NASHVILLE, TN – Lipscomb Softball faced their first true double header of the season on a windy Friday afternoon against the Robert Morris Colonials. After going 2-2 in last weekend's Purple & Gold Challenge, the Bisons have improved their home record to 4-2, taking a commanding win in the first game against the Colonials and running away with a second late in the game.
ROBERT MORRIS 2, LIPSCOMB 16
Robert Morris got hot early, recording two hits and one walk for two runs in the top of the first. The Bisons responded instantly, loading the bases with no outs and
Josey Polk at cleanup. Josey hit a double to send
Alyssa Hastings and
Elle Smith to home plate to tie up the ball game.
The inning ended on three straight strikeouts, but the Bisons responded with three up three down in the top of the second. Neither team recorded hits or runs in the second, leaving the score 2-2 leading into the third.
With no outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the third,
Ella Polk singled to center field to send her sister, J.Polk home.
Macey Ogle was next up to bat and launched the ball out of the park for a three-run home run with scores from her sister
Macey Ogle and E.Polk.
Lipscomb forced Robert Morris to relieve their pitcher, but the Bisons' momentum could not be slowed. With one out and runners on second and third,
Elle Smith recorded a single to shortstop for Hastings to record her second run of the day. J.Polk returned to the plate for her second at-bat appearance of the inning, recording a single down the left field line to load the bases and send Hastings home. In the next at-bat,
Mallory Ogle singled down the right field line for 2 RBI, sending J. Polk to third and Sherman and Smith home. With
Ella Polk up to bat, Mal.Ogle stole second and Polk scored on the throw. E.Polk closed out the 11-score inning with a home run down the left field like to send both her and Mal.Ogle home.
The Bisons closed out the third inning with 11 runs on 9 hits for a 13-2 lead.
Laine Barefoot gave up only one hit to leave one on base in the top of the fourth before Lipscomb extended their lead to 16-2. After Hastings reached base on a double, Smith singled up the middle and Hastings scored. Sherman recorded a two-run homer on the next at-bat before the inning ended.
Bisons'
Halle Klaiber finished the game, forcing the Colonials to go three up three down for a five-inning finish. Lipscomb finished the game with 14 hits, 15 RBI, and 16 runs on 26 at-bats.
Elle Smith went 3-4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs while both
Josey Polk and
Mallory Ogle went 2-3 with two runs and a combined 5 RBI.
Alyssa Hastings was hit by pitch twice, going 1-1 on the afternoon with 3 runs and a double.
Laine Barefoot pitched the first four innings, allowing only 3 runs and 2 hits on 16 batters faced.
ROBERT MORRIS 4, LIPSCOMB 8
After closing out the previous game,
Halle Klaiber took to the circle to start the second. Both teams started the game off three up three down with each pitcher recording a strikeout.
Robert Morris took a page out of Lipscomb's book in the second inning, recording back-to-back homers to open the inning. With two on base and one out,
Laine Barefoot relieved Klaiber. The Bisons were able to close out the top of the second shortly after but couldn't record any hits before the end of the second.
The Colonials went three up three down in the top of the third. Lipscomb started to hit their stride in the bottom of the inning, tying the game up at two all.
Macyn Kirby singled to center field and advanced to second on the throw, recording an RBI on a score by
Macey Ogle. In the next at-bat,
Alyssa Hastings doubled to left center for an RBI on a Kirby run.
The Colonials recorded a pair of hits in the top of the fourth while the Bisons recorded none in the bottom and the team remained tied up entering the fifth.
Robert Morris regained the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs with two RBI on two hits.
The Bisons responded well, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Robert Morris relieved their pitcher after
Alyssa Hastings was hit by the third pitch between the two games and
Elle Smith took to the plate. Smith singled up the middle for 2 RBI on scores by Kirby and Mac.Ogle, advancing Hastings to second to tie the game at 4-4. Sherman was walked to load the bases yet again, allowing Polk to record 2 RBI on runs from Smith and Hastings.
J.Polk stole second for runners on second and third and J.Polk advanced to third while Sherman scored on a fielding error.
The Bisons looked to extend their lead even further and
Mallory Ogle doubled for J.Polk to score before the final two outs were recorded. After beginning the game down 2-0, Lipscomb entered the sixth up 8-4 and neither team scored any more runs before the final pitch was thrown.
Macyn Kirby went 3-3 on the evening with 2 runs and an RBI.
Josey Polk played stellar defense, recording 3 putouts and 3 assists. After pitching 5.2 innings,
Laine Barefoot allowed only 5 hits and 2 runs on 23 batters faced.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will take to Draper Diamond again tomorrow to face Brown in a DH slated to start at 1:00 PM.
