DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball opened its home schedule by sweeping a non-conference doubleheader with Bluefield College on Tuesday at Cougar Field. Averett won 4-1, then dominated 13-4 in five innings.

In the opener, Averett (4-1) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when junior Kaitlyn Aherron led off with a triple to center field and scored moments later on a wild pitch. The Cougars added a second run in the third inning when freshman Hannah Thompson doubled in sophomore Myka Patterson, who pinch-ran at second base.

Bluefield (1-7) cut its deficit in half in the top of the sixth thanks to a fielding error that let a runner advance an extra base on a single to left field. However, Averett answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to extend its lead to 4-1. Freshman Zamyiah Mangum led off with a triple to right field, and junior Mallory Girffiths, who pinch-ran at third, scored on a wild pitch. Freshman Erin Rankin, who reached on a walk, also came home on a wild pitch later in the inning.

Thompson (2-0), the USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week, earned the win in the circle, striking out three while allowing just three hits and one walk. Aherron pitched the final three innings to earn her second save. She struck out four, walked two and allowed one unearned run.

Thompson led the Cougars offensively in Game 1, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Averett's offense caught fire in Game 2 as the Cougars once again jumped on the Rams in the early innings. Aherron again led off the game with a triple before scoring on freshman Anna Coleman's RBI single. Thompson then smacked an RBI triple to right field to make it 2-0 Averett. Thompson scored moments later on Rankin's sacrifice fly.

Ahead 3-0 after one, the Cougars continued to crush the ball. Junior Casey Cook smacked a two-out triple, and Aherron followed with her second triple of the game and third of the day. Coleman added another RBI single, Mangum knocked an RBI triple and Rankin hit an RBI single as part of a five-hit, five-run frame that saw Averett take a commanding 8-0 lead.

Bluefield, however, didn't go away quietly. The Rams fought back in the top of the third, scoring four runs on six hits and one error. The damage could have been worse, but Averett escaped with an 8-4 lead after junior Taylor Bailey worked out of the jam in relief but getting a strikeout with the bases loaded.

Averett pulled away in the bottom of the third, scoring three more runs on two hits and one error to go up 11-4. With the help of a triple by junior Brianna Harris, the Cougars tacked on two more runs in the fourth before shutting Bluefield down in the fifth to end the game early.

The Cougars hit a combined eight triples over the doubleheader, including six in Game 2. In the nightcap, Averett totaled 12 hits as a team. Aherron led the way with a 3-for-4 game along with three runs scored and two runs batted in. Coleman and Thompson each had two hits as well.

Bailey (2-0) got the win in relief of freshman Kaity Sullivan, who pitched well with four strikeouts early before running into triple in the third. Junior Dani Kahn closed out the game with a scoreless fifth inning in the circle.

Averett is scheduled to play on Saturday at the Triangle Classic in Cary, North Carollina.