MISENHEIMER, N.C. – The Brevard College softball team (0-2) made its long-awaited season debut against fellow USA South Conference member Pfeiffer University (2-2), falling in both games of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Misenheimer, North Carolina.
Micayla McCoy (0-1) led the Tornados offensively in game one, driving in Brevard's lone run on an RBI-double that scored Emily White. McCoy finished the first contest 2-for-3 at the plate while also starting in the circle for the Tornados, logging a pair of strikeouts in six innings pitched.
White paced Brevard in the second game of the twin billing, as the senior infielder drilled a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the top of the first inning. The Shelby, North Carolina native went 2-for-2, driving in all three of Brevard's runs in game two, as White added an RBI-single to her ledger in the top of the fifth inning.
GAME ONE – PFEIFFER 8, BREVARD 1
The Tornados turned to senior pitcher McCoy, who made her 29th pitching start for the Tornados in her three years with the program. Making their Tornado debuts, junior transfer Taylor Hannah and freshman Autumn Lollis each logged hits in the contest, while Brittany Franks, Makenzie Rice, and Serena Rodgers-Luckey rounded out BC's eight-hit effort.
Pfeiffer was led by Alexis Walter, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Makenzie Pennell drove in a game-high three runs as the Falcons totaled eight runs in the contest on six hits and four Tornado errors. Kendra Mayes (1-0) earned the victory for the Falcons, entering in relief in the third inning and lasting four frames, giving up a single run on five hits with a pair of strikeouts.
On the first at-bat of Brevard's 2021 campaign, Hannah roped a single into left field to get the Tornados started offensively. Jocelyn Folkers laid down a successful bunt attempt that moved Hannah over to second, but a pair of strikeouts ended the top half of the frame, stranding Hannah on second.
Pfeiffer scored three runs in the bottom half of the frame, scoring its first run on a fielding error before a fielder's choice and a stolen base gave the Falcons the early 3-0 advantage. The hosts added a pair of runs in the next inning as a result of an RBI-single and a wild pitch.
Rodgers-Luckey opened the third inning with BC's third-consecutive leadoff single, however, the Tornados were unable to capitalize. The Falcons got a runner on first base in the ensuing frame, but Hannah gunned down the runner after a stolen base attempt, leaving the score at 5-0 in favor of Pfeiffer.
The Falcons added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth on a fielding error. BC was able to tally its fourth leadoff single of the contest in the top half of the fifth before McCoy sat the Falcons down in order in the bottom of the frame.
Following a two-out single by White in the top of the sixth, McCoy stepped up and doubled to right-center field, putting the Tornados on the scoreboard. The Falcons answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, extending their advantage to an 8-1 margin that they would see out until the end.
GAME TWO – PFEIFFER 11, BREVARD 3 (5 Innings)
White dominated the headlines in game two of the afternoon, as she sent the fourth home run of her Tornado career out of Jack Ingram Field. Franks and Folkers also logged hits in the contest, while Kaitlynn Farmer (0-1) got the starting nod in the circle for BC.
Reece Davis, Ashlyn Kennedy, and Pennell each logged multi-hit performances for the Falcons' offense. Taylor Parrish (1-1) logged the victory despite giving up the early round-tripper to White.
Following White's homer, Pfeiffer used an RBI-double to slice BC's advantage in half, 2-1, in the bottom of the first. The Falcons then exploded for seven runs on six hits and an error in the bottom of the second inning to take a six-run, 8-2 advantage.
The Tornados threatened to score in the third frame, however, left a pair of runners aboard. Franks was advanced to second base via a Katelynn Olive sacrifice bunt, but Pfeiffer escaped the jam before tallying three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out and two runners on, White singled to left field in the top of the fifth inning, scoring Hannah before Pfeiffer wrapped up its doubleheader sweep, 11-3.
Brevard is scheduled to travel to Emory, Virginia on Saturday, February 27 for a pair of non-conference contests. The Tornados will first play Dubuque University at 11 a.m. in a neutral-site matchup before playing host institution Emory & Henry University at 1 p.m.
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-BC-