HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After dropping its first two games and then getting snowed out on Saturday, the Norfolk State softball team concluded action at the Thundering Herd Invite in one of the strongest ways possible with a run-rule win over Western Carolina, 11-3 in five innings.
Against the host Thundering Herd on Friday, got a solo home run by Yrral Davis and led until the sixth inning when Marshall retook the lead and held on for the win. Immediately following the conclusion of that game, the Spartans took the field against WCU and dropped a 12-4 run-rule game.
However, Sunday was a completely different story. Even after the Catamounts jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one and a half innings, NSU tied things up in the bottom of the second when the Spartans loaded the bases and both Davis and Lily Potter were both hit by a pitch on back-to-back at bats. WCU took the lead for the second time in the third off a rare, inside-the-park home run that bounced off the padding in left center field.
In the third, Kenna Higa scored from third when Riley Gilbreath was out caught stealing second to tie the game up for the second time at 3-3.
Neither team scored in the fourth and the Spartans held WCU scoreless in the fifth. The bats came alive, especially for the Spartan freshmen in bottom half of the inning. After Gabby Vaughan lined out to right field, Higa reached base for a second time on an error at third. Gilbreath followed up with single up the middle and Morgan Johnson continued the hitting streak with a single to right field that loaded the bases. Victoria Ruiz came through and found the gap on the right side and gave the NSU the lead, 4-3.
With one swing of the bat, Lauren Sheehan cleared the bases with a grand slam over left center to extend the lead to 8-3. Both Potter and Alison Guckin singled to center field before both Iosefa, to load the bases, and Vaughan walked to bring in the sixth run of the inning. After Higa reached on a fielder's choice when WCU threw home to prevent the run from scoring, Gilbreath had her second hit of the inning, this time a double to left that scored both Vaughan and Iosefa to end the game early.
The Spartans (11-12) return home for a Wednesday double-header against Hampton. First pitch with the Lady Pirates is schedule for 1 p.m. at the NSU Softball Field.
