GREENSBORO, N.C. — Averett University softball opened Old Dominion Athletic Conference play with a pair of road losses to Guilford College on Saturday, falling 7-4 and 3-2.
 
In the opener, Averett (4-14, 0-2 ODAC) struck first in the top of the second inning as sophomore Hannah Jones smacked an RBI single up the middle, and freshman Hannah Zabik followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Cougars a 2-0 advantage.

Guilford (12-6, 2-0 ODAC), however, strung together five hits in the bottom half of the frame to help the Quakers plate five runs to go in front 5-2. Guilford added another insurance runs with an RBI double in the third to extend the lead to four runs.
Averett cut its deficit to 6-4 with sophomore Salem Hill's two-run double to left-center, giving Averett momentum in the fifth. Guilford added another run in the sixth and held on, 7-4, to take Game 1.

Senior Lauren Nelson, Hill and Jones each had two hits for the Cougars, who had 10 hits as a team.

To finish the day, Averett trailed 3-0 through four innings after giving up a run in the first, third and fourth innings. The Cougars closed the gap to 3-2 with freshman Kailey Gates' RBI double to left-center, scoring senior Hannah Heath and freshman Mackenzi Luckenbaugh. However, the Quakers kept the Cougars off the scoreboard the rest of the way to hold on for the one-run win.

Gates had three of Averett's six hits in Game 2.

Averett returns home to play William Peace University in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, beginning at 1 p.m.


 
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