Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
Photo Credit: Tori Brayman '22
BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College Tornados Softball team (8-9, 2-0 USAS) took its first two USA South Conference games of 2019, sweeping the Berea College Mountaineers (4-6, 1-3 USAS) in a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
The Tornados enjoyed an offensive explosion, amassing a total of 22 runs over the two contests. Brevard shut out Berea, 9-0, in game one before coasting to a 13-2 victory in the second game.
Brevard returned home for its first contest since the Tucson Invitational Games (TIG) Spring Break Tournament in Tucson, Arizona, where the Tornados played in eight games over the course of four days against NCAA DIII and NAIA competition.
GAME ONE
Junior starting pitcher Micayla McCoy (5-3, 1.92 ERA) earned the starting nod in both contests for the Tornados, earning a victory in both starts. In the first contest, McCoy shut out the Mountaineers over four innings of three-hit ball, striking out three Berea hitters. She was efficient, throwing just 42 pitches, 32 of them being for strikes.
Every single Tornado in the first game's batting order recorded a hit, which was part of a 12-hit, nine-run outburst.
Olivia Pauldin led the charge for the Tornados, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI's and a run scored.
Sara Lallier also recorded a multi-hit performance, batting 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI double.
McCoy made her presence felt at the plate in addition to the pitching circle, as she racked up a two-RBI double.
Berea was paced by a multi-hit performance by Jacqui Howard, who posted a single and a double.
Marissa Henson got the offense started for the Tornados in the bottom of the second inning with a ringing RBI double that scored Pauldin from first base, giving Brevard a 1-0 lead.
Brevard earned a three-run third frame thanks to RBI singles from Mari Cook, Emily White, and Pauldin, pushing its lead to 4-0.
The Tornados broke the contest open in the bottom half of the fourth, plating five runs in the inning, four of which came with two outs. Brevard's lead swelled to 9-0, and Ali Grace Hartman came on in relief to strike out the side for the Tornados, giving Brevard a game one victory in five innings.
GAME TWO
McCoy earned her eighth start of 2019 in the second game of Tuesday's twin bill. She lasted four innings for the second straight game, giving up one earned run on two hits while striking out four Mountaineers. Kaitlynn Farmer came on to make her collegiate pitching debut in the top of the fifth inning, allowing no runs on one hit and striking out a batter.
Brevard once again put together a fantastic offensive showing, tallying a season-high 13 runs and 15 hits.
Five Tornado hitters posted multi-hit performances in the offensive showcase. Cook and Jocelyn Folkers each enjoyed perfect days in the second game. Cook went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI double, while Folkers went 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI's. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Folkers lifted a shot over the left-center field fence, recording both her first-career collegiate home run and Brevard's first home run of the 2019 season.
White led the Tornados with a 3-RBI performance, batting 3-for-4 with a double. McCoy and Lallier each tallied two hits, with both batters recording an RBI double in the contest.
Berea got the scoring started taking its first lead of the afternoon, 1-0, by reaching on an error.
The Tornados would not be down for long, as a three-run first frame that included back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles gave the home team a 3-1 lead.
Brevard exploded in the bottom of the third inning as six runs crossed the plate to extend its lead to 9-1. Of the six runs that came across to score in the frame, five came with two outs in the inning.
Folkers' two-run blast along with Farmer's first-career RBI highlighted a four-run fourth inning for the Tornados, as they grew their lead to a comfortable 13-2 margin.
Farmer allowed just one hit in her inning of work, silencing the Mountaineers and securing Brevard's conference-opening sweep, 13-2.
The Tornados will return to action this Friday, March 15 at Ives-Lemel Family Field for a non-conference matchup against fellow NCAA DIII opponent Shenandoah University (4-7). Doubleheader action will be at 2 and 4 p.m.
To follow along with all the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, please follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados'' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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