DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University baseball team split it Saturday doubleheader with Covenant College, taking the opening game of the morning in walk-off fashion 11-10, before dropping the final game 8-4 at Owen-Fulton Field.
 
The Cougars would take the series 2-1, as Saturday's Game 1 featured two comebacks for Averett as it proved to be one of the most exciting games for the team on the year and made it two straight walk-off victories. 
 
Game 1:
 
After trailing 10-5 in the top of the 10th inning, Averett (3-14, 2-7 USA South) battled back to score five runs in the bottom half of the inning to even the score at 10 and send the game to the 11th inning. 
 
Sophomore Tyler Butler would hold the Scots in the check in the top half of the 11th, giving way for the Cougars offense in the bottom part of the inning. Freshman Nate Tuck reached with one out on a throwing error by Covenant, advanced to third on a single by senior AJ Hart and later scored the winning run when junior Nick Winston laced a single to center field.
 
Covenant (8-6, 3-2 USA South) got on the board first in Saturday's opening game thriller, when Brent Kernodle scored following a single up the middle by Tyler Moore. 
 
Averett starter freshman Collin Clark would settle down in the second inning striking out the side following the opening inning run.
 
The Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs to take a 3-1 lead. The first run came off an RBI-single by junior Andrew Lancaster that plated sophomore Tanner Bradshaw. Junior Sawyer Smith knocked in the Cougars last two runs on a two RBI single down the left field line that score Lancaster and junior Cody Jones. 
 
Clark would pitch a scoreless third, fourth and fifth inning, however the Scots benefited from six Cougar walks in the top of the sixth inning to take a 5-3 lead. 
 
Averett chipped into Covenant's two run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when junior Chase McKinney singled through the right side scoring Winston to make the score 5-4. 
 
Senior Dillon Roberts, who entered out of the bullpen late in the game, would pitch three solid scoreless innings to give the Cougars a chance heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Roberts scattered one hit while striking out three and walking two.
 
Averett trailed 5-4 heading into the bottom half of the ninth, but Winston was hit by a pitch with one out in the inning and advanced to third on a Covenant miscue and tied the score 5-5 on a wild pitch by the Scots. 
 
Winston finished the game 2-4 from the plate reaching base safely in five times and scoring three runs. McKinney would also finish 2-4 for the game driving in three runs while Hart added a two hit performance as well. 
 
The Cougars top offensive output on the day came from Tuck as the freshman finished 3-5 with a pair of runs. 
 
Butler would earn the win for the Cougars out of the pen, the first of his career while Conor Austin pitched up the loss for the Scots. 
 
Game 2:
 
The Scots wasted time getting on the board in game two, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning before adding two runs in the second and another two runs in the third. 
 
Averett would chip into Covenant's lead in the bottom half of the third as Winston doubled down the left field line to leadoff the inning, advanced to third on a wild pitch and score on a sacrifice fly by McKinney to right center to make the score 6-1. 
 
Butler entered on the mound for the Cougars in the third following his game one win as the right hander would escape further damage for Averett before pitching a scoreless fourth and fifth inning, allowing two hits and striking out one batter. 
 
Winston would score his fifth run of the day in the bottom of the fifth inning following sophomore Ryan Traylor's double down the left field line to cut the lead to 6-2. 
 
However, the Scots added runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to push their lead back to six runs at 8-2.
 
Sophomore Dante George would score McKinney in the bottom half of the eighth to cut back into the Scots lead on a pinch hit sacrifice fly to center field. 
 
Averett added another run in the bottom of the ninth inning to make it an 8-4 ball game, but the damage had been done early as Covenant managed to hang on for the series finale victory. 
 
Winston finished the contest and impressive 3-5 from the plate with two two doubles, scoring three runs, while Bradshaw, Lancaster and Traylor all tallied two hits apiece for the game. 
 
Both sophomore Cole Spain and freshman Josh Adkins would make their second appearances of the day, both pitching two innings allowing an earned run each, while Spain finished with four strikeouts. 
 
The Cougars will be back in action Tuesday as they host Bridgewater College at 3:30 p.m. from Owen-Fulton Field.