MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Lee softball team saw its playoff hopes end after dropping a doubleheader to Auburn Montgomery on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Flames needed to win one more game than both Montevallo and Delta State in order to secure the eighth and final spot in the Gulf South Conference Tournament beginning on Thursday in Pensacola, Fla.
Montevallo lost to Alabama Huntsville but Delta State topped Mississippi College to knock the Lady Flames out of contention.
Lee will wrap up the series with the Warhawks and the season with a single game tomorrow at 1 p.m.
GAME 1 LEE 3 AUM 6
A five-run fifth inning proved to be too much to overcome for the Lady Flames in falling 6-3 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.
Lee managed just three hits in the contest off Warhawks pitching. Holmes and Foster rotated in and out of the circle for AUM throughout the game. Foster allowed three runs (one earned) in three frames while Holmes (7-2) earned the win tossing 3.1 shutout innings, working around six walks. Johnsey came on in the seventh to get the final two outs and earn the save.
Bailey Church launched a solo home run in the seventh, her eighth of the season.
Shonna Penney (10-16) went all six innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits.
Walker doubled home a run and was 2 for 2 with a walk to lead the Warhawks. Pinholste singled and scored two runs.
GAME 2 LEE 5 AUM 7
Despite a big day at the plate from Claudia Jones the Lady Flames saw their playoff hopes slip away as Auburn Montgomery scored six times in fifth to earn a comeback victory and the doubleheader sweep in game two.
The Lady Flames jumped out to a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth before the Warhawks put together a six-run rally.
Jones got Lee going with a two-run double in the fourth inning to make it 3-1. Stevie Baird followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. The Lady Flames would add their final run thank to a throwing error by AUM off a single by Abby McKinney.
Walker, Foster and Poe hit three consecutive run-scoring doubles to jump start the big fifth inning for the home team. The decisive blow came on a three-run home run by Holmes to center field to make it 7-5. Aycock tallied three singles and scored twice from the leadoff spot for the Warhawks.
Newcomer started and allowed four runs on six hits. Sizemore (4-0) remained perfect on the year allowing one run in one inning of relief. Johnsey tossed the final two innings, giving up just one hit her second save of the game.
Lee's Taylor De Adder pitched all six innings. She gave up seven runs, six earned on seven hits. She walked three and struck out three.
The Lady Flames fall to 22-30 on the year and 10-18 in conference play. AUM improves to 42-12 and are now 19-9 in the GSC.
