Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
TUCSON, Az. - The Brevard College Tornados Softball Team (6-9) concluded its time in Tucson, Arizona on Friday afternoon, falling in games against Millikan University (1-1) and Dickinson State University (4-5).
A big eight-run inning propelled the Big Blue of Millikan University to victory over BC, 9-0, in five innings. The Tornados then put together a spirited late-game rally against Dickinson State but came up just short in a tight, 6-5 final.
GAME ONE
Micayla McCoy (3-3) got the starting nod in both of Brevard's Friday contests. In game one, McCoy pitched 3.2 innings, surrendering nine runs on seven hits, although just one of those runs was charged as an earned run.
Millikin turned in a dominant performance in the opposing pitcher's circle, one-hitting the Tornados through the duration of the five-inning contest.
Marissa Henson picked up Brevard's lone hit on the afternoon in the second inning.
Millikin picked up a first-inning run before taking advantage of Tornado defensive miscues, scoring eight runs in the fourth inning. All eight runs came with two outs in the frame.
Brevard threatened with runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the fifth, however, a strikeout halted the rally, ending the game in favor of Millikin, 9-0.
GAME TWO
McCoy went the distance in BC's second game of the afternoon against Dickinson State University, allowing six runs on nine hits in seven innings. Four of those runs were charged as earned runs.
Three Tornados recorded multi-hit performances against Dickinson State. Olivia Presley led the way at the top of the order, going 2-for-3 and scoring two runs. Sara Lallier tallied a 2-for-4 night, scoring one run. Mari Cook also went 2-for-4, racking up an RBI.
Dickinson State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a two-run home run to right field. Brevard answered in the bottom half of the inning, as Cook scored Presley on an RBI single. Unfortunately, a double play ended BC's scoring threat as the Blue Hawks held a 2-1 lead after one frame.
Neither side was able to plate a run in the second inning before the Blue Hawks extended their lead to 3-1 in the third inning. Dickinson State took advantage of a passed ball to score its third run. The Tornados threatened in the bottom half of the frame, but another double play putout halted their efforts.
Blue Hawks' slugger Abi Brooks hit Dickinson State's second homer of the game, this one of the solo variety, to push its lead to 4-1 over Brevard. An RBI single that followed in the top of the fourth inning extended the Blue Hawks' lead to 5-1.
McCoy drilled an RBI double to close the gap to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth, scoring pinch-runner Savannah Jones.
The Blue Hawks would score a vital insurance run in the top of the fifth on an RBI single, growing their lead to 6-2.
After going down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth frame, BC began its late rally in the home half of the sixth as McCoy scored Lallier on a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 6-3.
McCoy retired the Blue Hawks in order in the top of the seventh, sending Brevard's offense back to the plate down three runs.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brevard put together a rally that brought them one score of tying the game.
Olivia Pauldin scored BC's fourth run of the contest, reaching on an error with two outs. On the very next at-bat, Emily White hit an RBI single, scoring Presley. BC trailed by a one-run margin.
However, with runners on the corners, Dickinson State closed the door on BC's late-game heroics as Cook popped out to the shortstop to end the contest in favor of the Blue Hawks, 6-5.
The Tornados now return home to Western North Carolina, where they open USA South Conference play on Tuesday, March 12 with a doubleheader against Berea College at Ives-Lemel Field at 2 & 4 p.m.
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