DAHLONEGA, Ga. | Jill Torres had three hits and drove in four runs as the No. 8-ranked Young Harris College softball team opened the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Wednesday (May 19) afternoon with a 12-4 win in six innings over Emmanuel (Ga.) College at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park.

The Mountain Lions, who are the No. 3 seed in the six-team double-elimination tournament, improved to 32-10, while the Lions, who were the No. 6 seed fell to 19-28. Young Harris will take on No. 5 Lincoln Memorial University, which is the No. 2 seed in the regional, in a second-round game Thursday (May 20) at 3 p.m.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE:

• The Mountain Lions collected 15 hits as everyone but one starter had at least one hit. Eight of the 15 hits went for extra bases.
• Young Harris leads the all-time series with Emmanuel 5-2.
• Haylie Shope, Maddie Urquiola and Sutton Long had two hits for YHC. Shope drove in two runs, while Urquiola and Long pushed in a run each.
• The Mountain Lions broke the game open in the bottom of the second inning as they sent 12 batters to the plate. Emily Harris led off with a double to left-center field and scored the first run for YHC as Long tripled to right field. Natalie Corbin added an RBI infield single before Torres drove in two more with her double to right-center field. Shope drove in a run with a double down the left field line. Urquiola's bases-loaded walk accounted for the final run for the Mountain Lions.
• Young Harris added five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an 11-0 lead. Biz Walters starting the scoring with an RBI single to right, Torres drove in another run on a fielder's choice and Carly Rigsbee had a run-scoring double to left-center field.
• After Emmanuel scored four runs - three coming on a bases-clearing double by Abbey Sims - in the top of the fifth, the Mountain Lions closed out the game early on Torres' game-ending homer to straightaway center field. It was Torres' 11th long ball of 2021.
• Sam Davis (10-5) earned the win in the circle for the Mountain Lions as she recorded six strikeouts in four innings.

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