CARY, N.C. — Averett University softball spit a pair of games on the final day of the Triangle Softball Classic Sunday. The Cougars defeated Piedmont College 2-1 before losing a heartbreaker 7-5 to No. 11 Emory University.

In the first game of the day, Averett (6-6) held off a Piedmont threat in the top of the seventh inning to beat its fellow USA South mate in a non-conference matchup. Down a run, Piedmont got its leadoff batter on and over to second base with no outs. Averett freshman pitcher Taylor Bailey got out of the jam, inducing a pair of infield pop-ups and a groundout to end the game.

Averett also avoided danger in the top of the first when Piedmont (7-7) loaded the bases with just one out. The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame when freshman Casey Cook drew a bases-loaded walk before the Lions got out of further trouble.

Cook helped added a valuable insurance runs in the fifth when she singled through the left side to score senior Samantha Hall to put Averett ahead 2-0.

Piedmont scored its lone run in the sixth on an RBI groundout that was set up by an error.

Senior Jessica Long, Hall and freshman Kaitlyn Aherron each had two hits against Piedmont. Bailey (3-3) earned the win, scattering seven hits while striking out four over seven innings.

Averett started its game against Emory (9-3) with a blast. With Long at first base, Aherron crushed a two-run homer to center field to put the Cougars ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning. Emory, however, answered with three runs — two unearned — to go in front 3-2 in the bottom of the first. The lead didn't last long as sophomore Taylor Hodges tied it up at 3-3 in the top of the second with an RBI double down the left field line.

Cook broke that tie in the fourth her two-run single up the middle, giving Averett a 5-3 advantage until the bottom of the sixth inning. Emory closed the gap to 5-4 on Ashley Powers' RBI single through the left side. The Cougars almost got out of the jam with the lead, but a throwing error on what would have ended the inning allowed two runs to score, including the go-ahead run. The Eagles added another run in the frame to go ahead 7-5 and shut down Averett's offense in the top of the seventh to prevail.

Hodges and freshman Breanna Murphy each had a pair of hits for Averett, which totaled nine hits.

Aherron (3-3) took the loss despite allowing just two earned runs in seven innings.

Averett returns to action on the road Thursday at Lynchburg College.