NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Brevard College softball team (9-5) ended its stay at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Break Classic by sweeping competition on Thursday. The Tornados earned a thrilling victory in extra innings against The Pennsylvania College of Technology (3-4), claiming a 3-0 decision in eight innings before dominating Wells College (0-8), 12-3, in a five-inning run-rule contest.
Standout freshman pitcher Jordan Kielson three a one-hitter for the Tornados, earning her fifth win as a starter while throwing a complete game. Junior infielder Emily White pushed BC over the top with a go-ahead, two-RBI double in the top of the eighth inning.
BC's offense exploded for 12 runs in game number two, including a seven-run second inning that helped the Tornados close out Spring Break in style.
GAME ONE – BREVARD 3, PENN COLLEGE 0 (8 INNINGS)
Freshman sensation Kielson (5-1) turned in the best start to-date of her collegiate career. The freshman from Canton, North Carolina threw a complete-game in BC's extra-inning victory, hurling eight innings of shutout ball while allowing just one hit. The right-hander struck out five Wildcats in her masterful start and won her fifth decision of the 2020 season.
BC slugger White came through in the clutch for the Tornados, knocking a go-ahead, two-out- two-RBI double to center field in the top of the eighth inning that got Brevard on the board and gave BC a lead that it would not relinquish. Jocelyn Folkers added to that lead with an RBI single that scored White, pushing the Tornado lead to a three-run margin.
Folkers, Beth Hyatt, and Mikayla Morgan each logged two hits in BC's extra-inning triumph, while Lauren Dowell and Summer Wilson scored the go-ahead runs in the extra-inning frame, while White came around to score for Brevard's third run.
The Tornados had a one-out single in the top of the first inning erased with a caught stealing attempt, while Kielson pitched a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
Folkers led off the second inning with a double and was advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt with two outs, but a strikeout ended the threat for the Tornados. Despite a one-out walk, Kielson battled back and forced consecutive groundouts to keep the contest scoreless.
Morgan hit a two-out single in the top of the third that was erased with a groundout. The Wildcats took advantage of a fielding error and used a sacrifice bunt to have a runner on third with one out, however, Kielson fielded back-to-back comebackers to end the frame.
For the second consecutive inning, the Wildcats put together a scoring opportunity, drawing a one-out walk and hit-by-pitch. After a fielder's choice put runners on first and third base with two outs, Penn College lined out to second base to put the threat to bed.
Both sides were able to put runners into scoring position in the fifth inning. A fielding error and a groundout put Lea Kindrick on second base, but the chance was ended with a flyout to center field. Consecutive Wildcat batters reached on errors, while a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. Kielson once again fielded her position well, ending the Wildcat scoring opportunity with a 1-3 putout, leaving the contest scoreless through five innings.
Brevard used consecutive extra-base hits to put runners on second and third base with nobody out in the top of the sixth inning. However, the Tornados would be shut down after a flyout, groundout, and strikeout spoiled the scoring chance for BC.
A two-out double in the bottom of the sixth gave the Wildcats new life, but the threat was ended with a 4-3 groundout that send the contest to the seventh frame scoreless.
Both sides went down in order offensively, with the two teams each making solid defensive plays to send the contest to extra innings.
Summer Wilson was BC's runner placed on second in the top of the eighth inning, and she was immediately moved to third base on a bunt base hit from Lauren Dowell. Dowell took second on a stolen base to put a pair of Tornados in scoring position, but back-to-back foul outs sent White up to the plate with two outs. The Shelby, North Carolina native roped a crucial double to center field, scoring the go-ahead runs for Brevard to give the Tornados the lead, 2-0. Folkers followed that up with an RBI single to score White, extending the BC advantage to a 3-0 margin.
Despite the placed runner on second base who was moved over to third base on a groundout, Kielson wasn't fazed, striking out the game's last batter to wrap up the thrilling 3-0 triumph.
GAME TWO - BREVARD 13, WELLS 2 (5 INNINGS)
The Tornados exploded for 13 runs, including a seven-run second inning, to close out their time in Myrtle Beach with a big 13-2 victory over Wells College.
Alyssa Flynn (4-0) got the starting nod, pitching three innings in the five-inning run-rule contest. The right-hander let up just two hits and didn't allow an earned run, striking out three Express batters in the process.
Freshman Beth Hyatt scores three runs to lead all Tornados, while Brittany Franks and Micayla McCoy each recorded two RBI's. Flynn, Hyatt, and White all recorded two-hit performances.
Kat Carroll drew a bases-loaded walk that scored BC's first run before the Tornados exploded for a seven-run second inning. Brevard used five hits and two Wells errors to manufacture the big inning and take an 8-0 lead.
Hyatt singled on a bunt attempt to give BC its first run of the inning. Folkers then scored a run on a fielder's choice that was followed up by McCoy's two-RBI single. Carroll put the ball into play and reached on an error that brought around two more Tornado runs. This was followed by Carroll scoring on a passed ball, completing Brevard's big inning.
The Express were able to get a run back in the bottom of the third inning before the Tornados put the game to bed with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Franks hit a two-RBI triple that was followed by a Mark Cook RBI groundout and a Kindrick RBI single. Wells was able to score a pair of runs in the fifth frame, but a Kindrick strikeout ended the contest in run-rule fashion, 12-3.
SOFTBALL SCHEDULE UPDATE: Due to the ever-changing and constantly-evolving landscape of the collegiate athletics landscape due to the pandemic of COVID-19, several USA South institutions have announced changes to their spring schedules. As a result of opposing institutional decisions, Brevard's upcoming games this season against Berea College, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, and NC Wesleyan College have all been canceled for BC softball. BC's contest at Methodist University has been postponed until further notice.
For more information about Brevard College's plan for the COVID-19 outbreak, please click here.
To stay abreast of all schedule changes from the Department of Athletics, continue to monitor bctornados.com and all the social media outlets of Brevard College Athletics.
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-BC-