Cunconan homers to help Bisons split day with North Alabama

Saturday, April 9

Draper Diamond

1 PM

Lipscomb University

14-22, 4-6

North Alabama

26-10, 5-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
North Alabama	5	2	0	0	0	3	10	13	0
Lipscomb	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	4	1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
North Alabama	4	2	1	0	0	0	0	7	11	0
Lipscomb	0	0	2	3	2	1	X	8	9	0

Cunconan homers to help Bisons split day with North Alabama

4/9/2022 9:24:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

NASHVILLE – In a day of mixed results against North Alabama, the Lipscomb softball team was able to bounce back in a big way after dropping game one 10-2 in six innings. The Bisons found themselves in a 7-0 hole in game two, but were able to fight back and take an 8-7 victory to set up an ASUN Conference rubber match on Sunday.

GAME ONE
In the lid lifter, the visiting Lions (26-11, 5-6) put up 10 runs on 13 base knocks.

The first inning saw an early ruling overturned at second base, changing the momentum. The Lions scored five runs in the frame and added two more in the second to go in front 7-0.

After having eight straight batters retired, the Bisons finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth. Amy Vetula led off with a single before Presley Leebrick followed with a deep shot to the fence in center for an RBI-double. Two batters later, Kamrie Rich lifted a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Leebrick to score and cut the deficit to 7-2.

??4? | @presleyleeb drives a ball to the wall in deep center to bring in the first run of the game for the Bisons!

UNA leads 7-2#IntoTheStorm?? | #HornsUp?? pic.twitter.com/gH1QhsTVf9
— Lipscomb Softball (@LipscombSB) April 9, 2022

UNA took advantage of three walks and a Lipscomb error in the top of the sixth to plate a trio of runs and put the game in a mercy-rule situation at 10-2.

Lipscomb went down in order in the bottom half of the frame to end the game.

Kate Peters fell to 6-7 on the year after working just 1.1 innings. She allowed seven runs on nine hits and faced just 15 batters.

At the dish, Vetula collected two of Lipscomb's four hits, while Leebrick and Rich recorded the only RBI.

GAME TWO
The second tilt started eerily similar to the first with UNA scoring four runs in the top of the first, two in the second and another in the third, giving the Lions a 7-0 advantage.

The purple and gold, however, never quit. They steadily chipped away at the deficit, scoring runs in four straight innings before taking their first lead of the day late in the action.

In the third, Kyndall Crawford and Jessie Brown got the action started with back-to-back singles before Katelyn Belding walked to load the bases. Rich then sent a single back up the middle to score the first two runs for Lipscomb, making it 7-2.

??3? | @Kamrie_Rich drives in ?? runs on this single up the middle!

It's now 7-2 Lions as we go to the 4th frame. #IntoTheStorm?? | #HornsUp?? pic.twitter.com/Du3bGQvFJW
— Lipscomb Softball (@LipscombSB) April 9, 2022

The Bisons pulled to within 7-5 in the fourth frame after recording four singles. Brown smacked a ball to the shortstop, but her speed out of the box allowed her to beat the throw and Elise Shewmaker to score from third.

??4? | @jessie_brown24 showing off her wheels to beat out an infield single ???

Shewmaker scores to make it 7-3 Lions#IntoTheStorm?? | #HornsUp?? pic.twitter.com/nvcru2vQuA
— Lipscomb Softball (@LipscombSB) April 9, 2022

After Brown swiped second, Vetula roped a laser into the left center gap to drive in Brown and Crawford.

??4? | @AVetula lines a 2?-RBI single into left field to bring us within two runs??

Bisons now trail 7-5 heading to the 5th ??#IntoTheStorm?? | #HornsUp?? pic.twitter.com/LNEaw9dOaq
— Lipscomb Softball (@LipscombSB) April 9, 2022

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bisons were patient at the dish and worked the Lions staff for two game-tying runs despite not recording a hit. They got a hit by pitch, a UNA error and three base on balls to bring in Shewmaker and Katelyn Woodside to even the score at 7-7.

In the home half of the sixth, Maci Cunconan played the hero as she turned on a 2-1 pitch and blasted it over the fence in right field to give Lipscomb its first lead of the day at 8-7.

?? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ??

CUNCONAN delivers a Bison?? for the go-ahead run??

It's now 8-7 Lipscomb heading to the 7th#IntoTheStorm ??| #HornsUp ?? pic.twitter.com/NXXYFGF6hz
— Lipscomb Softball (@LipscombSB) April 9, 2022

In the top of the seventh, Brown made a highlight reel catch to keep the Bisons in front when she robbed a ball at the fence off the bat of one of her best friends and former teammate, Meleah Hargett.

.@jessie_brown24 takes away extra bases with a highlight reel catch at the wall for the first out in the 7th??#IntoTheStorm ??| #HornsUp ?? pic.twitter.com/VPhvWdNMDa
— Lipscomb Softball (@LipscombSB) April 9, 2022

Makayla Veneziale was brought in and she closed out the game to record her first collegiate save after getting the final two outs.

Mariyn Waterman earned her first collegiate win after tossing 4.2 frames and holding the Lions to one run on four hits.

Crawford and Brown led the Bisons with two hits in the game, while Vetula drove in a team-high three runs. Rich and Brown also recorded two RBI.

UP NEXT
Lipscomb and UNA will close things out at 1 p.m. Sunday in a rubber match at Draper Diamond.