Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DANVILLE, Va. — Averett gave its seniors a pair of wins on Senior Day as the Cougars defeated USA South Conference newcomer Maryville College 4-2 and 6-3 on Saturday at Cougar Field.

In the opener, Averett used a three-run fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie before holding off Maryville in the final inning. The Cougars led 1-0 in the first inning thanks to freshman Taylor Dix's RBI single through the left side, which scored senior Jenna Rudder. Maryville managed to tie the game on an RBI double in the fifth.

Averett regained a 4-1 lead in the bottom half of the fifth. A Dix bunt scored Rudder, while a Maryville error allowed sophomore Lauren Averitt and Dix to score moments later. The lead held, although the Scots threatened in the top of the seventh after scoring on a double to cut the Cougars' lead down to two runs.

Freshman April Costa (8-9) earned the win with four strikeouts while allowing just one earned run in a complete game.

Rudder went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to lead Averett in Game 1. Averitt and sophomore Emily Dunford each added two hits.

Averett gave up a run to Maryville to start Game 2, but the Cougars answered quickly with five runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Crews tied the game with her RBI single through the right side, and Averett took the lead thanks to a Maryville error. Sophomore Taylor Mahaffey drove in two more runs with a bases-loaded double down the third base line and senior Lauren Daniel's sacrifice fly put the Cougars in front 5-1.

Averett added another crucial insurance run in the second inning on senior Brooke Hensley's sacrifice fly. That proved to be valuable as Maryville took advantage of four hits, including a pair of RBI singles, to trim the Cougars' lead down to 6-3 in the top of the third inning. Yet, Averett shut down the Scots the rest of the way to ensure the doubleheader sweep.

Sophomore Amy Hamlett (4-6) pitched the final six innings to earn the win.

Rudder had a pair of hits in the finale with the Scots. Fellow senior Molly Nanney also had one of Averett's nine hits.
In between games, Averett honored its four seniors — Rudder, Daniel, Nanney and Hensley — during its Senior Day ceremony.

Averett finishes its regular season at home on Sunday against Ferrum College. The doubleheader will begin at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than the contest was originally scheduled.