CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Queens University of Charlotte softball team split its doubleheader on Sunday, earning a 5-4 victory over Maryland before falling 4-0 to North Carolina at Anderson Stadium. The win over Maryland marked a historic milestone as the Royals secured their first-ever victory against a Big Ten Conference opponent.
GAME NOTABLES - QUEENS 5, MARYLAND 4
After a scoreless first inning, Queens broke through in the second inning with five runs. Kaylee DeJesus ignited the rally with a double to bring home Olivia Thornton. Moments later, Makala Strickland rocked a two-RBI single to left field, scoring Caroline Johnson and Emma Frye. An error by Maryland extended the inning, allowing Queens to push across two more runs.
On the mound, Taylor Jones (2-1) earned the complete-game win, battling through seven innings and allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Maryland scored twice in the first and added single runs in the second and sixth innings, but Jones kept her composure, retiring the final three batters in order to seal the historic victory.
Thornton led the offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while DeJesus, Strickland, and Taylor Jones each recorded crucial hits.
GAME NOTABLES - QUEENS 0, NORTH CAROLINA 4
Facing a tough North Carolina squad, Queens struggled to generate offense and produced one hit; a single by Olivia Thornton in the fifth inning.
Abby Craver (0-2) pitched a six-inning complete game, allowing four runs on six hits. The Tar Heels struck for three runs in the third inning, sparked by a bases-clearing triple. They added an insurance run in the sixth on a groundout.
COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH KELLA ARMSTRONG
"This weekend was so good for the program! It showed the girls that they can compete with the best," Armstrong said. "They fought for 14 innings, and I'm proud of the product we put on the field today."
UP NEXT
The Royals will head to Raleigh to face UNC Wilmington for the second time this season in the "Raleigh Times" Tournament. First pitch is slated for 3:30 PM on Friday, Feb. 28.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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