On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the Lee University softball team hit four home runs as they rebounded and took down the University of West Alabama in the final game of the series 7-4. Home runs from Javaria Smith and Laney Harris in the fifth inning gave the Lady Flames the edge and they held on to win to improve to 15-21 on the season and 9-12 in Gulf South Conference play.
The Lady Flames struck first in the bottom of the first with a solo home run from Hailey Simco. They added two more runs in the bottom of the second when Alyson Jarvi doubled off the wall in centerfield.
Her hit brought Harris and Annalyn Ormsby home.
UWA used three hits to get a run in the top of the third as Sara Fargo was driven home by Ann Marie Stanbridge. Lee added a fourth run in the bottom of the frame as Rylie Goodridge hit a solo home run. Mary Grace Sheffield hit a solo homer in the top of the fourth to make it a 4-2 contest.
The Tigers then tied it up at 4-4 in the wild fifth inning. Taylor Clegg doubled to centerfield to start the inning. A fielding error from Ormsby allowed Clegg to get to third base. She tried to stretch the extra base into two, but she was thrown out at home plate by Alexa Scalzo. After a walk and a pop out, Riley Sulliven tied the game with a two-run home run. UWA had another walk, but Olivia Tyson got Emily Cowart to strikeout looking to end the threat.
The Lady Flames retook the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Smith led the inning off with her first home run of the season with a blast to centerfield. Goodridge was then walked and Harris brought pinch runner Abygail Jarvi home with a two-run home run of her own. It was a team best eighth home run of the season for Harris. After a pitching change for the Tigers, Lee got two more singles but then struck out three times in a row to end the inning.
UWA got very close to tying the game in the top of the seventh. Tyson walked the bases loaded but struck out pinch hitter Grace Hunter to end the game.
Tyson got the won throwing 131 pitches in seven innings. She gave up four runs on eight hits, walked eight, and struck out six.
Lee out hit UWA 12-8 on the afternoon. Harris and Ormsby each had three hits while Alyson Jarvi had two. Jarvi and Harris each also had two RBI.
The Lady Flames will return to action on Tuesday, April 9 with a non-conference double header against the University of Montevallo.