DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University baseball team opened conference play with a 8-5 loss to Greensboro College on Friday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field.
 
Averett (1-8, 0-1 USA South) led 3-2 going into the top of the sixth inning, but Greensboro (3-2, 1-0 USA South) fought back to load the bases with one out. Brayden King singled to tie the game at 3-3. In the following at-bat, Greensboro's Jimmy Short doubled to left-center, driving in three runs to give the Pride a 6-3 lead.
 
In the bottom half of the sixth, the Cougars chipped away at their deficit. After loading the bases with no outs, junior Dallas Smithers' sacrifice fly scored sophomore BK Stancil. Junior Matt Tuggle followed with an RBI single to center, scoring freshman Nick Taylor to close the gap to 6-5.
 
However, Greensboro tacked on two more runs in the seventh to help seal the victory.
 
Averett had one last opportunity in the bottom of the ninth after loading the bases with one out, but Greensboro got out of the jam to take Game 1 of the three-game series.
 
Averett scored first in the bottom of the second inning on a RBI double by freshman Tanner Bradshaw. The hard-hit ball scored junior Neil Hutchens all the way from first base. Greensboro responded in the top of the fourth with one run of its own when Lincoln Hewett scored on a fielder's choice to tie the game.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Hunter Curtis singled up the middle, scoring a run for the Pride to put them on top. The Cougars responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead. The first came on Hutchens' sac fly, and Bradshaw added and RBI single through the left side.
 
Offensively, Bradshaw went 3-for-5 with two RBIs while Tuggle and junior Kyle Vidano each added two hits of their own.
  
Averett returns to the diamond on Saturday to finish its series with Greensboro in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.