DANVILLE, Va. — Freshman Mackenzie Newcomb's two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning helped push Averett University softball to a 6-5 win over Methodist University to earn a split with the Monarchs on Saturday at Cougar Field. Methodist edged Averett 2-1 in eight innings in Game 1.
 
Averett (1-3) was up 4-3 before Methodist (2-4) scored two runs in the top of the sixth to steal the lead in Game 2. The Cougars, however, responded in a big way. Freshman Jordan Booker drew a leadoff walk and sophomore Hannah Zabik eventually singled and stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Newcomb, who laced a two-run double to right-center as Averett retook the lead.
 
Freshman right-hander Kaci Stephenson, who started the game and then re-entered to finish the game in the circle, got three groundouts in the top of the seventh as Averett notched its first win of the season and Stephenson's first victory of her young career.
 
After a tough extra-inning loss in Game 1, the Cougars' offense came out strong in Game 2. Freshman Kadence Woodlief had an RBI single through the left side, and then later in the first inning, an error with the bases loaded led to another run. Junior Hannah Jones added an RBI single to right field to extend Averett's lead to 3-0.

After Methodist got one run back in the second and tied it 3-3 with two runs in the top of the third, Averett again answered. Junior Angela Rodriguez scored on a fielding error at third to give Averett a 4-3 advantage entering the later innings.
Newcomb finished Game 2 with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate as Averett's offense totaled nine hits.

Averett also got a stellar defensive play from Zabik in Game 2 that proved to be crucial. In the third inning, after Methodist scored two runs, another run almost came home on a single up the middle. Yet, Zabik fielded the ball and threw a strike from center field to cut down the runner trying to score and keep the game tied.

In the opener, Averett also struck first. Zabik's RBI fielder's choice to right field scored sophomore Kailey Gates in the second inning. Methodist tied it in the third with an RBI single. The two teams remained knotted, 1-1, over the final four innings despite several opportunities.

With a runner placed on second base to start the eighth inning, Methodist took a 2-1 lead with an RBI single from Sydney Sizemore. Averett had the same opportunity in the bottom of the eighth, but a hard, two-out hit up the middle by Zabik clipped the runner at second base, ending the game.

Senior Taylor Sullivan, who took the hard-luck loss in the circle, had two hits in Game 1 along with Woodlief, freshman Molly George, Jones and Zabik as Averett finished with 11 hits as a team.
 
Averett hosts No. 8 Christopher Newport University on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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