The Lee softball team opened up the 2017 season with a doubleheader sweep of Montevallo on Wednesday afternoon at Butler Field.
Freshman Bailey Church sent the Lady Flames home winners in game one as she hit a walk off single to defeat the Falcons, 5-4.Â
Freshman pitcher Taylor Moran (1-0) was credited with the win as she tossed a scoreless seventh inning to give Lee the opportunity to win the contest in the final at bat.
Leigh Beatenbough, a three-year starter in the circle for head coach Emily Russell, tossed the first six innings and yielded four runs, just two earned, while striking out four. The accurate righty did not allow a walk.
Zoe Miller tagged the lone extra base hit for the Lady Flames as she doubled in a run in the second inning. Shortstop Kayla Louie finished with two singles and scored two runs.Â
Haley Barnette had a double and a single and drove in a run for the Falcons. Dylan Bailey also finished with a double and a one-base knock.
Joselyn Rivera came on in relief in the seventh inning for the Falcons and retired one batter before giving up the game winning single to Church. Abbey Pratt (0-1) started in the circle and pitched six-plus innings allowing five runs, four earned and five walks.
GAME 2 – LEE 9, UM 7
The Lady Flames wasted little time getting the bats going in the nightcap of the doubleheader as they pounded out 13 hits to claim a 9-7 victory over the Falcons.
Lee batted around and scored six times in the first frame. Senior leadoff hitter Courtney Crawford had four hits, scored a run and tallied one RBI.
In the second inning freshman Taylor Moran slugged the first home run of the season for the Lady Flames as she ripped a two-run shot over the left field wall.
Moran would also use her arm in game two as she pitched the final three innings to earn her first save of the season. Moran allowed one hit over three scoreless innings while punching out three.
Abby McKinney roped two singles and drove in two runs at the dish to help herself out in the circle for the Lady Flames. Â McKinney labored through four innings allowing seven runs on seven hits while walking five.
After a rocky first inning for Rivera, Pratt came back on to pitch the final 5 2/3 innings allowing the Falcons a chance to climb back into the game. Pratt allowed three runs on six hits and walked five.Â
Kelsey Vining homered and had three RBI to lead Montevallo. Celestia Davila added two singles and walked.
"We had six freshmen start between the two games. We have a very talented team and I thought they responded well and it was good to get these first games out of the way," said Russell.
The Lady Flames will now head down to Columbus, Ga. to participate in the Southern Softball Showdown which matches up schools from the Gulf South Conference, Sunshine State Conference and Peach Belt. Lee will battle Lynn (Sunshine State) and Flagler (Sunshine State) on Saturday and Montevallo (Peach Belt) and Columbus State (Peach Belt) on Sunday.
"This weekend will have a conference feel for us down in Columbus," noted Russell. "I think the conference against conference rivalry will be good for our girls. Hopefully tomorrow will have a good practice to get ready for a tough weekend."
