STAUNTON, Va. — Averett University baseball's offense broke out for a pair of big wins to begin conference play Saturday. The Cougars crushed Mary Baldwin University 15-1 and 16-4 in a doubleheader to open their three-game series.

Averett (7-11, 2-0 USA South) combined for 21 runs and 30 hits over the two games against Mary Baldwin (3-13, 0-2 USA South).

The Cougars trailed 1-0 in Game 1 before the offense got going in the third inning. Freshman Preston Robbins' two-run single gave Averett the lead, and the Cougars tackled on three more runs in the fourth when sophomore Brandt Brophy knocked an RBI double and later scored on an error after stealing third base.

Up 5-1, the scoring continued for the Cougars in the sixth with junior Nolan Maccabe's two-run single. Averett added five more runs in the seventh, including two more on a Maccabe single and two on a single by senior Brandon Hatcher. Sophomore Hudson Rowe's solo homer in the eighth made it 13-1, and Maccabe's run on a wild pitch and a Rowe RBI single added two more runs in the top of the ninth as Averett pulled away.

Hatcher went 4-for-6 in the opener, while Maccame, Rowe and Brophy each totaled two hits. Maccabe had a team-high four RBIs in Game 1.

Sophomore right-hander Shane Michel (1-2) pitched 6.2 innings of relief while allowing just two hits and strikeout out five to earn the win. Freshman Thomas Heaney III and junior Tyler Smith each added a scoreless inning of relief with a pair of strikeouts apiece.

Averett continued that momentum into Game 2, taking a 2-0 advantage in the first inning on a Hatcher RBI single and a Rowe RBI single.

Although Mary Baldwin answered with two runs in the bottom of the first to tie it 2-2, Averett's offense struck again in the third. The Cougars went in front when Hatcher scored on a Rowe fielder's choice. In the fourth, Hatcher continued his tear with an RBI double and Robbins had a two-run single to push the Averett lead to 6-2.

The Fighting Squirrels answered again with a pair of runs in the fourth to get back within two. Averett, however, got them back in the sixth on junior Kyle Wilson's two-run single. Rowe added an RBI double as well in the same frame as the Cougars began to pull away. Averet tacked on a run in the seventh, four runs in the eighth and two more on a Brophy homer in the ninth. Mary Baldwin scored three in the bottom of the ninth but it wasn't nearly enough to close the gap.

Robbins went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, while Hatcher was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs scored in Game 2. Wilson, Brophy and Rowe each had two hits, with Maccabe adding four runs scored.

Junior right-hander David Asbill (3-1) earned the win. The Cougars also got two-thirds of an inning of scoreless relief from sophomore Ethan Stephens.

Averett hosts Tufts University on Tuesday.
 
 
 
 
 
  Read Full Article