LYNCHBURG, Va. — Averett University softball held off the University of Lynchburg 4-2 to earn a split in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The Hornets, who are receiving votes in the latest national poll, outlasted Averett 6-5 in 8 innings to open the day.
 
Averett (8-3) handed Lynchburg (7-1) its first loss of the season by getting out of a sticky situation in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Hornets, who received the highest number of votes for a team not included in the National Fastpitch Association's Top 25, loaded the bases with only one out. Yet, Averett junior right-hander Kaitlyn Aherron worked her way out of trouble by getting two infield popups for the final two outs to seal the win for the Cougars in Game 2.
 
Much like Game 1, Averett took an early lead as the Cougars impressively scored all four runs in the third inning with two outs. With two aboard, freshman Erin Rankin singled through the left side, scoring junior Casey Cook. A Lynchburg error on the next play allowed a second run to come home, and freshman Anna Coleman followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0. With runners on the corners, Coleman got caught in a rundown between first and second, allowing freshman Hannah Thompson to score from third to extend Averett's advantage to 4-0.
 
Lynchburg tried to chip away at its deficit, scoring its first run on an RBI double in the fourth. Averett nearly got it back in the top of the fifth. Yet, after loading the bases with no outs, Lynchburg worked out of trouble within allowing a run to score to keep the margin at three runs. The Hornets got within 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth with the help of an error.
 
The Hornets left two runners on in the sixth and three in the seventh as Averett held on. Aherron earned her third save in relief of freshman Kaity Sullivan (1-0), who earned her first collegiate win.
 
Averett nearly earned the sweep of Lynchburg. In Game 1, Lynchburg rallied from a 4-1 deficit to force extra innings before winning it in the bottom of the eighth. Tied 4-4 through seven innings, Averett inched ahead 5-4 in the top of the eighth. With Rankin placed on second base for the international tiebreak rule, junior Nicole Cauthen drove her in with an RBI double. The Cougars had runners on second and third, looking to add an insurance run, but Lynchburg right fielder Jordyne Vance fielded a ball hit through the right side and fired to first base in time for the forceout for the third out.
 
Not adding an insurance run proved costly for the Cougars as Lynchburg moved the tying run over on a bunt single, then tied it 5-5 on a sacrifice fly. The Hornets earned the walk-off win on Haylee Wood's two-out RBI single to right field.
 
Averett jumped on Lynchburg at the start. Following Aherron's leadoff single, Rankin drove her in with an RBI double to right-center field. Coleman followed a single to put runners on the corners for the Cougars, which chased Lynchburg starting pitcher Taylor Belknap. Kayley Cox, who replaced Belknap, pitched out of further trouble to keep Averett's lead to 1-0.
 
Lynchburg tied the game, 1-1, on Mackenzie Chitwood's RBI double to right-center in the bottom of the third. The Hornets threatened again in the fourth, but Averett got out of a bases-loaded jam unharmed.
The Cougars used that momentum in the top of the fifth. Aherron crushed a two-run homer to right field, putting Averett back in front 3-1. Seconds later, Rankin followed with a solo home run to center field, extending the Cougars' lead to three runs.
 
Down 4-1, Lynchburg cut its deficit in half with Taylor Mabry's solo shot in the bottom of the third. The Hornets then tied it with two runs in the sixth. Wood knocked an RBI single to pull Lynchburg within one, and then the Hornets knotted the game on a wild play. With runners on the corners, Thompson notched a strikeout for the second out. Wood took off for second base on the play and the throw ended up in center field, allowing the tying run to score. Wood, however, was thrown out trying to advance to third.
 
Rankin finished with three hits in the opener, falling only a triple shy of the cycle. Cook and Aherron each added two hits. Kahn struck out five in the circle over five innings of work but didn't factor in the decision.
 
Averett travels to play non-conference foe Emory & Henry College on Saturday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.