DANVILLE, Va.— Averett University baseball split its season-opening doubleheader with Washington and Le University on Saturday at Owen-Fulton Field. The Cougars took the opener 8-5, but the Generals escaped with a 6-3 win in Game 2.
 
Averett's offense got rolling early as the Cougars took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Bradley Tickle singles home junior Dallas Smithers for Averett's first run of the season, and freshman Chase McKinney later scored on a sacrifice fly.

After Averett extended its lead to 3-0 in the second inning on Smithers' sacrifice fly, Washington and Lee answered with two runs on a pair of RBI singles in the top of the third. The Cougars responded with a two-out, two-run double to deep left field by sophomore Matt Tuggle in the bottom of the third to give Averett a 5-2 advantage.

That lead didn't last long as Washington and Lee tied the game with a controversial home run. With two runners on, Paul Diven crushed a ball down the left field line over the foul pole. The home plate umpire ruled it as a home run as Averett coach Ed Fulton pleaded his case to no avail that the ball hooked foul. However, it proved to be a moot point.

Averett's offensive came through again in the bottom of the fifth. A walk, a double and a two-out walk loaded the bases for the Cougars, and Averett drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to regain a 7-5 lead. Averett tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on sophomore A.J. Hart's RBI single.

Hart finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs in Game 1. Senior Trey Wall was 2-for-2 ith an RBI and a walk.
Senior left-hander Cody Johnson (1-0) picked up the win, going 5.1 innings with three strikeouts. Senior James Culbreth earned the save while holding the Generals scoreless the rest of the way.

After a great start in the opener, the Cougars got off to a rocky start in Game 2. A pair of first-inning errors allowed Washington and Lee to score three unearned runs. Yet, Averett got them all back in the second inning. The Cougars loaded the bases for sophomore Tyler Fetherolf, who drew an RBI walk to put Averett on the board. A Washington and Lee balk brought home freshman Cale Davis, and freshman Hunter LePrell tied the game on Smithers' RBI groundout.

Washington and Lee broke the tie on Robey Smalley's RBI sac fly to left field in the top of the sixth. Corey Paton, who led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch, came home on to score on the play to put the Generals up 4-3.

Averett threatened in the bottom of the sixth, getting two runners on before the Ashworth flow out to the warning track just to the left of the 400-foot mark in dead center field.

Washington and Lee added two more runs in the seventh on Paton's single up the middle.

Tuggle (0-1) took the loss on the mound despite giving up just one earned run in 5.1 innings and striking out seven.
 
Averett returns to action on Sunday when the Cougars host Lynchburg College at 1 p.m.