All-Conference First Team member, Kaitie Sims, continued right where she left off on Tuesday in Bryan’s first round win of the Appalachian Athletic Conference Softball Tournament (Columbia College, W-3-0), but instead took the reigns in the circle at the start of Wednesday’s game against Point University (Ga.) and never retired as she tossed a complete game five-hit shutout with two walks and two strikeouts to pace the Lion’s defense.
Despite an even 5-5 hit count by both teams, Bryan capitalized in the bottom of the third by registering two hits to go along with a hit by pitch and walk for the Lions lone two runs, proving enough to capture a 2-0 second round win and keep Bryan unbeaten in the tourney.
Leslie Nunnelly initiated the Lion’s rally in the bottom of the third frame with a leadoff single to short.
Nunnelly advanced to second when Katelyn Bowen took a free base after maintaining position at the plate as a pitch traveled her direction and came to a halt after making contact with the Lion. Unable to shake off the previous play, Point’s pitcher delivered four balls during Olivia Gore’s at-bat to load the bases for Bryan. A fielder’s choice followed, but the Lions kept bases loaded until Lacye Walker collected her 68th hit and 38th RBI on the season with a two-run single to center, plating Bowen and Gore for Bryan’s game-winning runs.
Sims earned her 14th win this season and improved her ERA to 2.70 with the blanking of Point. Kim Borowski, Brooke Ford, Ashley Brown, and Nunnelly each tallied one hit, respectively, but Walker’s one hit showed significant as it brought around the two winning runs as she finished with a team-high two RBIs.
The No. 2 seed Lady Lions move their focus to Thursday’s matchup against the No. 1 seed Reinhardt University (Ga.) as the battle of the top-seeds unfolds at 3pm.
Earlier this year when the two teams met (Mar. 22), Bryan pulled an upset with a split in the doubleheader as the Eagles took the first game 2-1 before the Lions responded with a convincing 4-1 victory.