JACKSON, Tenn. – On Alumni Day, the Union University softball team won games two and three in their series with Lee University, giving them the series win. Game two lasted nine innings with a final score of 11-10, and game three lasted eight innings with a final of 4-3. With the two victories, Union improves to 24-18 overall (13-11 GSC), while Lee falls to 16-23 overall (10-14 GSC).
Game two was a battle of the offenses as both teams combined for 21 runs and 25 hits. Lee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after a two-run homerun from Javaria Smith, but Union tied it right back up courtesy of an RBI double from Courtney Marler and an RBI single from Zoey Neal. In the fourth inning, the Lady Flames scored four more runs, bringing the score to 6-2. The Lady Bulldogs got two runs back in the bottom of the inning, but Lee’s Bella Galloway hit a three-run homerun in the top of the fifth to put them ahead 9-4. Macey Neal hit a two-run bomb to center in the Union half of the inning, making it 9-6 going into the sixth inning. Lee added a run in the sixth, but Union rallied in the sixth to tie the game 10-10. The score remained tied until the bottom of the ninth when pinch runner Hailey Sipes scored on a wild pitch to walk off the game.
Four Union players collected multiple hits with Morgan Jennings, Zoey Neal, and Brooke Puckett each going 3-5 and Macey Neal going 2-5. The Neal sisters had three RBIs a piece.
Emily Claire Felder started in the circle for Union, throwing 3.2 innings and striking out seven while allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits. Addison Abell pitched the final 5.1 innings and earned the win as she struck out three, giving up only four runs (one earned), three hits, and three walks. Abell’s record is now 4-1 overall.
In between games, Alumni Day festivities commenced in which past players were honored for their part in the program and thanked for the contributions they made.
Game three closely resembled game one of the series. Union scored first when Puckett singled up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the third to drive in Marler. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the sixth when Rylie Goodridge hit a three-run homerun to put the Lady Flames ahead 3-1. Marler tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when she singled to score Bryleigh Carneal and Macey Neal. The game went to extras, and in the Union half of the eighth, Carneal walked the game off when she laid down a beautiful bunt single to score Camryn Langley.
Marler and Puckett led the offense going 3-4 and 2-4, respectively. Marler also had two RBIs.
Riley Vaughn threw a complete game for Union, striking out 11 Lee hitters while walking three and giving up three runs on six hits. With the win, her record improves to 7-4 overall.
Up next, the Lady Bulldogs will face Lane College in a midweek game on Apr. 16 with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
