Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagle Softball Open 2025 season; play four contests in North Carolina

Marion, NC:  The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles opened up softball play on Friday, February 7th, when they journeyed to the Tar Heel state. They would play powerful Montreat College in a doubleheader on Friday, before returning the following day to battle Bluefield State University in the opener and Montreat in the nightcap.

February 7th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-4; Montreat-5

The Kentucky ladies battled to the wire before dropping a close decision.

The scoring started in the second. After a pair of singles, Lady Eagle Chloe Taylor (3B) doubled to make the score 1-0.

Montreat answered in the third when a double and sacrifice fly produced a 2-spot (2-1).

In the fourth, ALC tied things when a Carlee Muncy (1B) single brought home the Eagles second run (2-2), but a Cavalier sacrifice in the bottom of the inning put the Carolina squad back on top, 3-2.

The Caney Creek crew responded in the fifth. After singles by Rachael Rife (LF) and Maleigh McDaniel (P), Arin Rife (DP) drove both in with a single. Now, the Bluegrass ladies led 4-3.

Once more, Montreat answered as they blasted consecutive home runs in the same inning to regain the advantage, 5-4.

Eventually, in the Eagle seventh, a two-out double from R. Rife placed the tying run on base, but a popout ended the matchup.

The Rife sisters, Muncy and Keene, all recorded 2 hits, while A. Rife had 2 RBIs.

McDaniel took the tough loss on the mound. She went 4.2 innings, allowing 7 hits and 5 earned runs with 1 SO. A.Rife relieved and retired all 4 batters she faced, including 2 K's.

The Kentucky crew won the hitting battle, 11-7, and committed 0 errors. 

GAME 2

Alice Lloyd- 0; Montreat-8

The host club tossed a 2-hitter to win in five innings.

MC scored 1 on a double in the first, 1 on a double in the second, and 2 on a sacrifice and double in the third to lead, 4-0. In the meantime, ALC got a single from R. Rife in the second and a single from McDaniel in the fourth, but both were left stranded on base.

Then, in the bottom of the fourth, Montreat delivered 4 big runs, fueled by a pair of blasts over the fence. The Cavaliers then closed the side in the fifth to end the day.

ALC only had 2 hits, while Montreat recorded 7.  A pair of errors hurt the Eagle cause.

On the mound, Kirsten Vice allowed 4 runs in 2.1 innings and suffered the loss. A. Rife threw 1.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, while Kenna Justice went .1 innings, allowing 1 hit and 1 run. A. Rife had the lone K.

February 8th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd- 0; Montreat-9

A tough day at the plate aided Montreat in pulling away late on day two. 

In the first inning, MC took an early lead on a homer (1-0). The score then remained unchanged until the bottom of the fourth.

In the Cavalier fourth, a pair of singles brought home 3 scores (4-0). Then, in the next inning, a single, double, and blast over the fence delivered 5 runs and ended the contest at 9-0.

The Eagles would be outhit 12-2 as Muncy and Ellie Keene (CF) each had a single.

Vice suffered the loss on the mound, allowing 4 hits and 4 earned runs in 3.2 innings while striking out 1 and walking 0. Justice and Raelyn Adkins appeared in relief, with Justice whiffing a pair of batters.

The Eagles committed 1 miscue. 

Game 2

Alice Lloyd-2; Bluefield State-6

The Big Blues spread out 6 runs and made it hold up for the win.

A double in both the first and third innings produced solo runs for BSU to give them a 2-0 advantage. Then, a single and error helped Bluefield cross two runners home in the fourth. Now, they led 4-0.

In the sixth, an error permitted a BSU runner to race home and give them a 5-0 cushion.

ALC answered in the bottom of the sixth. In that at-bat, they placed a pair of runners on base, then saw Taylor single in a score (5-1). Next, Audrey Mowell (2B) smacked a double to deliver another run (5-2). Now, with a pair of runners still on base, a rally looked feasible. Unfortunately, a long fly ball ended the threat.

Bluefield added an insurance run in the final inning. Then, in the final chance of the day, R. Rife laced a one-out single. Unfortunately,  a pair of fly balls would slam the door shut.

R.Rife, Mowell, and Taylor all delivered 2 hits for Alice Lloyd, while Mowell and Taylor delivered the runs. The Eagle did win the hits battle, 9-8, but made 2 errors.

On the mound, McDaniel would take the loss, allowing 8 hits and 6 earned runs in 6.2 innings. She whiffed 6 batters and walked 0. A. Rife closed, allowing 2 walks and whiffing 1.