LADY FLAME Jennifer Ringle fires across the infield to retire the runner at first base. Ringle was 4-for-7 with two doubles and a triple in two games with Faulkner.
Ana Coscorrosa remained hot at the plate with five hits on the day. Coscorrosa was 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the opener and topped that with a 3-for-4 performance, including a home run and four RBIs, in game two.
Jennifer Ringle collected two hits and scored twice in each game from the leadoff spot. Ringle legged out two doubles and a triple in the wins.
Freshman Laurel Allen and senior Kelsey Barnes each blasted home runs in game one. Allen led off the four-run fourth inning with a home run and Barnes delivered a two-run shot later in the frame to give the Lady Flames a 6-1 lead.
Faulkner fought back in the sixth with back-to-back doubles by Haley Munroe and Heather Smith and an RBI single. A sacrifice fly by Jessi Palmer brought Faulkner to within two, but Lee pitcher Brittany Balough was able to wiggle out of more trouble with a fly-out to shallow center and a strikeout to end the inning.
Balough (2-0) went on to record the complete-game win after allowing three earned runs, eight hits and a walk. The senior fanned five Lady Eagles.
Missy Duke allowed five unearned runs on nine hits, and recorded six strikeouts in being tagged with the loss.
In game two, the Lady Flames once again put up two runs in the third. Faulkner struck for two to tie the game after 4 innings. Lee’s offense came alive and scored eight in the fifth and sixth innings to record the run-rule shortened win.
Freshman Dominique Hannah was 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI. Charlie Wooden picked up two hits to round out the Lady Flame offense with multiple hits in the game.
Jessa Watts (3-0) allowed five hits, two walks and two unearned runs to earn the win. The freshman struck out eight batters. Mattie Dotson was charged with the loss.
Smith led the Lady Eagles with two hits and an RBI. Munroe tallied Faulkner’s other RBI of the game.
The Lady Flames will leave the friendly confines of Butler Field for the first time this season with a trip to Decatur, Ala., this weekend to participate in the Alabama Arctic Blast tournament that is being hosted by Shorter University. Lee is slated to take on Campbellsville University, Milligan College, Thomas University, Georgetown College and Trevecca Nazarene University.
