DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball took the opener of a non-conference doubleheader with Guilford College, but the Quakers held off the Cougars 8-7 in nine innings to split on Friday afternoon at Cougar Field.
 
Averett (5-11) rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win the opener. After giving up a solo home run to Guilford (9-4) in the top of the third, the Cougars tied the game 1-1 with some power of their own. Junior Andrea Grant hammered a solo homer to left field to knot the score.
 
The Cougars took the lead in the fifth inning thanks to good hitting and two Quaker errors. With runners on second and third, sophomore Brianna Harris hit a sacrifice fly to left that was dropped. Freshman Makenzie Collins, who went 3-for-3 at the plate, scored from third on the play to put Averett in front 2-0. Grant and freshman Ashley Carbajal each added RBI singles as the Cougars pulled away.
 
Sophomore right-hander Kaitlyn Aherron (2-6) finished off Guilford in the circle. Aherron struck out seven and allowed just one run on four hits over seven innings to earn the win.
 
Averett and Guilford played a tight second game as well, with Guilford squeaking out a one-run victory in extra innings. The Quakers held a 3-2 lead with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Down to their last out, the Cougars tied the game when Carbajal scored from third on a wild pitch, forcing another frame.
 
Guilford retook the lead in the top of the eighth with a pair of RBI doubles around an RBI single. Down 6-3, Averett once again answered. Junior Taylor Hodges drove in junior Essence Pulliam from second base and the Cougars pulled within one on an RBI groundout by sophomore Brianna Harris. Sophomore Nicole Cauthen tied the game, 6-6, with an RBI double through the right side.
 
In the top of the ninth, with a runner placed on second base via the international tiebreaker rule, Mikayla Crawford hit the first pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run to give Guilford an 8-6 advantage. Averett nearly tied the game again in the bottom half of the ninth. Carbajal's RBI double got the Cougars within one, and Averett had the tying run and second and the go-ahead run at first before Guilford induced a game-ending groundout.
 
Carbajal finished 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and Cauthen finished with two hits.
 
Averett travels to Ferrum College for a doubleheader on Saturday.