COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Lee softball team split a doubleheader on day one of the Southern Softball Showdown from Columbus State University on Saturday afternoon.

Lee (3-1) rallied to top Lynn University in extra innings, 4-1 before falling to Flagler by the same margin in the nightcap.

The Lady Flames will wrap up the two-day tournament tomorrow against Montevallo (2 p.m.), a team they swept at home on Wednesday, and host Columbus State (4:30 p.m.)

LEE 4 LYNN 1
Freshman Abby McKinney led with her arm and her bat as the Lady Flames defeated the Fighting Knights, 4-1 in eight innings in game one. 

With Lynn leading 1-0 in the seventh McKinney drilled a double to left to score Brooklynn Frazier and tie things. 

The Lady Flames would jump ahead in the top of the eighth on back to back run-scoring singles by Bailey Church and Frazier. 

McKinney improved to 2-0 in the circle as she tossed all eight innings allowing just one run on six hits. She struck out five and worked around five walks.

Lee pounded out 11 hits in the contest. Stevie Baird, Church and McKinney all doubled and singled while Frazier drove in two runs. AnnaBeth Pruett got the start in right and went 2 for 4 with two singles.

Lynn starter Francais Olexa allowed one unearned run over seven innings while striking out three. Kayla Sheffield (0-1) was tagged with the loss as she failed to retire a batter in the eighth while giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits. Katelyn Key came on in relief and worked around two hits to stop the bleeding.

Victoria Rios reached base safely in all four plate appearances for the Fighting Knights. The third baseman singled twice and walked twice. 

LEE 1 FLAGLER 4
Ally Marcano dazzled in the circle for Flagler to lead the Saints past the Lady Flames, 4-1 in Saturday's nightcap. Marcano (1-1) went the distance allowing just one run on five hits while striking out eight batters to earn the victory.

Aided by a costly error the Lady Flames gave up two early runs to the Sunshine State Conference foe and that proved to be enough. Tracy Caccavale capitalized on the Lee miscue and delivered a two-run single to give the Saints the early lead.

Lee starter Leigh Beatenbough (0-1) would settle down however and worked five-plus innings allowing four runs, all unearned thanks to three errors. The junior yielded seven hits and three walks but punched out five. Freshman Taylor Moran came on in relief and got the final three outs of the sixth. 

Caccavale finished with three singles and drove in two runs to lead the Saints offensive output. 

The lone Lee run came in the fifth inning as Kayla Louie singled down the left field line to score Pruett. The rally was stifled however as the Lady Flames had runners on first and second with nobody out before Marcano retired the next three batters to preserve the lead.

Lee's Courtney Crawford singled and walked while Baird finished with two singles. Frazier rounded out the five-hit performance with a single.