Due West, SC – The Warriors soared around the Flying Fleet of Erskine as they took both games in the series.  Southern Wesleyan run-ruled Erskine in five innings game one in a 10-2 final score.  They then took game two in an 8-4 final.

Southern Wesleyan had nine hits in game one.  Olivia Haag led the team with three hits including a solo home run.  Both Rebecca Lamb and Amberly Way followed with two hits.  Haag had three of the eight RBIs.  The Warriors walked four times, and Talissa Cannady, Josie Shoemaker and Riley Brown each stole a base.  Haag started the game in the circle and pitched three innings while striking out four batters.  Jaelyn Montfort and Emily Collins came in to pitch in relief in game one.

The Warriors totaled 10 hits in the second game of the afternoon.  McKenzie Babb went 3-for-4 at the plate.  Behind her, both Olivia Haag and Madison Truett had two hits.  Haag went on to have three of the seven RBIs as she hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning.  Two RBIs came off the bat of Truett.  The Warriors walked seven times and had four stolen bases.  Babb led the team with two stolen bases.  Chloe Smith started the second game in the circle and pitched three innings.  Emily Collins and Bailey Throckmorton each came in to pitch in relief.  Collins pitched three innings while striking out three batters to pick up her fourth win of the season.

Game Vitals

Game One Final: Southern Wesleyan 10, Erskine 2

Game Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 8, Erskine 4

Records: Southern Wesleyan (16-6 / CC 3-3) Erskine (4-16 / CC 0-4)

How It Happened

Game One

The Warriors went on the attack in the top of the second inning against the Flying Fleet.  With one out, Abby Schreiner singled to right field.  Riley Brown came in to pinch run for Schreiner and then stole second base.  Olivia Haag hit the ball just past the shortstop and then beat out the throw to take first, and then Talissa Cannady walked to load up the bases for Megan Ware.  Ware hit into a fielder's choice, but an error by Erskine's third baseman allowed Riley Brown to cross home plate to give the Warriors a 1-0 run lead.  With the bases still loaded, Maddie Crouch flew out to right field to allow Haag to come in to score the second run of the inning.

Southern Wesleyan struck again in the top of the third inning.  Amberly Way led off the inning by hitting a single to right center field.  With Ayden Leaphart pinch running for Way, Avery Mercer walked to put two on and bring Rebecca Lamb up to bat.  Lamb knocked the ball into right field for a single that allowed Leaphart to come all the way in to score.  On the first pitch she saw, Abby Schreiner was hit by a pitch to load up the bases once again.  Olivia Haag hit the ball to deep left field.  The ball bounced off the fence and back into the field for a single that allowed both Mercer and Lamb to come in to score and extend the Warriors' lead to 5-0.  With two outs and two on, Maddie Crouch popped the ball straight up into the air over the Flying Fleet infield.  However, Erskine's pitcher dropped the ball to allow Crouch to take first.  As the ball rolled away both Haag and Cannady came in to score.

Erskine answered in the bottom of the fourth inning as a single by Nelson allowed two runners to cross home plate to put the Flying Fleet behind the Warriors 7-2.

Olivia Haag led off the top of the fifth inning for the Warriors and sent the ball deep over the left field wall for a solo home run.  Talissa Cannady walked then stole second base.  A wild pitch by Kay allowed Cannady to advance to third base.  Josie Shoemaker walked to put runners on the corners and bring Mckenzie Babb up to bat.  During Babb's at bat, Shoemaker stole second base to allow both runners to get into scoring position.  Babb fouled several balls off until she was able to send the ball up the middle and into shallow center field for a single that allowed both Cannady and Shoemaker to come in to score to give the Warriors a 10-2 run victory in game one.

Game Two

The Warriors struck in the top of the first inning in game two of the afternoon.  With one out, Madison Truett was hit by a pitch and then stole second base.  With Truett in scoring position, Amberly Way singled to center field to allow Truett to come in to score to give Southern Wesleyan the early lead.

However, in the bottom of the inning with the bases loaded, Clark singled to center field to bring both Crouch and Patterson in to score.

Erskine was able to bring another run in to score in the bottom of the third inning as Brown singled to bring Rapson across home plate to extend their lead to 3-1.

Southern Wesleyan rallied back in the top of the fourth inning.  Talissa Cannady led off the inning by reaching on a walk and then she advanced to second as Reagan Fulcher ground out to the shortstop.  McKenzie Babb hit a single to center field to allow Cannady to advance to third.  Babb went on to steal second base to put both runners in scoring position.  With two outs and two on, Olivia Haag came up to bat and sent the ball over the outfield wall for a three-run home run to put the Warriors back on top by one.  The Warriors were not done in the inning.  Madison Truett was hit by a pitch and then two straight walks to Amberly Way and Avery Mercer loaded up the bases for Abby Schreiner.  Schreiner collected a walk to bring in the fifth run of the game for the Warriors.

The Warriors continued to build on their lead in the fifth inning.  With one out, McKenzie Babb hit a single to left field and then advanced to second as Josie Shoemaker hit a single through the right side of the field.  With two on, Olivia Haag hit into a fielder's choice that took Shoemaker off the bases, but allowed Babb to advance to third.  Haag then stole second base to put both runners in scoring position.  Madison Truett came up to the plate and hit a single to center field to bring both Babb and Haag to come in to score to extend the Warriors lead to 7-3.

In the sixth inning, the Warriors brought another run in to score.  Avery Mercer led off the inning by hitting a single to left field.  However, with Ayden Leaphart pinch running for Mercer, Abby Schreiner hit into a fielder's choice that took Leaphart off the bases.  With Sarah Woody pinch running for Schreiner, Camille Lui walked to put two runners on.  Rebecca Lamb lined out to right field, however an error on the play allowed both Lui and Woody to advance a base.  McKenzie Babb followed by hitting a single to right field to bring Woody in to score.

Erskine countered in the bottom of the sixth as they brought a run in to score on a misplay in the outfield by the Warriors.

Southern Wesleyan went on to win the game in an 8-4 final score.

What's Next

The Warriors will return to Varsity Field on March 22 as they welcome the Emmanuel Lions to Central, SC for a double header beginning at 2pm.  They will then host the Augusta Jaguars in non-conference play on March 25.  Southern Wesleyan will host the North Greenville Trailblazers on March 28 and then the King Tornado on March 29.