The Lee softball team showed a flare for the dramatic in Monday's opening doubleheader sweep over Tusculum from Butler Field. The Lady Flames won game one, 14-9 in eight innings and rallied from three runs down in the seventh to win 7-6 in the nightcap.

Junior Taylor De Adder hit went 4 for 9 with a double, four RBI and earned the win in the circle in game two after tossing 3.2 innings, allowing one unearned run, and striking out five.

"It's been a while since we played a doubleheader but it was sure nice to be back on Butler Field," said Lee head coach Emily Russell. "I think we showed a lot of fight to come back and win and even though it was a very long day we were able to come back in the end. We have a lot of things we need to work but I like the fire this team has."
 
Lee was playing as the visiting team since the game was originally scheduled to be played at Tusculum on Sunday but was moved due to weather.

GAME 2 – LEE 6 TU 5
Freshman Laney Harris delivered a go-ahead triple to help seal a four-run seventh for the Lady Flames. De Adder (1-0) sat down the Pioneers in order in the bottom half of the inning to secure the opening day sweep.

Lee entered seventh without much going right offensively and trailing 5-2.  The two runs came directly off Pioneer errors.

Freshman Annalyn Ormsby got the rally going with a double down the left field line. Another freshman Kylie Bohl followed with a single. After a strikeout Lily Hatcher beat out an infield single to load the bases. De Adder once again stepped up and drilled a two-run single.

Abby McKinney followed with an RBI groundout as Hatcher darted for home on a ground out to third and slid just under the tag Tusculum's catcher to tie things up at five. That set the stage for Harris' triple to right center.

Hatcher was a perfect 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Mallory Orchard started for the Lady Flames and lasted 3.1 innings before giving way to De Adder.

Sappington was the losing pitcher as she went the distance allowing six runs, four earned on eight hits. 

GAME 1 – LEE 14 TU 9
The Lady Flames got home runs from Abby McKinney and Shelby Cole and exploded for five runs in the eighth inning to open the season with a 14-9 extra inning victory.

De Adder started the scoring with a single in the first and helped end the contest with a run-scoring double in the eighth. Harris followed with an RBI single, Madison Besaw ripped a two-run double and Ormsby singled her home to add four more insurance runs.

Both teams swung the bats well, combining for 23 runs, 30 hits and eight extra base hits.

Grace Leslie started and went three innings allowing three runs on seven hits. Madison Barnett (1-0) finished off the final five innings. Barnett was tagged for six runs on eight hits but hung tough and, following a leadoff walk, set down Tusculum in order in the bottom of the eighth with a strike out, fly out and ground out to close out the win.

Tusculum overcame a 9-6 deficit with a three run sixth inning to force extra innings. Anna Alloway hit a solo homer start the rally. Emily Sappington added a run scoring single and Claire Crout hit a sacrifice fly to tie things up at nine.

Kiley Longmire, who was a part of the 2019 Lady Flames squad as a freshman, doubled three times and went 5 for 8 with three RBI in her return to Butler Field. Claire Smeltzer and Alloway added three as well.

Delilah Malczewski (0-2) was tagged with the loss. She came on in relief and gave up eight runs, four earned, on nine hits. 

NEXT UP
The Lady Flames won't have much time to rest after the 6.5 hour marathon doubleheader with Tusculum as they welcome No. 22 Lincoln Memorial to Butler Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m. for another non-conference doubleheader.