MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Dominating pitching from Lulu Vasquez and Gracie Leslie gave the Lee softball team a series-clinching 6-1 victory over Christian Brothers on Sunday afternoon.
Vasquez (6-3) put together another quality start as she tossed five innings and surrendered just one unearned run in earning the victory. The junior struck out five and walked two. Vasquez has posted just a 1.55 ERA and has punched out 66 batters in 58.2 innings this season.
Brooklynn Frazier gave the Lady Flames all the runs they would need in the top of the first as she drilled a two-run single to right field for one of her three hits on the day. Kayla Gooch would make it 3-0 with an RBI single to right center in the second inning. The right fielder added a run scoring triple to left center in the fourth to give her two RBI on the day.
Freshman AnnMarie Stooksbury had her best performance of her young career with a solo homer to left field in the fourth inning. The long ball was her first career home run. Stooksbury would cap the scoring with a single up the middle in the fifth to score Frazier.
Gracie Leslie came on to finish off the victory in the circle. Leslie worked two scoreless relief innings allowing just two hits while fanning three.
"We didn't have a great weekend offensively, but we were able to win the series," said Lee head coach Emily Russell. "We are focused on getting better every weekend and we have some things to get to work on this week. I like this team and I know our best ball is ahead of us."
Kendall Westbrooks supplied the only run for the Lady Bucs with a sacrifice fly in the third frame.
McKenna Rose (6-4) suffered the loss in the circle for CBU. She was relieved after three-plus innings and was charged with five runs on seven hits. Macy Cumming finished off the final four frames and gave up one run on four hits.
The Lady Flames improve to 12-6 overall and 3-3 in the GSC. The loss drops the Lady Bucs to 9-10 and 3-6 in league play.
Lee will stay on the road and visit GSC rival Valdosta State in a three-game series starting on Saturday at 1 p.m. The No. 21 Blazers are off to a 12-4 start and lead the GSC with a 5-1 mark.
