COLUMBUS, Ga. — William Carey began its weekend with a hard-fought 6–3 setback to Lindsey Wilson but quickly rebounded with a commanding victory over Truett McConnell.
The Blue Raiders wasted no time striking in the top of the first inning, as Emerson McKinnis and Kayden Rodgers delivered back-to-back solo home runs to left field, giving LWU an early 2–0 lead.
William Carey answered in the bottom of the third. After
Ryanne Hornsby reached and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by
Harper Dupre, Brooklyn Montana put Carey on the board with a sacrifice bunt. One batter later,
Caroline Lindsey launched a two-run homer to left-center, flipping the score and putting the Lady Crusaders ahead 3–2.
WCU held that advantage into the sixth inning before Lindsey Wilson mounted a game-changing rally. With two outs, Hannah Carter doubled to spark the surge, and pinch-runner Melaina Tucker came around to score on an RBI double from Aubrey Miller to tie the game. Summer Ray followed with another RBI double to put LWU back on top. The Blue Raiders added two additional runs—one on a defensive miscue and another on an RBI double by McKinnis—turning a one-run deficit into a 6–3 advantage.
The Lady Crusaders threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs on singles from
Julia Shaw, Dupre, and
Liz Cross, but LWU escaped with a strikeout to seal the win.
William Carey responded emphatically in its matchup with Truett McConnell, exploding offensively and riding a dominant pitching performance to a commanding 16–0 victory.
The Lady Crusaders set the tone immediately, manufacturing three unearned runs in the first inning without recording an extra-base hit. After a leadoff walk to Cross and a single by Montana, an error on a comebacker from Lindsey allowed two runs to score. Moments later, Lindsey crossed the plate on a wild pitch, giving WCU a quick 3–0 cushion.
Jayden Sawyer extended the lead in the second with a solo shot to center field, sparking another productive frame. Dupre followed with a double, and Cross drove her home with a single to push the advantage to 5–0.
Following a quiet third inning, the Lady Crusaders erupted for seven runs on five hits in the fourth. Lindsey delivered a two-run single, and
Kinley Hogue broke the game wide open with a towering grand slam to left.
Mackenzie Smith capped the inning with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 12–0.
The scoring continued in the fifth, as Carey plated four more runs, highlighted by Sawyer's second home run of the day—a two-run blast to center.
Albanie Fussell added an RBI double, and Hogue reached on an error that brought in another unearned run.
In the circle, Sawyer was nearly untouchable. The Carey starter tossed a no-hit gem, allowing only two baserunners and striking out 10. No Truett McConnell player advanced past second base.
The Lady Crusaders are back on the field tomorrow with matchups against Freed-Hardeman at 11:00 a.m. and Georgia Gwinnett at 1:30 p.m.
