COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Thomas University softball team picked up its second consecutive upset of a ranked team this morning on the road defeating No. 3 Reinhardt University 8-4. Last night, the Lady Night Hawks upset No. 13 Olivet Nazarene 7-4.
The Hunter Green and White pounced on the Lady Eagles in the top of the 1st inning to take the 2-0 lead over the nation’s third-ranked team. After Alex VanWagner lead the game off with a pop fly to center field, Chandley Seay landed a perfectly placed bunt down the first baseline and outran the pursuit to reach safely. She then stole second base before catcher and last night’s MVP Michael Cooper reached on a five pitch walk. Third baseman Rachel Hoeft advanced the runners with a sacrifice fly to deep center to set up Carmen Nadal for the next at bat. The first baseman delivered! Nadal smashed a liner down the first baseline that plated both Lady Night Hawks for the 2-0 lead.
Reinhardt jumped on the board in the bottom of the third. Second baseman Sydney Flowers reached on a fielder’s choice behind crossing home on a one-out triple by center fielder Taylor Braselton to cut TU’s lead to 2-1.
After a scoreless fourth, the Lady Night Hawks’ bats came alive to plate four runs in the top of the fifth. Hoeft started the two-out rally with a single up the middle. Nadal, who batted in Thomas’ first two runs of the game, then lined a single to center moving Hoeft to second. Kallie Shirling then loaded the bases with an infield single. Thomas scored their third run on a game when Reinhardt’s starter, Carleigh Myatt, threw a wild pitch to the backstop. During that at bat, designated player Kelsey Connolly launched a three-run homer over the left center field fence to give TU the 6-1 lead heading into the bottom frame.
The Lady Eagles responded in the bottom portion of the fifth to cut Thomas’ lead to 6-4. Catcher Randi Wimpy sent a towering three-run shot over the center field fence. TU’s starter, Katie Lopes, was able to work out of the jam with no further damage.
Thomas’ shortstop Lindsey Young led off the top of the sixth with a double to the left field fence and then later scored on a single by Seay to extend TU’s lead to 7-4. Seay would come around to two batters later when Shirling reached on a bases loaded walk to take the 8-4 lead. Lopes would pitch a scoreless sixth and seventh to lead to the victory.
Lopes was credited with the win while Myatt suffered the loss.
Thomas improves to 12-3 on the season while No. 3 Reinhardt drops to 6-5 on the year.
The Lady Night Hawks return to action at 4:00 p.m. when they begin the single elimination games in the NFCA NAIA Leadoff Classic. No opponent or seed has been establish at this time.
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