CHARLOTTE, N.C.- After falling 3-2 in the first contest of the Queens Senior Day doubleheaders against Anderson University, the Royals came back in the second and mercy ruled the Trojans 8-0. Before the game Queens honor its three seniors, Mary Lee Giurintano (Greensboro, N.C. , Glenn ), Kari Kmetic (Milwaukie, Ore., Putnam) and Audra Littlejohn (Riverside, Calif., Centennial ).
Queens improves to 19-22 overall and 10-6 in Conference Carolinas action while Anderson drops to 18-25 on the season and 4-12 in league play.
Brittany Stephens (Charlotte, N.C., Hickory Grove Baptist) picks up the win for game two and closed out game one. She accumulated eight strike outs on the day while giving up seven hits. Chantel Dodge (Shalimar, Fla., Choctawatchee) started game one for Queens and takes the loss.
Alisha Waldrop (McDonough, GA , Luella ) led the offense for the Royals with four hits.
Game 1
Queens took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Littlejohn started the inning with a single to third base. Keeya Turner (Fayetteville, N.C., 71st ) reached on an error and Littlejohn was able to take second. Giurintano hit a sac ground out putting Littlejohn on third. Littlejohn scored on an Amanda Bowman (Kernersville, N.C,, Glenn) single to short stop, while Turner was caught in a run down. Kmetic grounded out to close the innings.
Anderson used singles from Meredith Knox, Kasey King and Lora Daniel to put two runs up in the fourth, taking a 2-1 lead.
Stephens entered the game after one out in the fifth to pitch for Queens. Amber Sutherland reached on a bunt and was able to get around the bases and score one more for the Trojans.
The Royals put the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the sixth, but closed the inning leaving both runners stranded.
Stephens struck out one in the seventh and the defense picked up the other two outs on ground outs, keeping the score 3-1.
Carrie Beth Richie (Fayetteville, N.C., Northwood Temple Academy) started the inning off with a single and was then able to steal second base on a passed ball. Waldrop collected her 16th RBI of the season with a long double to center field. Queens was now down just one run with no-outs on the board. The Royals next two batters went down swinging. Giurintano was intentionally walked, putting the Royals tying run on base. The game closed on a ground out with Anderson winning 3-2.
Dodge takes the loss for Queens on the mound. Dodge struck six out and gave up three hits. The offense connected six times from six different players. Waldrop had the only double of the game.
Anderson used four different pitchers in the game. The four combined for seven strike outs and gave up six hits.
Game 2
The first game gave the Royals some motivation and they came out ready to go in the second game.
After Anderson had the only hit in the first inning and a half, Queens' second chance at the plate changed the game.
Waldrop came to bat with two outs down and started Royals rally. She singled to the short stop and then was able to advance on a throw. Littlejohn drove in Waldrop with a single to left field. Littlejohn was also able to advance a base on the throw putting herself in scoring position. Ritchie continued the rally with another single, this time down the left field line, brining in Littlejohn for a 2-0 lead. Queens left one on at the end of the inning.
The defense did their part in the top of the third, sitting the batters down 1-2-3.
Queens had a big third inning, connecting five times to drive in two more runs. Giurintano led off with a single and was able to steal second while Bowman was batting. Bowman got on with a single, driving in Guirintano for a 3-0 lead, and was picked off on the next play. Kmetic added one more in the inning with a shot over the left center fence, her fourth home run of the year.
The Trojans threatened in the fifth putting runners on second and third, but the last batter went down swinging standing both on base.
In the fifth Queens notched six hits for four runs. The game ended on a Giurintano single to drive in Littlejohn for the 8-0 win.
Waldrop went 3-3 with one RBI. Richie and Littlejohn each went 2-3 with two RBIs and Kmetic was 2-3 with one RBI.
The Trojans had three hits from three different players. Again, the pitching was divided amongst four players. The pitchers combined for four strike outs while giving up 14 hits.
