FAYETTEVILLE — The St. Andrews University softball team faced another Div. II foe Fayetteville State University on Thursday. The Lady Knights dropped a heartbreaking 7-6 game one, before the Lady Broncos rolled past the Lady Knights, 10-1 in game two.
Game 1: FSU 7, SAU 6
Lady Knights’ senior starter Kori Ballard (3-3) allowed four runs off eight hits to go along with a walk and a strikeout over her five-plus innings before being pulled in the sixth with St. Andrews trailing 5-4. Sophomore reliever Nancy Amos came in and allowed four hits and two runs in the final two innings as FSU won in walk-off style.
After being down 4-0, the Lady Knights rallied back scoring four runs over the course of the fourth and fifth innings before FSU took a 6-4 after six.
St. Andrews added two more runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game but, FSU wasn’t done and captured the 7-6 win.
Carrying the St. Andrews offense was Ballard with one hit and three RBIs. Junior second baseman Sam Lowder went 1 for 3 scoring with two runs and a stolen base. Leading in extra-base hits was sophomore infielder Nikki Santiago, who smacked a double and scored two runs.
Game Two: FSU 10, SAU 1
St. Andrews freshman starting pitcher Brennan Broadaway (1-3) went four innings allowing 10 hits off 10 runs with three walks and a season-high five strikeouts
FSU scored four runs each off Broadaway in the first and second innings to take an 8-1 lead before she retired the side in the third. FSU added two more in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach.
St. Andrews falls to 4-6 on the season while Fayetteville State moves to 3-1.
The Lady Knights will next return home to host Div. II foes Davis & Elkins College (WV) on Saturday at 12 p.m. and St. Augustine’s on Sunday, Feb. 19 also at noon.