Madison Barnett
The Lee University softball earned its first series sweep of the season as they defeated the University of West Georgia twice on Sunday afternoon. It was a tale of drastically different games as Lee won the first one in a shoot out 11-8 and then won a pitching duel 1-0 in game two. Madison Barnett got the complete game shutout in game two of the day. With the two wins, Lee improved their record to 6-9 overall and 3-3 in Gulf South Conference play.
Game 1
UWG got a runner to second in Isabella Pinto after a hit and an error but was caught trying to steal third base.
The Lady Flames struck first in the bottom of the first. Alexa Scalzo was walked and then Ana Macha got a single. Javaria Smith was then walked to load the bases. Sidney Lee smacked a single into left center field to score Scalzo and Macha. The Lady Flames then went down in order to end the frame.
UWG took the lead in the top of the second inning using three hits, a couple of stolen bases and a wild pitch to lead 3-2. Lee answered tight back in the bottom of the second with Smith scoring Ryle Goodridge to tie the game at 3-3.
The Wolves retook the lead in the third when Riley Green drove in two runs on a single. The Lady Flames tied the game again in the bottom of the third. Goodridge had a hit and then Shelby Cole was walked. Scalzo then brought in Goodridgeon a double. Then Cole scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
West Georgia added a run in the fourth when Emma Nixon was brought in by Zekylah Boyd. Sidney Lee then tied the game again in the fourth when she hit a solo home run. That was her third home run of the season.
The Wolves once again took the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Emma Nixon drove in Riley Green with a deep single into right field. The Lady Flames then broke the game open scoring five runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Goodridge started the inning with a single. Cole then moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Scalzo hit a double down the left field line to score Goodridge. Ana Macha hit her third single of the game and drove in Scalzo. Macha stole second. She then got to third on a Smith groundout. Lee singled and Macha scored. A hit from Laney Harris and an error allowed Kylie Bohl to get on base. Annalyn Ormsby then hit a double down the left field line to score Lee and Harris.
UWG got one run back in the sixth inning on an error by Scalzo. The sixth inning was the only inning the Lady Flames did not score. In the top of the seventh, UWG got two runners on base, but pitcher Natalie Pruitt forced two ground balls to get out of the game and give Lee the win.
In game one Scalzo was 3-for-4 from the plate with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Macha was 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sidney Lee had four RBI on three hits. Pitcher Natalie Pruitt got the start and the save for the Lady Flames. She went two and one-third innings and gave up three runs on five hits. Alaina Watson went two and two-thirds innings in relief and had three runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Olivia Tyson earned the win going two inning and giving up two runs on four hits.
Game 2
The second game was completely different from game one with only one run scored. UWG had two hits in the first inning and then didn’t have another base runner until a walk in the fifth inning. The Wolves had a single in the sixth and a double in the seventh and that was it in game two.
For Lee, Scalzo reach base with an error in the first and Macha got on with a fielders choice. In the third inning, Scalzoand Macha both had singles but were left stranded. In the fifth inning, Ormsby led off with a single, Goodridge was walked next, both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Cole then struck out. The only run of the game came on a sacrifice fly from Scalzo.
UWG hit a double to lead off the top of the seventh but pitcher Madison Barnett got two pop outs and strike out to end the game.
Barnett threw all seven innings, gave up four hits, and struck out five in the shutout win. Lee only managed three hits in the win.
Head Coach Emily Russell was pleased with the win. “To be able to battle back and get two wins was great even if it wasn’t pretty. The third game is how you want to win a close ball game. Push a run across late and then hold the lead. Madison Barnett closed out really well. She is using her locations well and kept them off balance. We see us starting to grow and come together this weekend.”
The Lady Flames will head to Georgia to take on Emmanuel College on Tuesday, February 28 at 3 and 5 PM.