DUE WEST, S.C. – The Brevard softball team closed out the 2018 regular season slate with a series of setbacks to Erskine by scores of 7-6 and 9-0 (5 innings) in Due West, S.C., on Saturday afternoon.
The two-game set opened with a hard fought battle between the two squads as Brevard used solid performances by Emily White (2-3, HR, RBI, run), Teegan Bullock (1-4, RBI, run), Ricki Kuhn (1-3, RBI, run) and Jordan Hawk (1-2, RBI) to tally six runs.
Breanna Allen went the first three innings on the mound for Brevard (11-19), allowing five runs on seven hits, before giving way to Kuhn who also tossed three innings. Kuhn surrendered two runs on six hits, while striking out a pair of Erskine (27-15) batters.
Brevard put the first run of the game across the plate in the first inning when White drove a two-out home run over the left field wall. The Flying Fleet answered with a two runs in the home half of the inning to forge in front.
After a scoreless second, Brevard had its first multi-run inning of the game in the third when Sarah Lallier opened with a single up the middle. Two batters later, with Lallier at second, Kuhn drew a walk and the pair advanced one base each on a wild pitch.
After Amber Hong reached base after being hit by a pitch, an wild throw by the pitcher opened the door for Lallier to tie the game at two-all. Hawk dropped a single into right field, scoring Kuhn from third, before Hong followed with a throwing error by the right fielder to give the Tornados a 4-2 advantage.
Erskine cut the margin to one in the bottom of the third, but the Tornados answered with two runs in the fourth to establish a 6-3 advantage. The inning began with a walk by Miller, who eventually reached third on the combination of a wild pitch and a passed ball. Bullock delivered a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Miller from third in the process for the 5-2 lead.
White followed with a single, also to left, moving Bullock into scoring position. Kuhn delivered a single to second, plating Bullock for the sixth Tornado run of the game.
Erskine got both runs back in the bottom of the fourth, trimming the lead to 6-5. The two teams would remain scoreless over the next two innings, but the Flying Fleet opened the seventh with a single through the right side of the infield by Mia Blochaviak. Brooke Rhinehardt dropped a bunt single to third base, putting Blochaviak at second.
Regan Davis delivered a single up the middle to tie the game at six, scoring Blochaviak from third. Chloe Hamilton came through in the clutch with a double to right centerfield, scoring Rhinehardt from second for the game-winning run.
GAME 2: ERSKINE 9, BREVARD 0 (5 INNINGS)
Erskine held the Tornado offense in check in the second game, while the combination of Brittany Rhinehardt (2-3, 3 RBI, double, run), Taylor Payne (2-2, RBI, run, 2 doubles), and Reagan Davis (2-3, 2 runs) led the way from the plate.
Erskine's pitching tandem of Hannah Houge and Samantha Schmidt limited Brevard to two hits over five innings of work with Houge striking out five batters along the way.
The two hits by the Tornados came from Amber Hong (1-2) and Brittany Franks (1-1).
Erskine exploded for six runs in the second inning, capitalizing on five hits and one error to establish a 6-0 advantage. Two innings later, the Flying Fleet used an RBI double to right field off the bat of Brittany Rhinehardt to score their seventh run of the game.
The final two runs of the game came in the fifth when an error in left field allowed Davis and Lexi Samples to trot home for the eighth and ninth runs of the game.
For more information on Brevard softball check out www.bctornados.com.
