Salisbury, N.C. —- The Catawba College softball team celebrated its seven seniors on Saturday at Whitley Field and sent them out on a great note, sweeping Lincoln Memorial across both ends of a doubleheader in South Atlantic Conference play.
GAME ONE | Catawba 7, Lincoln Memorial 4
TEAM STATISTICS
- Both teams recorded nine hits
- The Catawba Indians recorded four of five extra-base hits and two of three homers
- Catawba left six runners on base; Lincoln Memorial stranded seven
- Catawba's starter allowed four runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out two; LMU's staff allowed seven runs on nine hits and three walks, striking out three
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Kinsley Caldwell hit the three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh
- Kary Hales was 2-for-4 with her 19th double of the season, extending her single-season and career record for doubles
- Brianna Gallagher homered
- Savanna Balderston drove in two with a single
- Kate Holland earned the win in the circle, going the complete game with just four runs allowed
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- A single loaded the bases for Catawba in the second with two outs
- Balderston drove in two on a clutch base hit to left-center
THIRD INNING
- LMU took the lead on a three-run homer in the third
- The Railsplitters added another score on a two-out infield single to lead 4-2
- Catawba got one back on Gallagher's one-out solo homer in the bottom half
SEVENTH INNING
- Courtnee Carter doubled with one out in the seventh to get the tying run in scoring position
- Hales drove her in with a two-out double to right center field to tie the game
- After a walk, Caldwell came up with the hit of the day, a three-run homer down the right field line to earn the thrilling game one victory
GAME TWO | Catawba 9, Lincoln Memorial 5
TEAM STATISTICS
- Catawba out-hit Lincoln Memorial 15-11
- The Catawba Indians recorded five of eight extra-base hits; LMU had two of three homers
- Both teams recorded an error
- The Railsplitters left six runners on base; Catawba stranded seven
- Catawba recorded the lone stolen base of the afternoon
- Catawba's pitching allowed five runs on 11 hits and a walk, striking out four; LMU's starter allowed six earned runs on 15 hits, striking out one
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Gallagher was 4-for-4 with a homer and four runs scored
- Hales also went 4-for-4 with three runs scored
- Caldwell doubled in two more hits in game two with two RBI and a run scored
- Molly Strider doubled and drove home three; Allie Burns doubled in two hits
- Alex Baquie earned the complete-game win in game two, allowing five runs and striking out four LMU batters
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST INNING
- LMU got on the board first in game two with a two-out RBI single to right center
- Caldwell's two-out RBI single was Catawba's third straight with two outs, tying the game in the bottom half
- Strider's double scored two more, as the two-out rally produced three runs for the home team
THIRD INNING
- An infield single and a sac fly tied the game for LMU in the third
- Christina Brendle laced a two-out, two-RBI double to right center to regain the lead, 5-3
FOURTH INNING
- LMU's Alyssa Williams got a run back with a solo homer in the fourth
- Gallagher answered with a two-out solo bomb, tying her for the single-season program record with her 15th of the season
FIFTH INNING
- LMU started the fifth with yet another leadoff homer, bringing the lead to within 6-5
SIXTH INNING
- Hales' fourth hit of the game loaded the bases with one out in the sixth
- Catawba added an insurance run on a passed ball before Caldwell drove home another with an RBI double
- Strider's RBI groundout made it a four-run lead for Catawba headed to the final frame
UP NEXT
- Catawba returns to Whitley Field on Wednesday for a crucial doubleheader in the SAC Tournament race, hosting Anderson for a pair starting at 2 p.m.
