ASHLAND, Va. — Seventh-seeded Averett University softball nearly upset No. 2 seed Randolph-Macon College, but the Yellow Jackets twice came from behind and won 3-2 on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to open pod play in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday.
Averett (16-23) will play again Friday at approximately 5 p.m. in an elimination game against the loser between No. 3 seed Roanoke College and No. 6 seed Guilford College.
The Cougars broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth as freshman
Kadence Woodlief smacked an RBI double to right-center, scoring freshman
Mackenzie Newcomb to put Averett in front 1-0.
Averett nearly put away Randolph-Macon (30-3-2) — which is ranked No. 8 nationally — in seven innings. However, an error to open the inning put a runner aboard. After a sac bunt moved the runner over to second, another fielding error allowed the Yellow Jackets to tie the game 1-1. Randolph-Macon nearly walked it off moments later, but Averett's defense came up big with an out at the plate on a squeeze bunt to save a run from scoring.
Averett retook the lead in the eighth with timely hitting. Newcomb crushed a one-out double to the wall, and Woodlief singled through the left side to bring Newcomb home just ahead of the throw to put the Cougars ahead 2-1. Randolph-Macon again countered with an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to knot the game, 2-2.
After holding Averett to a one-two-three inning in the top of the ninth, Randolph-Macon got a leadoff single and moved the runner over to second base with a sacrifice bunt. A single put runners on the corners for Amanda Lanyon, who sit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home the winning run.
Newcomb, junior
Hannah Jones and Woodlief combined for two hits apiece to account for all six of Averett's hits against Randolph-Macon.
Senior
Taylor Sullivan took the loss in the circle, but had a solid outing by allowing just three runs — two earned — on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
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