Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
DANVILLE, Va. — Virginia Wesleyan College held off Averett in nine innings to complete a doubleheader sweep of the Cougars on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field. The Marlins (5-0) took the opener 3-0 before edging Averett 8-5 in extra innings.
Trailing 4-2 following the top of the sixth inning of Game 2, Averett (0-4) fought back to tie the game when senior
Hayley Brooks knocked a two-out, two-run single to center field.
Neither team scored in the seventh inning, forcing extra frames. Virginia Wesleyan struck first to take a 5-4 lead thanks to a sacrifice fly. Averett, however, answered right back on senior
Heather Trainum's squeeze bunt in the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Virginia Wesleyan took the lead on a wild, yet costly play. With runners on first and second and two out, Chelsea Henline hit a ball through the right side. Shannon Renigar scored ahead of the throw home to Averett catcher
Emily Atkinson. Atkinson then fired to second base to try to get Henline, who was attempting to advance on the throw home. As Hemline reached second safely, Kristy White, who had advanced to third base, headed home. The throw back to Atkinson at home led to a collision at the plate. Although White was safe, both White and Atkinson were injured on the play, along with Averett shortstop
Jenna Rudder, who was hurt at second base. All three players didn't return to the game following a lengthy delay.
Once play resumed, the Marlins added one more run and then shut down the Cougars in the bottom of the ninth to escape with the win.
Brooks finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead Averett. Freshman
Heather Francisco chipped in with two hits.
In the opener, Virginia Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Marlins pitcher Brittaney Brown limited Averett to just two hits — a single by freshman
Lauren Daniel and a double by Francisco.
Virginia Wesleyan's Jaclyn Quinn hit a solo home run in the top of the third to give the Marlins a 3-0 advantage. Despite giving up 13 hits to Virginia Wesleyan, Averett's defense kept the Marlins' offense at bay the rest of the game.
Averett returns to action on Sunday against Guilford College at 1 p.m. at Cougar Field.
