Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College Tornados Softball team (1-2) fell in a Sunday afternoon doubleheader to the visiting Montreat Cavaliers (8-8) at Ives-Lemel Field.
Montreat used opportune offense, taking advantage of defensive miscues to claim an 11-3 victory in five innings in game one, while the Cavs only allowed one BC hit in a 3-0 victory in game two.
GAME 1
Breana Allen, who pitched a five-inning, one-hit shutout on Tuesday against Elizabeth City State, pitched four innings in game one, allowing seven runs (four earned runs) on seven hits while striking out three Cavaliers. Freshman Savannah Jones came on in relief, not allowing an earned run in one inning pitched.
Brevard's bats were connecting early in the contest, driving in one run in the second, third, and fourth innings.
The top half of the batting order made an impact early, as leadoff hitter Lauren Dowell went 2-for-3 in the first game. Sara Lallier added a hit, RBI, run, and two walks, while Brittany Franks doubled in a run.
Montreat ended the first game with four hitters who recorded multi-hit performances, including Destiny Munoz who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Montreat catcher Ashlyn Vickers led all Cavaliers with a game-high 4 RBI's.
Defense played a crucial role in the result, as the Tornados committed six errors compared to the Cavaliers' two.
GAME 2
Jones, a freshman pitcher from Piedmont, S.C., pitched the longest outing of her Tornado career in the back end of Sunday's doubleheader. Jones pitches 6.1 innings of relief after coming in for Allen with two outs in the first inning, allowing one run on four hits, striking out a Cavalier in the process. Jones' defense impressed, as the freshman assisted on six defensive putouts.
In the opposing circle, Montreat junior Charlie Smith pitched a gem, allowing just one hit in a complete-game shutout of the Tornados. Smith struck out six BC batters in the contest.
Mari Cook broke up Smith's no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning, as she lifted a single to center field.
The Cavs were boosted offensively by Aly Wood who went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, which came on an inside-the-park home run hit to the right field corner.
Montreat chased Allen early, as the Cavs posted two runs in the top of the first to obtain a 2-0 lead.
Neither side could get across a run for the next five innings of action, as the pitching duel wore on into the top of the seventh inning.
Wood's inside-the-park home run extended the Montreat lead to 3-0. The Tornados rallied in the bottom half of the seventh with a runner on first and one out but were unable to plate a run as Montreat finished its doubleheader sweep over Brevard.
The Tornados will return to action for back-to-back home weekend doubleheaders. Brevard welcomes Methodist University to town on March 2 at 12 & 2 p.m. before hosting N.C. Wesleyan on March 3 at 12 & 2 p.m. at Ives-Lemel Field.
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