Lady Bantams Softball and Bantam Baseball Bring Home Wins!

The Lady Bantams swept #10 ranked Surry Community College on Sunday, Feb. 4, winning 5-1 in the first game and 15-4 in the second game.

USC Union were the first to get on the board in the first inning when Matigan Nettles singled, scoring one run. Right-handed pitcher Brianna Compton gave up eight hits and one run over seven innings, striking out two and walking one. USC Union tallied 11 hits in the first game. Nettles, Payton Morris, and Bailey Stewart each collected two hits. Stewart led USC Union with three runs batted in. The shortstop went 2-for-4 on the day. Gracie Starnes stole two bases. USC Union ran wild on the base paths, piling up three stolen bases for the game. USC Union were sure-handed in the field and did not commit a single error.

In the second game, Peyton Morris drove in four runs on three hits to lead USC Union past Surry Community College. Morris doubled in the sixth scoring two, singled in the first scoring one, sacrifice bunted in the second scoring one, and hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth scoring one.

USC Union got on the board in the top of the first inning after Morris singled, and Stewart grounded out, each scoring one run. They added to their early lead in the top of the second inning, after Nettles singled, and Morris laid down a sacrifice bunt, each scoring one run. They added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning on four hits. Morris hit a solo home run to left field, and Abby Benfield singled, scoring one run.

Benfield stepped in the circle first for USC Union. The starting pitcher surrendered six hits and four runs (one earned) over six innings, striking out three and walking one.

USC Union scored nine runs in the sixth inning on the way to victory. Morris doubled, scoring two runs, Stewart singled, scoring one run, Benfield drew a walk, scoring one run, Emma Chapman singled, scoring two runs, and Starnes doubled, scoring two runs.

USC Union amassed 17 hits in the game. Morris and Madison Goossens were a force together in the lineup, as they each collected three hits for USC Union. Nettles, Chapman, Sophie Caley, and Starnes each collected multiple hits for USC Union. Nettles stole two bases. USC Union stole four bases in the game.

Bantam Baseball split the series with Roane State this weekend, winning their first game 10-7 on Feb. 2 and their second game 12-11 on Feb. 3. Kris Levensteins hit two home runs and drove in four. Both offenses were strong at the plate as USC Union Bantams collected 11 hits and Roane state collected 7.

Mason Elrod homered to left field, which helped the Bantams tie the game at one in the bottom of the first.

The Bantams flipped the game on its head in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs on six hits to take a 8-1 lead. The biggest blow in the inning was a home run to center field by Levenstiens that drove in three.

USC Union Bantams scored one run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run to right field by Levensteins.

Michael Adams hit a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the fifth.

Jared Penland earned the win for the Bantams. The reliever gave up three hits and four runs over two and one-third innings, striking out two and waking two. Austin Brown stepped up on the bump first for USC Union, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) over three innings, striking out two and walking one. Mason Stepp collected the save and Aiden Blevins appeared in relief for the Bantams.

USC Union amassed 11 hits in the game. Levensteins, Adams, and Tyler Strickland each collected two hits for USC Union. The Bantams turned one double play in the game.

The second game on Saturday came down to the wire, with the Bantams grabbing the victory 12-11 over Roane State. The game was tied at 11 in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Strickland singled, scoring one run.

Both offenses were strong at the plate as USC Union collected 12 hits and Roane State nine in the high-scoring affair.

USC Union got on the board in the bottom of the first inning after Mason Elrod singled, scoring one run, and Brayden Corn homered to center field, scoring three runs. The Bantams tied the game in the bottom of the third thanks to a double by Clayton Goff and a walk by Elrod.

In the bottom of the fourth, USC Union broke up the tie when and error scored two runs. Then a single by Elrod followed to extend the lead to 10-6. Roane State flipped the game in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs on four hits to take a 11-10 lead. In the bottom of the fifth the Bantams went back into the lead after Corn singled and Strickland singled, each scoring one run.

Again, Jared Penland earned the win for USC Union, allowing two hits and one run (zero earned) over one inning, striking out and walking none. Jackson Jefferson started on the mound for USC Union. The starting pitcher allowed four hits and six runs over two and one third innings, striking out three and walking four. Trevor Merck and Josh Raines each appeared in relief for USC Union.

The Bantams piled up 12 hits in the game. Corn went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bantams in hits. Brett Boone, Strickland, Goff, and Elrod each collected multiple hits. USC Union had a strong eye at the plate, tallying eight walks for the game. Michael Adams, Zach Leroy, and Elrod led the team with two bases on balls each.