Down to their final out in the seventh inning, Arianna Rodi hit a three-run walk-off homer to lift Charlotte softball over No. 14 Kentucky 4-3 in the Queen City Classic on Saturday night at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.
The win marks the Niners' second victory over a ranked opponent this season.
Kentucky (12-3) took the lead in the first inning on a solo home run by Grace Lorsung.
In the third inning, Charlotte (9-6) finally got their bats going with a two-out double from Cori Hoffler. Following a walk, Lexi Winters slapped a ground ball through the right side that scored Hoffler and tied the game at 1-1.
Lena Elkins got the nod in the circle for CLT, recording five outs before running into some trouble in the second. Georgeanna Barefoot came in with the bases full and got a flyball out to end the frame.
Barefoot went 2 ? innings scoreless, striking out one. In the fifth inning, Sam Gress took over and, though she did yield a go-ahead RBI single, stranded a runner at third to keep the game within reach.
In the sixth inning, Gress got help from her defense, as recently-inserted left fielder Christina Wellen made a sprawling catch to take away a base hit.Kentucky would later add to the lead with a run in the seventh to go ahead 3-1. In the bottom half of the inning, Abigail Knight was hit by a pitch to get on board.
With two outs, Winters drew an eight-pitch walk to put runners on first and second. That set the stage for Rodi's heroics. The Cranston, R.I. native took a 1-0 pitch and deposited it over the right field wall for a 4-3 victory.Gress pitched three innings and finished the game to earn the win, her team-leading fifth of the season.
Saturday, March 2, 2024 Softball
| Away |
Home |
Location |
Links |
| North Texas 7 |
Northwestern 0 |
Auburn, Ala. |
Box Score |
| UAB 5 |
Kent State 4 |
Oxford, Miss. |
Box Score |
| Wichita State 3 |
Missouri 13 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
Box Score |
| North Texas 0 |
USC Upstate 4 |
Auburn, Ala. |
Box Score |
| Florida Atlantic 8 |
Southeast Missouri 3 |
Fayetteville, Ark. |
Box Score |
| UAB 1 |
Southeastern Louisiana 4 |
Oxford, Miss. |
Box Score |
| Jackson State 1 |
Memphis 4 |
Memphis, Tenn. |
Box Score |
| Wichita State 17 |
Nebraska 4 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
Box Score |
| UTSA 2 |
Texas A&M Corpus Christi 4 |
Arlington, Texas |
|
| Kentucky 3 |
Charlotte 4 |
Charlotte, N.C. |
Box Score |
| Youngstown State 1 |
East Carolina 9 |
Greenville, N.C. |
Box Score |
| Louisville 3 |
South Florida 4 |
Tampa, Fla. |
Box Score |
| Seattle 3 |
Tulsa 12 |
Tulsa, Okla. |
Box Score |
| UT Martin 5 |
Memphis 2 |
Memphis, Tenn. |
Box Score |
| Saint Joseph's 0 |
East Carolina 4 |
Greenville, N.C. |
Box Score |
| UTSA 2 |
UT Arlington 8 |
Arlington, Texas |
|
| Drake 3 |
Tulsa 11 |
Tulsa, Okla. |
Box Score |