Lee Softball Ends Regular Season With A 4-0 Loss To West Florida
Sunday, May 2, 2021
Three West Florida pitchers combined to toss a three-hit shutout as the No. 22 Argonauts handed the Lee softball team a 4-0 loss to end the regular season on Sunday afternoon to a complete a three-game series sweep.
The Lady Flames (17-21, 14-16) will see their season continue however as they are the No. 7 seed in the Gulf South Conference Playoffs, which will begin on Thursday in Oxford, Ala. Lee will take on the No. 2 seed and No. 2 team in the nation, Valdosta State to open the double-elimination tournament.
West Florida (30-12, 22-7) will be the No. 4 seed and take on the No. 5 seed West Georgia Wolves on Thursday.
Madison Barnett (7-7) started in the circle for the Lady Flames and gave up four runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings. The freshman continued to showcase pin-point control as she registered her eighth straight start without giving up a walk and has not walked a batter in 40 innings. On the season she has given up just 15 free passes in 99 innings. Gracie Leslie came on in the fifth inning and tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Montana Young started and struck out three over the first three innings, allowing one hit. Grace Gilbert (8-6) allowed just one hit over two innings to earn the victory. Kelsey Sweatt finished off the victory with two perfect innings.
West Florida scored all four runs in the fifth inning. Teala Howard singled through the left side to break a scoreless tie. Ally Merrill followed with a two-run single and came home to score on Courtney McLellan's single to left.
"West Florida is a good team and we played three good games," said Lee head coach Emily Russell. "We faltered in moments and didn't get the timely hits we needed. "I'm looking forward to heading to Oxford at the conclusion of exams and playing without that pressure on the athletes."