DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball swept a doubleheader from Roanoke College in the Cougars' home finale Thursday, winning 5-2 and 4-2 in a pair of key games for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference standings.
Averett (17-19, 8-10 ODAC) jumped on Roanoke (15-19, 6-12 ODAC) early in Game 1, scoring two runs in the opening inning on sophomore
Mackenzie Newcomb's two-run single up the middle. Newcomb came up clutch again in the second inning, driving in two more runs with a single through the left side to give the Cougars a 4-0 lead. Sophomore
Kadence Woodlief followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Newcomb and increase the margin to 5-0.
Roanoke got one run back in the third on an RBI single through the left side to pull within 5-1. The Maroons then made things interesting in the top of the seventh, scoring a run on a fielder's choice. Roanoke got the tying run to the plate, but Averett got out of the jam to preserve the crucial conference win.
Junior right-hander
Hannah Zabik went the distance in the circle to pick up her 11th win of the season.
Newcomb finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs in Game 1, while sophomore
Carson Bradsher also added two hits in the victory.
The Cougars had to claw back after losing the lead late in Game 2. Averett inched ahead 1-0 in the first inning thanks to a wild scoring play. Bradsher, who had singled, came around to score moments later. A wild pitch got away, allowing Bradsher to move from first all the way to third base, and the throw to third sailed into left field to bring her home on the error.
That lead held up, despite several Roanoke scoring opportunities, until the sixth inning. The Maroons finally broke through with timely hits — a pair of RBI singles to jump ahead 2-1. Yet, just as she did in Game 1, Newcomb came through once again. With two runners on in scoring position, Newcomb dropped in a bloop single down the right field line to put Averett back in front, 3-2. Woodlief followed with an RBI single to right-center to add an insurance run and give the Cougars a 4-2 advantage heading into the seven.
Junior left-hander
Sarah Lysohir, who entered in relief midway through the top of the sixth, finished off Roanoke to complete the doubleheader sweep and earn the win. Lysohir didn't allow a hit of a walk over the final 1.1 innings in relief of sophomore
Kaci Stephenson, who had pitched a gem through five innings before Roanoke struck in the sixth.
Averett, held to only one hit through the first five innings, finished with five hits including two by Bradsher.
Averett finishes the season on the road, beginning with a series at Guilford College on Tuesday.
