Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone softball team swept a doubleheader Thursday from the St. Augustine’s Falcons 7-6 and 14-0.
With the two victories, the Blue Bears improved to 7-13 overall and 3-10 in the conference.
Livingstone got the offense going early in game one as they put up four runs in the top of the first inning. Four hits and one error helped the Blue Bears bat around and put up the big first inning. The Blue Bears had the opportunity to really put the hammer down in the first as they had two runners on and no outs, but three consecutive flyouts against the bottom three of the batting order ended the inning.
Starting Livingstone pitcher Shaniqua Harrison held the Falcons scoreless and hitless through the first three innings. St. Augustine’s was finally able to break through in the top of the fourth scoring one run on two hits. The Falcons also put up two additional runs in the top of the fifth.
After going scoreless in the second and third innings, the Blue Bears put up single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, all of which proved to be very important as the game headed into the seventh and final inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, the first batter grounded, the next two batters reached and the fourth batter tripled to left field, scoring two and getting the Falcons within two at 7-5. The next batter walked, but on a passed ball a third run scored and the Falcons trailed 7-6. With the runner on, Harrison settled down and struck out the final two batters to preserve the 7-6 victory.
Harrison pitched seven innings, gave up seven hits, allowing six runs and striking out 10 Falcons. Michelle Thompson and Kayler McBride each recorded two hits and six different Blue Bears each had an RBI.
In the second game of the afternoon, Harrison pitched a gem, allowing only one hit and walking only one batter in five innings of work.
The Blue Bear bats also continued their power into the start of the second game as they put up five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Livingstone sent 11 batters to the plate in the first, but only managed two hits. Amanda Short picked up one of them, knocking in two runs on a single. Livingstone again could have added more, but left the bases loaded.
Livingstone continued to put runs on the board through the remainder of the contest. The Blue Bears scored three more runs in the bottom of the second, but left two more runners stranded on base.
Another big inning came in the third for the Blue Bears as they scored four runs, but on no hits. One St. Augustine’s error and six walks aided the Blue Bears cause. Again in the fourth, the Blue Bears tacked on two more runs to go up 14-0 and the game ended on the mercy rule after the top of the fifth inning.
Along with her stellar pitching performance, Harrison also had three hits and scored four runs. Shannon Allen also scored four runs and had three RBIs.
Livingstone will be back in action on Tuesday when they host the Virginia State Trojans for a single game at 2 p.m.