CARROLLTON, Ga. – Abby McKinney blasted a two-run home run in the eighth inning to give the Lee softball team a much-needed, 7-6 Gulf South Conference extra inning victory over West Georgia on Friday evening.
McKinney, who is swinging a sizzling bat with four home runs over her last six games, tied things up at 3-3 with a double in the seventh inning. The junior leads the club with nine home runs and 26 RBI and is slugging .776.
The back and forth battle saw the Lady Flames score six runs over the last three innings. Zoe Miller hit a solo home run in the sixth to pull the Lady Flames within one at 3-2. McKinney then delivered the first of her heroics in the seventh with an RBI double to draw back even.
Kiley Longmire followed with a run-scoring single to put the Lady Flames up one before Caroline Freiling drew a bases loaded walk to make it 5-3.
After two quick outs the Wolves howled back in the bottom of the seventh and tied things up with a Cassie Henderson single and a Lexie Stohr double. Henderson gave the home team the lead in the fifth as she stroked a two-run homer and finished with three hits and three RBI.
Lee center fielder Lily Hatcher saved the game with a lunging grab to rob Raven Smith of what would have been the game-winning hit and send the game to extra innings.
Mallory Walker made things interesting with a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth to pull UWG back within one but Shonna Penney slammed the door to give coach Emily Russell's squad the all-important conference victory.
"I'm proud of how the team fought today. We had some big clutch hits up and down the lineup," praised Russell. "Taylor (De Adder) threw well and Shonna came in and helped close the door. We made some big defensive plays tonight. Lily had a diving catch in the bottom of the seventh that would have scored the winning run if it would have dropped."
Taylor De Adder started in the circle for Lee and went three innings. She yielded one run on three hits and punched out three. Penney (6-11) tossed five innings of relief for the victory. The sophomore hurler allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits. Penney fanned three and walked a pair.
Morgan Goree settled for a no-decision for the Wolves registering 6.2 innings lowing 10 hits and five runs. She had to work around seven walks but did strikeout eight. Raya Moncus (5-6) recorded the final out in the seventh and gave up the two-run long ball to McKinney.
The Lady Flames have now won 5 of 6 and are 16-19 overall and 5-10 in the GSC. West Georgia stumbles to 19-22 and 5-14.
The two teams will wrap up the GSC weekend series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
