LAURINBURG — The St. Andrews Knights softball team lost two games against the Pikeville Bears on Tuesday in the first Appalachian Athletic Conference action for both.
Pikeville (5-4, 2-0 AAC) won Game One 7-0 and took Game Two 5-2.
St. Andrews fell to 4-14 (0-2 AAC) with the defeats.
Game One
The visiting Bears came out swinging, connecting for three runs in the top of the first inning. Maddie Horn started the rally with a double, quickly putting her team in position to score. Lillie Kluesner reached base on a successfully placed bunt down the third-base line that Lady Knights third baseman Haley Zimmerman couldn’t convert into an out. After Kaden Dunlap walked to load the bases, Horn scored the first run on Sara Bays’ fly out to center field. Dunlap and Kluesner advanced a base in the process, keeping the Bears’ offensive momentum alive.
Kluesner did not stay on base long, as she became the Bears’ second run on a passed ball by catcher Olivia Plybon. Dunlap followed not far behind on another passed ball, putting the Bears in front 3-0.
Both teams settled in on defense to hold their opponent scoreless for the next two innings until the Bears struck again in the top of the fourth. Franklin’s line drive base hit to left field scored Horn and advanced Kluesner, who had reached on an error; in an aggressive base-running move, Kluesner stole home, extending the Bears’ lead; the last run of the inning was by Alyssa Franklin on Bays’ flyout.
The visitors added one more final blow to the Lady Knights’ morale when Dunlap sent a home run over the wall for the Bears’ seventh and final run. The Lady Knights couldn’t muster together momentum in their last trip to the plate, giving their opponents the 7-0 win.
Franklin had two hits with an RBI for Pikeville; Horn, Dunlap and Kluesner each had one hit and Dunlap had an RBI. Carolyn Alincic was the winning pitcher, allowing only two hits with 13 strikeouts and just a single walk in all seven innings.
Meghan Fritz and Ava McPhillips recorded St. Andrews’ two hits; Fritz suffered the loss.
Game Two
The Lady Knights struck in the bottom of the first inning when Fritz flew out, scoring Mullins from third after her triple with two outs. The Bears fought back in the top of the third when Sam Case singled up the middle to center field and found herself on third base 60 feet away from scoring after a wild pitch and a passed ball. Several batters later, Horn’s ground out to third base was enough to score Case from third. At the end of three innings, the Lady Knights were on top 2-1.
Two costly walks by Lady Knights pitcher Charlee Mullins opened the door for the Bears to put pressure on, and they did not waste the opportunity. With both runners in scoring position after advancing on passed balls, Case secured her second hit of the day, scoring both runners and putting the Bears on top 3-2. The Lady Knights did not respond in the bottom of the inning, recording two strikeouts and a ground out.
It was the same story in the top of the fifth, with a free pass to first base on a walk by Mullins to Katelyn Byrd. Horn’s sacrifice moved her to scoring position, and Kluesners single to center brought her home for the Bears’ fourth run.
The Bears’ defense stayed solid, sending Lady Knight batters back to the bench with efficiency, supporting pitcher Kelsie Hardester’s efforts. The Lady Knights’ base runners didn’t get themselves into scoring position in the final four innings, leading to the Bears’ second victory.
Final stats were not available for Game Two.
Up next
St. Andrews begins a six-game road trip with a doubleheader at Union on Friday. First pitch for game one is scheduled for noon.
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