FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Averett University softball crushed Methodist University 14-5 in six innings to give first-year head coach
Anna Coleman her first win at her alma mater and help the Cougars earn a split with the Monarchs to open the season on Saturday. Methodist held off Averett 8-7 with a walk-off win in Game 1.
Averett (1-1) bounced back in Game 2 as the Cougars' offense exploded for 19 hits for a win by run-rule. However, the start of the second gave didn't get off to positive start as Methodist (3-3) took a 2-0 lead in the opening inning. Junior
Sarah Lysohir's RBI single closed the gap to 2-1 in the top of the second, but the Monarchs extended their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the inning.
The Cougars, however, flipped the script in the third with back-to-back-to-back RBI hits to get Averett within 5-4. The momentum continued in the fourth inning as Newcomb emptied the bases with a three-run double off the left field wall. Woodlief added an RBI single and junior
Kailey Gates dropped in a two-run single to center to give Averett a 10-5 advantage. The Cougars tackled on another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to put away the Monarchs early.
Newcomb and Woodlief each went 4-for-5 in Game 2 with Newcomb driving in five runs and Woodlief bringing home three runs. Freshman
Brianna Brooks also went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
Junior
Hannah Zabik (1-1) earned the win in the circle in relief, pitching the final four innings of Game 2 after also starting Game 1.
Averett opened in Game 1 with an early 1-0 lead on Zabik's RBI single. After Methodist tied it in the second, the Cougars scored again as Zabik plated another run. The Monarchs then took advantage of walks and key hits to score five runs in the third to go up 6-2.
Down 7-2 after five, Averett clawed its way back into the game with an RBI single from senior
Angela Rodriguez, an RBI double from Lysohir and a two-run single by Zabik. Rodriguez's sacrifice fly in the seventh tied the game, 7-7, but Methodist got a walk-off RBI double to win it in the bottom of the seventh.
Zabik had a team-high three hits and four RBIs in Game 1, and Brooks added two hits.
Averett returns home to play Greensboro College on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
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