Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan dropped the series to the Emmanuel Lions on Thursday afternoon. The Warriors fell in 13-4 and 13-6 final scores.
Southern Wesleyan had eight hits in game one of the day. Avery Mercer led the team with two hits including a double. The other double of the game came off the bat of Addi Johnson. Amberly Way hit a home run. The Warriors walked three times and Chalee Roper stole a base. Olivia Haag started on the mound and pitched two innings. Autumn Barnhardt came in to pitch in relief.
The Warriors had six hits in the second game. Amberly Way and Riley Wilson each had two hits. Way went on to lead the team with three RBIs and the other two RBIs came off the bat of Wilson. Both Way and Wilson had home runs. Jaelyn Montfort started game two and pitched three innings while striking out one. Way came in to pitch four innings in relief.
Game Vitals
Game One Final: Emmanuel 13, Southern Wesleyan 4
Game Two Final: Emmanuel 13, Southern Wesleyan 6
Final: Southern Wesleyan (16-14 / CC 6-4) Emmanuel (16-19 / CC 5-7)
How It Happened
Game One
Emmanuel struck first as they plated seven runs off seven hits in the first inning of the game. They pushed further ahead in the top of the second inning as they brought five more runs in.
Southern Wesleyan fought back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Avery Mercer led off by hitting a double to left center field. A single by Talissa Cannady allowed Mercer to come in to score. Hannah Truett followed with a single to left field to allow Cannady to advance to second base. With two on, Amberly Way came up to bat and drilled the ball over the center field wall to put the Warriors behind the Lions 12-4.
A single by Wright in the top of the fifth inning allowed the Lions to take a 13-4 run victory in game one.
Game Two
A three-run home run by Adams allowed the Lions to take the lead in the top of the first innings. They pushed further ahead with four more runs in the top of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Warriors attacked the plate. Amberly Way led off the inning by hitting a single to left center field. However, Olivia Haag hit into a fielder's choice that took Way off the bases. Riley Wilson hit a towering ball down the left field line for a home run that brought Haag in to score and put Southern Wesleyan 7-2 behind Emmanuel.
The Lions were not done as they brought four more runs in to score off singles by Adams and Goolsby.
Southern Wesleyan stayed within six of Emmanuel with runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Avery Mercer reached first after an error by the Lions' shortstop. Abby Schreiner was hit by a pitch to put two runners on the bases. With two on and two out, Amberly Way hit the ball deep over the right center field wall for her second home run of the series to put the Warriors behind the Lions 11-5.
However, the Lions extended their lead to 13-5 off a two-run home run by Adams.
The Warriors countered in the bottom of the seventh inning. Riley Wilson led off the inning by hitting a single up the middle and then advanced to second base when Chalee Roper hit a single up the middle. With one out, Addi Johnson reached on a fielder's choice that took Wilson off the bases. Avery Mercer reached on an error by the third baseman that allowed Roper to come in to score. However, the Warriors fell to the Lions in a 13-6 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will hit the road on April 2 to Greenwood, SC to take on the Lander Bearcats. The Warriors host the University of Mount Olive Trojans on April 5 and then the Lees-McRae Bobcats on April 6. They will then travel to Franklin Springs, GA on April 9 to take on the Emmanuel Lions for the second time of the season.
