savanna Balderston added two hits, including a double, with two RBI and a run scored
- Kenzie Church doubled
- Kate Holland earned the win in the circle, pitching the final two innings without allowing a run on just one hit, striking out three
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST INNING
- Converse rallied after its first two batters were retired, scoring the game's first run on an RBI base hit up the middle
SECOND INNING
- Cladwell gave Catawba the lead on a two-out, two-run homer to right center
THIRD INNING
- Converse retook the lead in the top of the third with a bases-loaded walk and consecutive singles that scored three runs
- Hales' sac fly and Altiers' RBI infield sac fly cut Catawba's deficit to 5-4
FOURTH INNING
- Sydney Watson's two-run homer returned the Valkyrie lead to 7-4
- Balderston drove home Caldwell on an RBI double in the bottom half, still trailing 7-5
FIFTH INNING
- Hales tied the game with a two-run homer in the fifth, her third of the day
SIXTH INNING
- A single, two walks and a wild pitch put Converse ahead once again in the sixth
- Church doubled to lead off the seventh; a wild pitch and a Balderston sac fly tied the game
SEVENTH INNING
- Holland kept Converse scoreless in the top half, allowing Brianna Gallagher's leadoff walk to be the potential go-ahead run
- Gallagher wheeled around from first to score the winning run on Hales' walk-off RBI double
UP NEXT
- Catawba returns to action on the road on Monday at Belmont Abbey; the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m. starts
