DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball honored five of its student-athletes on Senior Day as the Cougars earned a doubleheader split with Randolph College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action on Saturday. Averett won the opener 3-1, but Randolph edged the Cougars 3-1 in Game 2.
 
In the opener, the Cougars' defense kept Randolph (7-19, 3-9 ODAC) off the scoreboard in the top of the first despite giving up a leadoff triple to start the game. Averett (12-18, 6-8 ODAC) used that momentum and jumped in front 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Mackenzie Newcomb led off with a single up the middle and eventually stole second. Sophomore Hannah Zabik followed with an infield single. Both runners executed a delayed steal to get in scoring position for freshman Kadence Woodlief, whose sacrifice fly to right field scored Newcomb. Senior Grace Watlington tripled home Zabik to make it 2-0.

Randolph scored its lone run in the top of the third after the inning was prolonged by an error. Lexi Hawkins singled through the right side to score Jenna McDermott to trim Averett's lead in half.

The Cougars, however, responded immediately in the bottom of the third as Zabik led off with a double to right-center. She later scored from third on the throw to first base on a dropped third strike, giving Averett a 3-1 advantage.

That was all senior right-hander Taylor Sullivan needed. Sullivan pitched all seven innings in the circle, allowing no earned runs on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts to pick up the victory on Senior Day.

Newcomb and Zabik each had two hits as Averett totaled nine hits in Game 1 as a team.

In Game 2, Randolph managed to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth with a two-run double to left-center. Averett answered in the bottom of the fourth when senior Mackenzi Luckenbaugh hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score freshman Ally Testerman to cut Randolph's lead to 2-1.

Randolph added an insurance run on an RBI single in the top of the seventh, and the WildCats held Averett in check in the bottom of the seventh to hold on for the win.
Junior Hannah Jones had two of Averett's five hits in Game 2.

Prior to the game, Averett honors its five seniors — Luckenbaugh, Sullivan, Watlington, Olivia Jones and Briana Battinelli — with a ceremony.

Averett travels to ODAC foe Ferrum College on Tuesday.


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