FERRUM, Va. — The Averett University baseball team lost to Ferrum College 8-0 on Sunday in its USA South Conference finale at Panther Field.

Averett (18-19, 7-11 USA South) earned the No. 8 seed in the upcoming USA South Conference Tournament. The Cougars will play top seed Ferrum (25-10, 14-3 USA South) at 10 a.m. Thursday in their first contest of the double-elimination tournament held in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Ferrum used a four-run first inning to establish an early cushion. With two men on and one out, Lane Deaver delivered a two-run double to left field. After a batter hit by pitch, Jo Stickney sent a pitch out to left that scored two runs and left him on second base to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead after one inning.

An RBI single by Lucas Stevers in the bottom of the second pushed Ferrum's cushion to five and the Panthers picked up their sixth run of the game when Stickney drove in his third run of the game on a double in the bottom of the fifth to give Ferrum a solid lead over Averett. The Panthers added another tally off Ty Comer's solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, while picking up their final run the following frame courtesy of an RBI fielder's choice.

Sophomore Kyle Vidano, junior Hunter Ashworth and junior Trey Wall each chipped in with a base hit.

On the mound, senior right-hander Brandon Goff had a solid outing in relief, allowing only two hits and striking out three in three-plus innings of work.

The Cougars return home on April 12 to take on non-conference opponent Roanoke College in the regular-season finale starting at 3 p.m. at Owen-Fulton Field. Averett picked up a 7-5 win over Roanoke earlier in the season.