DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University softball team started off conference play with two shut-out wins over Greensboro College on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field. The Cougars defeated the Pride 1-0 in the first game and 9-0 in five innings in the second matchup.   
 
It was a pitching duel up until the bottom of the fourth inning in the first game. Freshman infielder Casey Cook hit a pop-fly to left field but Greensboro's error on the catch allowed her to reach first and advance to second. Three batters later, Cook was able to make her way to third to give Averett (8-8, 2-0 USA South) an opportunity to score. With two outs, freshman first baseman Nicole Cauthen singled up the middle to run in Cook, and the Cougars' defense kept Greensboro (6-7, 0-2 USA South) scoreless.
 
Freshman Kaitlyn Aherron hit the only double of the game for Averett while senior shortstop Jessica Long went 2-for-3. Averett's Taylor Bailey claimed her fourth win of the season from the circle.
 
Averett scored seven runs in the third frame to cruise past Greensboro in the finale. Senior outfielder Samantha Hall hit a sac bunt but reached on a fielder's choice that turned into a throwing error that ignited the scoring run for the Cougars as they took a 2-0 lead with only one out.  Aherron immediately followed with a 2RBI home run to right field while sophomore utility Andrea Grant added an RBI double to tack on more runs and extend the lead to six. Sophomore centerfielder Taylor Hodges batted in Laura Young with a single through the right side to put up Averett's seventh run. Seven of the Cougars' nine hits came in the third inning.
 
Hodges finished 2-for-2, and Aherron went 1-for-2 with 3 RBIs and snagged the pitching win. She struck out the first three batters in the top of the fifth to end the game and improve her record to 4-4.   
 
Averett returns to Cougar Field on Sunday to host William Peace University in conference action for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.