CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Improving on their number of hits by 11 and number of runs by eight from Game 1 to 2 during their first road encounter of the 2024 season, the Presbyterian College softball team went through a midweek split against Queens on Wednesday afternoon. An extra-inning defensive blunder was the deciding factor in the first bout (1-0), although the Blue Hose punched back hard in the rematch for an 8-5 triumph.

True freshman pitcher Kasey Wolfe put forth perhaps her most efficient outing in the circle despite the Game 1 setback, not allowing a single earned run alongside six K's.

The only thing missing from head coach David Williams' club in the opener was the ability to bring base-runners all the way around the diamond, a facet that was turned around in quick order by booming 14 hits and scoring in four different innings throughout the DH's second half.

The Blue Hose and the Royals entered the day displaying identical records of 4-5 and would tidy things up by staying with that distinction. Coach Williams' crew continues its six-game road stretch this weekend by participating in a Georgia Southern round robin tourney from Saturday to Sunday.

 
NOTABLES
 
- Junior first baseman / DP Kendall Owens was the catalyst to Presby's rapid offensive climb, combining to go five-for-nine at the plate along with her team-leading eighth RBI of the campaign during the W.

- Only three days after lead-off shortstop Kelby Goodrum landed a career-high three hits in a blowout victory over Morehead State, senior outfielder Kara Starnes accomplished the same feat in Game 2 that was capped off by her 5^th career RBI in the 6^th frame that concluded the afternoon's scoring output.

- Eight different players registered at least one hit once the bats woke up in round two, further evidence of Presbyterian's league-leading .317 overall hitting average.

- Second-year twirler Peyton Duncan lassoed her first personal win of the season as her squad took control of the game in the 2^nd and never looked back, her seventh win in a PC uniform since entering the program.

- The Blue Hose found a lead as large as four in their payback mission, gaining a run in three consecutive stanzas for the second time in 2024 (joining a 13-0 bludgeoning of Norfolk State that occurred on opening weekend).

 
GAME ONE – QUEENS (5-5) def. PRESBYTERIAN (4-6), 1-0 – 8 INNINGS
 
- A purest definition of the term "pitcher's duel", Wolfe went head-to-head against preseason ASUN Pitcher of the Year Autumn Courtney with neither side giving an inch. No runs were tallied in 53 at-bats across the standard seven-inning layout, necessitating the need for an extra-inning specialty.

- Enduring a similar eight-frame marathon less than a week ago in a losing effort against Youngstown State, Presbyterian nearly struck first only to ground into a double play that handed the bats right back to the Royals.

- From there, a sacrifice bunt placed a runner on 3^rd base, leading to an infield mishap that ended the contest in walk-off fashion.

- PC struck out 15 times against Courtney while Wolfe only surrendered three hits, decreasing the newbie's ERA to an impressive 0.61 in 23 full innings of action.

 
GAME TWO – PRESBYTERIAN (5-6) def. QUEENS (5-6), 8-5
 
- The scoreboard read 4-0 Blue Hose in short order thanks to a host of RBI's from Goodrum, Owens, Kaitlyn Tucker, and Mallory Fletcher, emptying out the Royals' bullpen for at least two runs against all three pitchers faced.

- Queens kept battling and stayed in range, producing a two-run 3^rd frame only for PC to answer with a pair of their own in the top of the 4^th after an Emma Yanes base hit brought in two runs.

- The matchup's trajectory changed in a blink after the home squad cracked a three-run homer in the bottom of that same inning, although Duncan remained level-headed and stayed in the spotlight for the full seven, holding Queens without any further runs from that point onward.

- Starnes delivered a little extra cushion by wrangling in Fletcher and Yanes in the 6^th, contributing to the three-run decision in a major way.

 
NEXT UP
 
- Two rare opponents await coach Williams and co. this weekend in Statesboro, competing against Purdue Fort Wayne and Georgia Southern twice each with early starts on both days.

- Presbyterian will enact their first-ever meeting with the Mastodons at 11:00 AM on Saturday, beginning both days of the tournament versus IPFW and ending against the Eagles.

- PC's only other game with GSU since the program turned D-I was back in 2017, representing the school's first trip to Georgia Southern's house in seven years.