FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga.- Despite pounding out 34 hits in two games the No. 4 Lee Softball team (37-8, 20-5) could only manage a doubleheader split with Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) opponent Emmanuel College (11-31, 7-18) Saturday afternoon.
Behind a dominant pitching performance by freshman Caroline MacAusland the Lady Flames rolled to a game one victory, 15-0. Lee appeared to be set for the sweep in the nightcap before the Lions rallied for six runs in their final at bat to steal the win, 12-11.
Lee will now travel to Central, S.C. for a SSAC showdown with conference foe Southern Wesleyan on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Friday afternoon but was bumped to Sunday due to inclement weather.
Lee 15, Emmanuel 0
MacAusland carried a perfect game into the fifth inning and the Lee offensive provided more than enough support as the Lady Flames soundly defeated Emmanuel 15-0 in the opener.
MacAusland (10-4) worked all five innings of the run-rule victory. She gave up just one hit and struck out four.
Emmanuel’s Kalen Callaway stole MacAusland’s bid for her second perfect game of the season with a one-out single in the fifth. It wasn’t the first time the Lions struggled hitting the Lee freshman. MacAusland tossed a perfect game against the Georgia-based club as a part of an 11-0 Lady Flame victory on Mar. 13 at Butler Field.
The Lee offensive pounded out 16 hits and scored in every inning but the second. Meghan Macias paced the Lady Flames going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI. The junior also scored two runs. Ana Coscorrosa also registered three hits, two of which were doubles. The Lee first baseman scored three times and drove in two. Savanna Bell tripled and drove in three. She finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Haley Shinall went the distance for Emmanuel. She gave up 15 runs (13 earned) on 16 hits. She walked six and struck out one.
Lee 11, Emmanuel 12
Despite an 18-hit offensive performance the Lady Flames could not hold on to a five run lead in the final inning as the Lions rallied late to earn the split in the nightcap, 12-11.
Angie Hughes started in the circle and worked two innings for the Lady Flames. The freshman gave up seven runs on five hits, walked four and struck out three. Katie Deems worked 4 1/3 innings of relief and was charged with three runs on five hits. MacAusland was tagged with the loss in game two. She yielded two runs on three hits in 1/3 inning of work.
The Lee offensive attack was led by freshman Amanda Lynn who finished a perfect 5-for-5 with a RBI and a two runs scored. Jennifer Ringle added two doubles and a single in her five at bats. Macias continued where she left off in game one with a double, a homer and three RBI. Coscorrosa would add a double and drove in two runs.
Madison Franklin led the offensive barrage for the Lions. Franklin doubled and homered twice finishing with seven RBI. Samantha Rao added two doubles and single while Holly Springer had a multi-hit game with two safeties.
Cristina Insua recorded the win for the Lions. She gave up two runs on five hits in three innings of relief work.
