COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson softball team remained even in conference play with a split against Bethel (Tenn.) on Friday afternoon at Marilyn D. Sparks Park.
Game one of the day was highlighted by a five-inning no-hitter by
Kayden Murray, but the Wildcats' bats came alive for Bethel to take game two.
Kayley Bruener,
Kendall Dailey, and
Natalie Wandrie each produced a team-high three hits on the day, while
Brylee Pickerell and
Katie Lorenz connected a home run a piece.
Game One: Lindsey Wilson 9, Bethel 0 (5 Innings)
For the second time this season, Murray held the Blue Raiders' opponent to zero hits and retired nine Wildcat batters in the process.
The freshman's performance moved her over 100 strikeouts for the season, making her the 14th different pitcher in program history to accomplish the feat.
The offense for Lindsey Wilson ignited right from the start behind a lead-off single from Dailey who then later scored on a Bethel throwing error. Back-to-back two-out RBI-doubles by
Kelsie Bostock and Wandrie helped extend the early lead to 3-0.
Following two scoreless innings, the hosts made a little more noise in the fourth frame. With the bases loaded, Pickerell lined a double to deep center to plate
Brooklynn Ott and
Natalie Shaw, followed by a two-run RBI-single by Bruener to balloon Lindsey Wilson's advantage to 7-0.
The nail in the coffin came off the bat of Lorenz in the bottom leg of the fifth inning, as the junior launched her first home run of the season to straightaway center field to trigger the run-rule and end the game early.
Bethel managed only two base runners in the game on a hit-by-pitch and a fielder's choice.
Game Two: Lindsey Wilson 6, Bethel 9
The visitors utilized two big innings to win the second of Friday's twin bill. Scoring, however, opened in the first when Bethel jumped ahead 1-0.
An infield miscue off the bat of
Aimee Flynn allowed
Olivia Franceschi to score and tie the game in the bottom of the second inning, but then the Wildcats went on the attack and posted a handful in the third to take a 6-1 lead.
Lindsey Wilson slowly began chipping away at the deficit and plated two in its half of the third inning on a sacrifice flyout by Bostock and an infield hit from Franceschi.
Pickerell tacked on two more runs for the home side in the fourth frame with her team-leading fourth home run of the season, and Wandrie eventually knotted the game at 6-6 in the fifth with an RBI-single.
The Wildcats got the last word, nevertheless, despite the efforts of Murray in the circle for relief.
Murray closed with seven strikeouts in game two and allowed two earned runs on six hits. Savanah Robbins made the start for the Blue Raiders and recorded a season-high three strikeouts in her 2.1 innings of work.
Lindsey Wilson and Bethel meet again for another doubleheader at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday, April 6.
