BRISTOL, Tenn. – The Erskine College softball team (6-28, 3-13 CC) split a doubleheader against King University (21-19, 8-6 CC) at the King Softball Field on Friday.

After a 7th-inning rally downed the Fleet in the opener, Erskine responded with a come-from-behind effort of its own, as a two-run sixth inning lifted the Fleet in a rain-shortened Game 2.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: King 7-6 Erskine
Starting its final road trip of the season, Maddie Ingram gave the Fleet a first-inning lead, with an RBI single that scored Amber Clark. A third-inning error from the Tornado allowed Gabby Burroughs to score and double the Fleet's lead. However, King scored twice in the bottom half to tie the game. Erskine responded in the next half-inning, using some small ball, as Emily Johnson dropped down a safety squeeze bunt to push across Savannah Koester and regain the Fleet's lead. The Tornado, though, scored in each of their next two innings at the plate and led 5-3 after five innings. In the top of the sixth inning, Brooke Patterson led off with a double, and Ingram followed with her second run-scoring knock of the game, getting Erskine back within a run. The Fleet cashed in on more fielding miscues from King that brought around Ingram to tie the game once again. And Erskine capped the frame with an RBI from Hailey Patterson to swing back in front, 6-5. That score remained the same heading into the seventh, but King scored twice in its last at-bat, as the Fleet lost a heartbreaker in the opener.

Game 2: Erskine 3-2 (Final / 6 innings)
Despite the loss in Game 1, Erskine's offense started fast again in Game 2. Kyndall Chandler reached on a one-out walk and came around to score on a Brooke Patterson double to open the scoring. Erskine starter, Payton Cox, held up that 1-0 lead through her first two frames, and even after King tied the game in the third, Cox continued to pitch effectively, sending the game all the way to the fifth inning, still knotted at one apiece. The Tornado, though, took the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. After a hot start, the Fleet offense had cooled off and it looked as if that was going to continue in the sixth, as each of the first two hitters were retired. But, Gabby Burroughs ripped a two-out double to left field, and Patterson followed with another two-bagger, bringing home Burroughs to tie the game. And, Erskine was not done there, as a few batters later, Peyton Rabon singled back up the middle, scoring pinch-runner Addy Crawford to put Erskine ahead, 3-2. Cox surrendered a one-out double in the bottom half, but got a huge line-drive double play a few pitches later to escape the jam. And, after six complete innings, inclement weather took over and the game was called due to rain, sealing a Fleet victory in the back half of the doubleheader.

THE PLAYER
Junior starting pitcher Payton Cox tossed a jam in Game 2 of the day, allowing just two runs over six complete innings in the circle to earn her third victory of the year. Cox pitched to contact effectively throughout the contest, totaling seven groundouts and six flyouts of her 18 outs recorded.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine has its final road doubleheader of the regular season, visiting Lees-McRae College (12-18, 7-7 CC) on Saturday at 1 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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