WINCHESTER, Va. — Averett University softball split an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader at Shenandoah University, winning the opener 6-0 before falling 3-2 in Game 2 on Saturday.
 
In the first game of the day, Averett (13-17, 4-8 ODAC) pieced together a three-run second inning. Junior Kailey Gates' RBI fielder's choice scored sophomore Kadence Woodlief for the first run, and sophomore Ally Testerman's two-run double to left-center made it 3-0 in favor of the Cougars. Averett tacked on another run in the fifth thanks to sophomore Mackenzie Newcomb's RBI double to center, which scored junior Hannah Zabik  to make it 4-0.

Senior Hannah Jones added an RBI single up the middle to score Gates in the sixth to give the Cougars another insurance run, and sophomore Carson Bradsher followed several batters later with an RBI single to make it 6-0.

That was plenty of run support for Zabik, who got the win in Game 1 by allowing only five hits in her third shutout of the season.

Bradsher and Woodlief each finished with a pair of hits as Averett totaled nine as a team in the opening game, and Bradsher added two steals.

In Game 2, the difference proved to be a go-ahead RBI single by Shenandoah (12-16, 6-8 ODAC) in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Hornets struck first with a two-out RBI single up the middle to inch ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. The Hornets added another RBI single in the second inning to extend their lead to 2-0. Averett countered with an RBI double by freshman Brianna Brooks and senior Angela Rodriguez's RBI groundout in the top of the fourth.

Bradsher, Newcomb, Woodlief and Brooks each had two hits in Game 2.

Averett continues its road trip on Sunday at Eastern Mennonite University with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
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