GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (2-2) wrapped up action in the Brianna Surrento Kickoff Classic, hosted by Lander University on Saturday afternoon at Doug Spears Field. The Erskine offense scored eight runs in the seventh inning to break a deadlock against Mars Hill in Game 1, winning 15-7. In Game 2, Erskine lost on a walk-off double to West Georgia, 3-2, in eight innings.
 
THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Erskine holds a 6-2 series lead over Mars Hill and Saturday marked the first meeting between the Fleet and the Wolves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: Erskine 15-7 Mars Hill
A day after exploding for 11 runs in the first two innings against the Lions, Erskine scored early again on Saturday. Kyndall Chandler hit an RBI single and came around to score on a wild pitch to put the Fleet ahead 2-0 in the first inning. But, Mars Hill scored once in their half of the first, twice in the second inning and two more times in the third inning to open up a 6-2 lead. The Fleet answered right back, though, in the top of the fourth. Katie Spires scored on a sacrifice bunt from Zoey Frasier for the first run of the inning before Sydney McInnis delivered with a bases-clearing double down the left field line as Erskine came right back to tie the game at 6. But, Mars Hill responded with a go-ahead solo home run in the ensuing half inning before Kaley Ingle tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Both teams went quietly through the sixth inning, meaning the game headed to the seventh and final frame all knotted at seven apiece. Then, Erskine broke the game wide open as they struck for eight runs on six hits. Maddie Ingram gave Erskine its first lead since the second inning with an RBI double to begin the frame. Brooke Patterson and Kelci Brown followed with RBI singles before McInnis delivered again with another run-scoring double. Hailey Patterson ripped a pinch-hit two-run double moments later and Ingram capped the monster inning for the Fleet with a two-run single as Erskine pulled away late to win it, 15-7.

GAME 2: West Georgia 3-2 Erskine (8 innings)
West Georgia scored a run in the first and third innings and took an early 2-0 lead as the Fleet offense struggled to get baserunners in their final game of the weekend. It was not until the sixth inning that Erskine recorded their first hit of the game on a swinging bunt single from Peyton Rabon. Then, Maddie Ingram cut the deficit in half with an RBI single and came around to score the tying run as Katie Hunter ripped a double into the right center field gap. Breanna Minton came on in relief of the Erskine starter Kali Morton in the sixth inning and worked in and out of trouble in her first two innings of work to send the game to extra innings, tied at 2. Erskine was unable to advance the courtesy runner in their half of the eighth and West Georgia hit a leadoff double in the bottom half to score the winning as the Fleet fell, 3-2.

THE PLAYER
Freshman Maddie Ingram was 3-for-4 in Game 1, including a pair of run-scoring hits in the eight-run seventh inning for the Fleet. Ingram also had an RBI single in Game 2 and came around to score the tying run in the sixth inning against West Georgia.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine will begin a 12-game home stand on Thursday, February 17 as they welcome Augusta University (5-3) to town for a doubleheader with Game 1 scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. Erskine blanked the Jaguars in both games of a doubleheader the last time the teams met back in April 2019.

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