CLEVELAND, Tenn. – It was walk off Wednesday at Butler Field as the Lee University softball team won twice in the bottom of the seventh inning. In game one, Addi Lewis hit a three-run home run to defeat Carson Newman University 8-5. Then in game two, Addison Emmerson scored on a wild pitch to give Lee the 7-6 win in game two. It is the third straight game that Lee won in walk off fashion.
With the wins, Lee improved to 8-16 on the year while Carson Newman fell to 19-4. Lee will hit the road this weekend to take on Union University in Jackson, Tenn.
GAME 1
Carson Newman jumped out quickly in the first inning when Anne Marie Richards hit a three-run home run. Lee answered right back in the bottom of the first. Hailey Simco led it off with a solo home run. After an Eva Armstrong single, Hayden Gardner brought her home with a two-run home run.
The Lady Flames took the lead in the third when Gardner hit a solo home run. The score remained at 4-3 until the seventh inning. CN retook the lead behind a Macauley Bailey two-run home and the Eagles led 5-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tenslee Wilson started the inning with a pinch-hit home run to tie it. Hailey Simco then walked. After a sac bunt and a fly out, Hayden Gardner was walked to put runners on the corners. Addi Lewis then finished the game with a three-run home run.
All 13 runs in the contest came off of home runs. The Eagles had 11 hits while Lee had ten. Gardner was a perfect 3-fo-3 at the plate. She had three RBI and three runs scored. Lewis also had three RBI while Simco had two runs.
The Lady Flames used three pitchers . Sadie Winsett started and threw four innings. She gave up seven hits and three runs. Layne Bailey went two innings and gave up two runs on four hits. Abigail Welbaum threw an inning and got the win.
GAME 2
Carson Newman scored in the first inning Macauley Bailey brought Malyiah Smith home to give the Eagles and one point lead. CN made it 3-0 in the third scoring on an error and another Bailey RBI.
Lee tied the game in the third. Eva Armstrong had a double and then Sadie Winsett walked. Gardner then doubled to bring Armstrong home. An Addi Lewis single then brought Winsett home. An Addison Emmerson single then brought Gardner home to tie the game.
CN answered right back with five hits in the fourth to make it a 6-3 game. Lee got two runs back in the fifth. Armstrong singled and Winsett doubled. A Gardner single loaded the bases. Alyson Jarvi hit a sacrifice fly to give Lee their fourth run. In another pinch hit, Tenslee Wilson doubled to score Winsett and make it 6-5.
The Lady Flames loaded the bases in the sixth but failed to score a run. In the bottom of the seventh, Jarvi was hit by a pitch and Kaylee Wilson pinch ran. Emmerson hit a double to score Wilson and tie the game. Madison Pinzon placed a sacrifice bunt down to move Emmerson to third. Katelyn Hastings reached safely on a fielder's choice. After a Simco flyout, Emmerson scored on a wild pitch to give Lee the 7-6 win.
Armstrong was 4-for-4 at the plate with two runs. Winsett had two runs while Gardner and Emmerson each had two hits. Emmerson added two RBI and a run scored.
The Lady Flames used three pitchers in game two as well. Kaylee Underwood started the contest. She threw three and one-third innings. She gave up six runs on eight hits. Abigail Welbaum threw one and two-thirds innings and just allowed two hits. Layne Bailey got the win throwing two innings and only allowing one hit.
Coach Emily Russell's Thoughts:
"Our game plan was quality at bats and continuing to build on those. When we went down 3-0 in game one we responded right back. It shows the growth this team has had.
