FERRUM, Va. — Averett University softball freshmen Hannah Thompson and Zamyiah Mangum had career days as the Cougars swept a non-conference doubleheader at Ferrum College on Wednesday night. The Cougars won the opener 3-1 before taking the nightcap 5-2.
 
Thompson turned in her best performance to date in the circle, striking out 11 while allowing just three hits over seven innings in Game 2. Thompson and Mangum also powered Averett's offense.

Averett (11-6) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Mangum's sacrifice fly, which scored freshman Anna Coleman. That lead held until the bottom of the third, when Ferrum (6-6) took advantage of two errors while getting a pair of hits to help the Panthers surge ahead 2-1.

The Cougars regained the lead in the top of the fifth on Thompson's bases-loaded, RBI single that brought home freshman Lauren Johnston to tie the game. Mangum followed with another sacrifice fly, which allowed junior Kaitlyn Aherron to score from third to put Averett in front 3-2.

Averett added two insurance in the seventh on Mangum's two-run double to left-center, giving the Cougars a 5-2 advantage.

Mangum finished a career-high four RBIs, while Thompson and Johnston each had two hits.

Thompson earned the win to improve to 6-2. Her 11 strikeouts were the most by a Cougar since Aherron struck out 11 as a freshman in 2017 against Ferrum. The Averett single-game record is 16 held by Sandra Dennison in 2008 against Bates College.

In the opener, Averett also scored in the top of the first as Thompson doubled in Coleman. Ferrum, however, answered with a tying run in its half of the inning on an RBI double.

Coleman drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run in the top of the third with her single up the middle, which scored Aherron from second base to put Averett ahead 2-1. Thompson scored the Cougars' third run when she stole third and scored on the errant throw.

Thompson finished 3-for-3 at the plate in Game 1, while Coleman finished with two hits.

Sophomore Dani Kahn (1-1) pitched six strong innings, striking out three while allowing just one run on five hits. Aherron notched her fourth save by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

Averett hosts Brevard College for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday at Cougar Field