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ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — The Averett softball team's season came to a disappointing end on the first day of the USA South Conference Tournament on Friday. The third-seeded Cougars lost their first round game 4-2 to sixth-seeded Greensboro College, then lost to No. 7 seed N.C. Wesleyan College 7-1 in an elimination game later in the day.

In the first game against Greensboro (13-10), Averett (25-12) gave up a pair of runs in the opening inning. The Pride scored the first on a bases-loaded walk, then went ahead 2-0 on an RBI groundout. Greensboro added two more runs in the third inning on Madison Crisco's two-run triple down the right field line.

Averett responded by cutting the Pride lead to 4-2 in the bottom half of the third. Junior Emily Dunford's RBI single drove in the first run and sophomore Rhyan Scearce later drew a bases loaded walk. However, Averett left the bases loaded and couldn't capitalize further.

Greensboro held the Cougars to just one hit over the final four innings to pull the upset and send Averett to the elimination side of the bracket.

Averett faced off against N.C. Wesleyan (18-18) several hours later. The Battling Bishops broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with three runs on two hits, a hit batter and a walk. N.C. Wesleyan tacked on four more runs in the fourth to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Cougars, who were held to just one hit in the first five innings, scored their lone run in the top of the seventh. With one out, sophomores Mary Beth Smith and Amber Smith singled and doubled, respectively. Mary Beth Smith came home on a groundout. However, N.C. Wesleyan got out of the jam and held on to advance to Saturday.

The losses end an otherwise memorable season for the Averett softball program. The team had its most overall victories since it had 27 wins in 2001. The Cougars also set a program record with 18 conference wins and had its most successful season under fourth-year head coach Bren LaFlamme Taylor.