DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball knocked off No. 7 Virginia Wesleyan University 3-2 in Game 2 to split a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Cougar Field. The nationally ranked Marlins edged Averett 1-0 in the opener.
Senior right-hander
Taylor Bailey pitched a perfect final two innings for Averett (1-1) to earn the save and slam the door on Virginia Wesleyan (3-1) in Game 2 and give the Cougars' their first win over a top-10 team since beating No. 4 Emory University on opening day of the 2017 season.
After dropping the opener 1-0, Averett bounced back in Game 2. However, the Cougars fell behind 1-0 after giving up a run in the top of the third. Yet, that deficit would be short-lived. After senior
Mallory Griffiths reached on an error in the bottom half of the inning, senior
Kaitlyn Aherron blasted a two-run homer to right field to put Averett in front 2-0.
Virginia Wesleyan tied the game, 2-2, with an RBI single in the fourth, but Averett once again had an answer. Sophomore
Erin Rankin led off the bottom of the inning with a standup double off Marlins' pitcher Carla Hall. Virginia Wesleyan then turned back to two-time Division III National Player of the Year Hanna Hull, who got the win in Game 1. However, it didn't stop the Cougars. After being sacrificed over to third base with a bunt, Rankin then scored the go-ahead run on senior
Casey Cook's sac fly to center.
Virginia Wesleyan threatened in the fifth before Averett got out of the jam unharmed. First-year head coach
Steve Alcorn then turned to Bailey in the top of the sixth.
Aherron finished the nightcap with a 2-for-2 effort, including the homer and a walk. Rankin and sophomore
Anna Coleman had the other two hits. Sophomore
Hannah Thompson (1-0) picked up the win, pitching five innings while allowing just two runs on five hits.
Averett battled toe-to-toe with Virginia Wesleyan in Game 1. The Marlins' only run came in the top of the second after the Cougars hit three batters to load the bases with two outs. Averett nearly got out of the jam, but an error allowed the one run to score. The Cougars had several chances to in both the third and fifth innings, but couldn't capitalize despite getting four hits off Hull.
Thompson had two of Averett's four hits in the opener, with sophomore
Lauren Johnston and Coleman getting the other two. Aherron (0-1) took the loss in the circle despite a solid effort. She went all seven innings and struck out two while allowing just one run — unearned — on three hits.
Averett travels to Brevard College on Saturday for its next doubleheader.
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