For the second time in her career, Morgan Beeler threw a no-hitter for the Bears as the senior no hit No. 18 Wingate on a chilly, windy day at Bears Field. After the Bears dropped game one 11-3, Beeler responded in a huge way as she did not allow the Bulldogs to record a hit then watched LR score three times in the bottom of the sixth to win 3-0. Beeler has now thrown back-to-back shutouts against No. 24 Anderson and No. 18 Wingate in a span of four days.

In game one, Wingate scored runs in six of seven innings including a three-spot in the second and seventh innings. Lora Beth Wood hit her 5th home run in the second inning as Wood extended her hitting streak to nine games. Talon LaClair and Anna Blume had two hits apiece for LR in game one.

Lauren Rakes (8-2) took the loss in the circle as the senior was tagged for a season-high eleven runs (seven earned). Bears defense struggled as LR committed seven errors in the game which led to four unearned runs.

In game two, the Bears did not get their first hit until one out in the bottom of the sixth as Wingate’s starter Raechel Cutcher walked only one in the first five innings. LR broke through in the sixth with a Kaylan Brown single to right field then, after a wild pitch, scored on a Katelyn Rackard double.

LR did add on two unearned runs highlighted by a Wood RBI single, the Bears third hit of the inning and game. Beeler moves to 11-2 on the day she was named SAC pitcher of the week. Beeler struck out seven in her second straight complete game shutout. Beeler won SAC pitcher of the week for the third time in her career as announced before the contest. The no-hitter was the 22nd in program history.
Beeler’s first career no-hitter was against Queens on March 11, 2020 in five innings.

Rackard’s 14-game hitting streak came to an end in the first game. Wood however extended her hitting streak to 10 games.

Seven errors in game one was the most since March 22, 2018 at Catawba where LR made six.

The loss in game one saw the Bears suffer their first home loss of the season and is 13-1 currently at Bears Field.

These teams split four games last year including three one-run ball games.

After the Bears defeated Wingate in the first game of the NCAA Southeast Regional, the Bulldogs knocked the Bears out on the second day.

LR will start an eight-game road stretch. LR moved back into the national rankings today as LR came in at No. 23 in this week’s NFCA poll.

Lenoir-Rhyne is now 22-4 overall, 5-3 in the South Atlantic Conference. The Bears will take a trip up the mountain as LR will face Lees-McRae on Thursday in Banner Elk. The non-conference matchup will start at 1:00 P.M.