LAGRANGE, Ga. — Senior Amanda Wright's solo homer in the seventh inning lifted Averett University softball to a 3-2 win over Piedmont College to begin play Friday at the USA South Conference Tournament hosted at Shuford Softball Complex in LaGrange, Georgia.

Wright broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh by crushing a ball well over the fence in right field to put East Division No. 3 seed Averett (19-20) ahead by one over West No. 2 seed Piedmont (22-15).

Sophomore right-hander Kaitlyn Aherron got the Lions to go down in order to clinch the win for the Cougars, who advance in the winner's bracket to play East No. 1 seed Salem College at 2 p.m. Friday.

Aherron led off the game with a homer to center field to give the Cougars the early 1-0 advantage. After Piedmont got out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the third, the Lions tied the game in the bottom of the inning on Mariann Kennison's RBI triple to deep right field. Averett threatened again in the fourth, but once again Piedmont right-hander Melisa Eckman — the USA South Pitcher of the Year — got out of another bases-loaded situation. The Lions took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a Becka Ross solo home run. 

Averett battled back to tie the game, 2-2, in the top of the fifth. Freshman Ashley Carbajal led off with a single and  later scored on sophomore Nicole Cauthen's RBI double to right-center. The two teams remained tied until Wright's heroics.

The Cougars outhit Piedmont 8-3, with Wright and Cauthen notching two hits apiece. 

Aherron, the MVP of last year's conference tournament, put together another strong performance. She limited the Lions to just three hits while striking out seven for the complete-game win.