CLEVELAND, Tenn.- Hailey Simco was 4-for-4 from the plate with two home runs and Laney Harris hit a three-run home run to help lead the Lee University softball team to an upset win over the #1 team in the country on Wednesday. Lee split a doubleheader with the university of North Georgia at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga. The Lady Flames won game one 9-3 and then lost 11-2 in game two. Lee improved their record to 13-15 on the season with the split.
GAME 1
The Lady Flames came flying out of the gate in the bottom of the first. Simco had a solo home run. That was followed by a three-run home run from Laney Harris. Her sixth home run of the season scored Rylie Goodridge and Javaria Smith and Lee led 4-0 after the first.
The lead extended to six runs in the second when Simco hit a two-run blast over the right field fence to score Kyra Vieux. UNG responded with their first run in the third inning. Lee made it 8-1 in the third when Vieux reached on a fielder's choice. Harris came in to score and she was followed home by Alyson Jarvi on an error from the Nighthawks.
UNG had a run in the fourth as did Lee with a Goodridge RBI to score Simco. The last run of the game came from a solo home run from UNG.
Alaina Watson threw a complete game in the win going seven innings and only giving up three runs on six hits. Simco added three runs and three RBI. Harris also scored twice and had three RBI.
GAME 2
UNG got runners in scoring position in both the first and the second inning but starting pitcher Olivia Tyson the Lady Flames got out of the jam each time. UNG finally broke through in the third inning scoring three runs on three hits with a couple of sacrifice flies and an error.
Lee answered right back in the bottom of the third with their only two runs of the game. Vieux hit a double to the left field fence and scored Alexa Scalzo and Marquila Howell to make it a 3-2 game.
UNG added three runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to win the game 11-2.
Lee only managed four hits in game two with four different Lady Flames collecting the hits.
The Lady Flames will back in action on Friday, March 29 in Huntsville, Ala. They will take on the University of Alabama in Huntsville at 5 PM.
Coach Emily Russell's Thoughts:
I think our focus was we are going to get better and prepare for the weekend whatever that looks like. Conference is where our focus has to be right now. That was the message beforehand. We were going to change the lineup regardless of what happens."
"With Madison Barnett getting treatments this week, it shifts your focus. We know we get to do this. It is fun and a blessing to get to play. No matter who you are playing you know you are granted an opportunity."
