DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball took both games of a non-conference doubleheader with Bridgewater College on Thursday afternoon at Cougar Field. Averett rallied to win 2-1 in the opener before shutting out the Eagles 4-0 in Game 2.
In Game 1, Bridgewater (10-10) took an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning. The Eagles held Averett (7-5) in check until the bottom of the fifth when senior
Hannah Thompson reached on a throwing error on an infield grounder, which allowed her to advance to second base. After a sacrifice bunt moved Thompson to third, she came home on freshman
Salem Hill's sac fly to right field, which tied the game at 1-1.
Averett opened its half of the sixth inning with junior
Emily Fugate's double down the left field line. The Cougars elected to sacrifice Fugate over to third, but on the play there was an inadvertent collision as Bridgewater got the putout at first base, and Fugate alertly snuck home to put Averett in front 2-1.
Thompson (3-3) finished off the Eagles in the seventh for the complete-game victory in the circle. She struck out three while allowing just three hits and four walks.
Fugate, Hill and senior
Anna Coleman each had a hit for Averett in the first game of the day.
Game 2 was another tight matchup. Scoreless entering the bottom of the fourth inning, a one-out fielding error got the Cougars' offense going. Coleman followed with a single, and Thompson's single through the left side loaded the bases for freshman
Angela Rodriguez, who dropped in a two-RBI double to the left-center gap to give Averett a 2-0 advantage. Fugate added a sacrifice fly and senior
Lauren Johnston smacked an RBI single to center to make it 4-0 in favor of Averett.
Sophomore right-hander
Taylor Sullivan (4-2) limited Bridgewater to just three hits while striking out seven and allowing just one walk.
Thompson and Rodriguez each had two hits.
Averett returns to conference action on Saturday when the Cougars host N.C. Wesleyan College.
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