Lady Pioneers win 9th straight, sweep Surry CC

SPARTANBURG, SC-  The Lady Pioneers softball team picked up a hard fought double header sweep of Surry CC on Thursday afternoon and improved to 31-12 overall and 12-2 in Region X play.  

Game one: SMC 4- Surry 3 

The Pioneers scored in the first inning after freshman Kolby Harrison (2-4, 3B)  tripled to center field and scored on freshman Caroline Hill's (2-3, 2B, 2RBI) double. The Knights tied it uo in the second inning on a walk, error and sacrifice fly. Sophomore Kelli Shealy (HR. 2 RBI)  hit her 12th home run on the year driving in freshman Cierra Bell and giviing the Pioneers a 3-1 lead. Starting pitcher Carson O'Donald (13-1) would hold the Knights to only two baserunners until the 7th inning, Surry scored two to tie the game at 3-3. Sophomore Lindsey Auton led off the 7th with a pinch hit double, Hannah Knight and Harrison each singled to load the bases. Hill drove in her second run of the game with a walk off sacrifice fly.   

Game two: SMC 7- Surry 4

The Lady Pioneers made it interesting with another come from behind win. Winning game two 7-4 with a five run 6th inning. Taylor Carpenter (7-2) picked up the win in relief, Carpenter worked 1.2 innings and struck out four of the five Knights she faced.  SMC jumped out to a 2-0 after Kelli Shealy (2-4, two 2B doubled tow bring in Kolby Harrison. Bre Cuff singled to center and scored Shealy.  The Knights scored four in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead. SMC would go quielty until the 6th inning, Cuff reached first on a hit by pitch, Lindsey Auton (2-3) singled Logan Wade doubled driving in Cuff. Carson O'Donald delivered a pinch hit single to tie the game at 4-4. Hannah Knight singled to left to give the Pioneers the lead 5-4. Harrison loaded the bases with a hit by pitch and Caroline Hill doubled to right field driving in two more runs to give SMC the 7-4 lead. 

Notes: With the sweep, SMC has now won 18 of their last 20 games and nine in a row. The Pioneers will be the #2 seed for the Region X Tournament this weekend. The Pioneers are 12-2 in Region X play while Pitt CC is the #1 seed at 14-2. SMC had two games rained out against USC Sumter that can't be made up. SMC will play USC Sumter on Friday at 1:00pm at Louisburg College in the first round of the tournament. 

The Pioneers will have host Piedmont College on Monday at 3:00pm and Walters State on Tuesday at 2:00pm.