Softball goes 1-2 with Louisburg College in weekend series

In a close matchup between Louisburg College and Cleveland Community College on February 23, 2024, Cleveland came out on top with a 2-1 victory at home. This was a huge win for the Yetis since this was Louisburg's first loss in a Region 10 game since 2019. The Hurricanes are currently ranked number one in the country in NJCAA Division II softball. 

Louisburg started strong in the first inning, with T. McQueen hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in H. Kugler for the first run of the game. However, Cleveland responded in the fourth inning with a two-run homer by Christian Beaver, scoring Virginia "Gracie" Elmore and taking the lead. Louisburg struggled to generate offense throughout the game, only managing one hit and one run. Cleveland's pitcher, Christian Beaver, had an impressive performance, allowing only one hit and one run while striking out 13 batters over seven innings. Beaver's home run hit to center field gave the Yetis their 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. 

In game 2 of the day, Louisburg fought back to defeat Cleveland 7-2. Louisburg got on the board first in the second inning when E. Austin scored on an error by the right fielder. They added three more runs in the third inning, with T. McQueen driving in a run with a sacrifice fly and E. Austin hitting a home run. Cleveland tried to mount a comeback in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on errors by the first baseman and left fielder, but Louisburg held on for the win.

In the final game of the series, Louisburg dominated Cleveland on Sunday, February 25, 2024, with a final score of 11-2. Louisburg's offense was led by E. Austin, who hit two home runs and drove in a total of six runs. 

Louisburg College's pitching staff held Cleveland Community to just two runs, with K. Byrd and C. Sutton combining for a solid performance on the mound. Cleveland Community struggled to generate offense, with S. Strange being the only player to drive in a run. Jaylen Ledbetter went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Yetis in hits. Kassandra Swink led with one run batted in, while Kaylen Cales and Molly Beam led the team with two walks each. The Yetis turned one double play in the game. 

Overall, Louisburg College's strong hitting and pitching performances led them to a convincing victory over Cleveland. The game took place in Shelby, NC.