BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College softball team (1-3) earned its first win of the 2021 season in a doubleheader split with non-conference foe Carolina University (3-7) on Saturday at the BC Softball Field. Brevard won the first game of the doubleheader, 9-5, before dropping game two of the twin bill by the score of 6-1.
The win marked the first of the season for the Tornados and the first victory under the guidance of Head Coach Bre Shearin.
Prior to the doubleheader, the BC Softball program honored the 18 female staff members who work in the Brevard College Department of Athletics with a ceremonial first pitch in celebration of Women's History Month.
GAME ONE - BREVARD 9, CAROLINA UNIV. 5
The Tornados came-from-behind after trailing 4-0 to take the win. BC scored eight unanswered runs between the fourth and sixth innings to secure the comeback victory.
Carolina Univ. scored a run in the top of the first, then added three more runs - all unearned - in the top of the third inning to give the Bruins the early 4-0 advantage.
Lead-off hitter Taylor Hannah opened the bottom the third with an electric triple to left field. The Hannah triple set up Jocelyn Folkers, who promptly hit an RBI-single to right to score Hannah.
Trailing 4-1, Kaitlynn Farmer entered the game in relief of starter Ali Grace Hartman (2.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER) to try to keep the deficit in check. Farmer produced a 1-2-3 inning forcing two ground outs and recording a strikeout to sit down the Bruins.
The Tornados then rallied with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, as Beth Hyatt and Hannah singles, alongside a walk drawn by Autumn Lollis, were followed by a double from senior Emily White to total three runs in the frame and tie the game, 4-4.
A three-run error in which Hannah touched all four bases gave BC the lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Tornados then added two more insurance runs on a two-RBI single by Brittany Franks that scored Micayla McCoy and White.
Carolina Univ. scraped across a run in the top of seventh before Famer closed out the game for her first win in the circle in 2021.
Hannah scored three runs on a 2-for-4 day, while Lollis scored twice. Farmer allowed one unearned run on two hits over 4.1 innings pitched, while striking out four batters to earn the win.
GAME TWO - CAROLINA UNIV. 6, BREVARD 1
After a scoreless first, Carolina Univ. punched home two runs in the top of the second to take the early lead in game two. The Bruins extended their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth before BC scored its lone run in the bottom of the frame. Carolina Univ. pulled away in the fifth and sixth innings to split the doubleheader.
BC's lone run came in the bottom of the fourth. White led off with a double to left field, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Following a McCoy walk, Franks then registered her second RBI of the doubleheader by singling home White.
The Bruins held BC to just five hits with singles by McCoy, Franks and Hyatt to go along with doubles by White and Makenzie Rice.
Farmer (1.0 IP, 2 R, 0 ER) started at pitcher for BC and was relieved by McCoy (6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 7 SO).
Brevard returns to action at the BC Softball Field on Saturday, March 13 with a home doubleheader against Covenant College to open USA South Conference play.
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