Young Harris softball sweeps doubleheader

Haylie Shope picked up two wins and Jill Torres drove in six runs as the sixth-ranked Young Harris College softball team swept a doubleheader from Emmanuel (Ga.) College on Sunday afternoon, March 8, at E.D. Rivers Field.

Haylie Shope picked up two wins Sunday.

The Mountain Lions improved to 17-3, while the Lions fell to 9-9. Young Harris travels to Huntsville, Alabama, Wednesday, March 11, for a 1 p.m. Central time doubleheader against the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

In the opener, Shope (7-0) tossed her second no-hitter in as many days as Young Harris won the first game 8-0 in five innings. Torres’ bases-clearing double down the right field line in the bottom of the sixth helped the Mountain Lions rally for a 6-4 decision.

Young Harris broke open the first game with a five-run third inning. Morgan Curley and Carly Rigsbee had RBI singles, while Michalyn Bingham drove in a run with ground out. Torres then added a two-run homer to right field to give YHC a 5-0 lead.

Jill Torres drove in six runs Sunday.

The Mountain Lions added three runs in the fourth to make it 8-0. Torres added a sacrifice fly and Biz Walters drove in another run with a single.

Rigsbee and Shope each led the Mountain Lions with two hits. Shope didn’t allow a hit in five innings as she struck out four while walking two.

In the second game, Emmanuel took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth before the Mountain Lions got a run back in the bottom half of the inning as Walter drove in a run with an infield hit.

An inning later, Emily Harris and Curley each singled and Bingham reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases before Torres blooped a double just inside the right field line that cleared the bases and gave Young Harris a 6-4 lead.

Walters led YHC with three hits, while Harris, Curley and Maddie Urquiola collected two apiece. Urquiola also drove in two runs.

Shope recorded the final four outs to get the win in relief.

James Wolfe