In two back and forth games, the Lee University softball team split with Young Harris College on Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Flames mounted a comeback in game one to win it 5-4. Then in game two, YHC mounted their own comeback and earned the 14-11 win. With the split, Lee is now 18-15 on the season. They will host the University of Montevallo for a weekend series on Friday and Saturday.
Game 1
Young Harris scored the first four runs of the game and held Lee hitless for the first six innings.
The Mountain Lions got a run in the second inning on two hits to lead 1-0. YHC made it 3-0 in the third using two hits and an error to lead it 3-0. Three hits for Young Harris brought in a run in the sixth and YHC led it 4-0.
Lee’s rally started in the bottom of the sixth. Bella Galloway reached on an error to start the inning. Then Alexa Scalzo got the first hit of the game for Lee. Ana Macha followed that up with a double driving home Galloway. Javaria Smith then brought the Scalzo and Macha home with a single to make it 4-3.
Lee walked it off in the seventh. Kadyn Smith started the frame off with a single. Then Galloway doubled to drive in the tying run. After a Scalzo walk, Macha singled to load the bases. Javaria Smith was then walked to bring Galloway home for the winning run.
YHC outhit Lee 9-6 in the game and both teams stranded four base runners in the contest. Smith had three RBI for Lee while Macha was the only player with multiple hits.
Natalie Pruitt-Geesey earned her 12th win of the season going all seven innings and giving up four runs on nine hits while striking out three.
Game 2
The two teams combined for 25 runs and 33 hits in the contest. Three errors from Lee though hurt the Lady Flames as three runs for YHC were unearned.
Young Harris used two hits to take the lead in the top of the first inning. Lee then exploded out of the gate scoring six runs in the bottom of the first. Scalzo, Macha, and Smith all had singles to start the game with Smith getting an RBI while Macha scored on a throw. Ava Perkins was then hit to get on base. Kadyn Smith followed that up with a single to load the bases. Rylie Goodridge then hit a grand slam to give Lee the 6-1 lead.
YHC cut into the lead in the third using an error and three hits to score three runs. The Mountain Lions then retook the lead in the top of the fourth scoring five runs on six hits with an error. They pushed the lead out all the way to 9-6.
Lee got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Javaria Smith brought Kaelin Ault home. The Lady Flames then tied the game in the fifth. Galloway drove Kaylee Wilson in. That was followed with Goodridge taking home while Galloway was put out on a steal attempt.
The tie was shortlived as YHC retook the lead 10-9 in the sixth inning using three more hits to drive in the run. The Mountain Lions tacked on four more runs on four hits and an error in the seventh.
Lee tried one more rally, but couldn’t quite get it done. Macha drove in Kadyn Smith with an infield single and Javaria Smith was walked with the bases loaded to make it 14-11, but Lee finished the game with the bases loaded.
Macah was 3-for-5 at the plate in the game while Javaria Smith added three more RBI. Goodridge had four RBI with the grand slam.
Young Harris had 19 hits in the win while Lee had 14.