DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball lost a pair of heartbreakers in a doubleheader with Juniata College on Sunday at Cougar Field. Averett's last-inning comeback fell short in a 4-3 loss in Game 1, then in Game 2 the Cougars battled back to force extra innings in a 17-9 defeat.
In the opener, Averett (3-11) nearly came back from a 4-0 deficit to Juniata (3-3) in the Cougars' final at-bat. Freshman
Hannah Zabik's RBI single got Averett on the board in the bottom of the seventh, and fielder's choice brought another run home to get the Cougars within 4-2. With two runners on and two out, sophomore Rodriguez singled to right field, bringing home Zabik on the play. Sophomore
Peyton Lowery, who represented the tying run, moved to third on the play, but Juniata got the final out at second base as Rodriguez tried to advance as the throw came home.
Playing at home for the first time in more than a month, Averett got nine hits in the first game of the day, including two by Rodriguez, Zabik and sophomore
Salem Hill.
Juniata took a 1-0 lead in the first thanks to an error, and the Eagles added a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, which proved to be crucial.
The Cougars also used a rally late to force extra innings in Game 2 against the Eagles. Juniata initially led 1-0 after the first inning, but Averett took a 3-1 lead in the second. Senior
Karsin Lee scored on a throwing error, and two more runs came home on an RBI groundout combined with a throwing error on the play. Juniata answered with an RBI single in the third and fourth innings to tie the contest, 3-3.
The Eagles then put up four runs in the fifth to take control, 7-3. Averett, however, didn't back down. Freshman
Mackenzi Luckenbaugh knocked a two-run double to right field, and senior
Hannah Heath followed with an RBI single down the right field line to get the Cougars within 7-6 in the fifth inning. In the seventh, Averett scored the tying run on Zabik's single to shortstop.
In the eighth inning, Juniata took an 8-7 lead on a sacrifice fly to center field. Then, with two outs, the Eagles scored nine more runs to go ahead 17-7.
Averett senior
Lauren Nelson's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth gave the Cougars another run, and Hill added an RBI single to trim Averett's deficit to 17-9. Juniata then got out of a bases-loaded jam to escape with the extra-inning victory to earn a doubleheader sweep.
Rodriguez, Nelson and Lee each had three hits, with Lee smacking a double and a triple. Freshman
Kailey Gates, Hill, Luckenbaugh and Heath each had a pair of hits for the Cougars, who out-hit Juniata 19-15 in the nightcap.
Averett returns to action on Tuesday against former conference foe Greensboro College, beginning at 2 p.m. at Cougar Field.
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