DECATUR, Ga. – The Brevard College softball team (6-10, 5-5 USAS) dropped a pair of heartbreaking contests to the Agnes Scott College Scotties (5-9, 5-7 USAS), as the Tornados fell in both contests in a USA South Conference doubleheader at Oakhurst Park on Wednesday afternoon in Decatur, Georgia.
The Tornados built up a 9-2 advantage in game one before Agnes Scott tallied seven runs in the seventh inning to tie the ballgame and walk-off in the bottom of the eighth inning, winning by a final of 10-9. Emily White slugged her fourth home run of 2021 to highlight BC's offensive efforts in game number two before a 5-3 advantage was erased in the game's final inning, as Agnes Scott rallied off three runs to clinch their second-consecutive walk-off victory, 6-5.
GAME ONE – AGNES SCOTT 10, BREVARD 9 (8 INNINGS)
Junior infielder Taylor Hannah and sophomore outfielder Beth Hyatt enjoyed career days at the plate to help lead the Tornado offense in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader. Hannah recorded a 3-for-4 outing with three hits – a single, double, and triple – with three runs and three RBI's, which are all career-highs for her at BC. Hyatt went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a career-high four hits, including a pair of doubles and two runs scored. All told, Hannah and Hyatt combined for seven of BC's 13 hits.
Micayla McCoy started for the Tornados in the circle, lasting 6.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Kaitlynn Farmer (2-3) was the pitcher of record for Brevard after relieving McCoy in the seventh inning.
BC opened the scoring up in the top of the first as Ali Grace Hartman drove in Hannah with an RBI groundout. Hannah added to Brevard's lead in the top of the second with an RBI-single, while Brittany Franks scored on an error in the top of the third as the Tornados opened up an early 3-0 lead.
Agnes Scott's Jani Howington slugged a two-run homer in the bottom of the third to bring the Scotties back within a run of Brevard. The Tornados answered back with a four-run top of the fourth making the score 7-2 in favor of the visitors. Hannah doubled to score Hyatt and then scored herself on an Agnes Scott throwing error. Hartman hit a ball to right-center field for an RBI-triple that scored Emily White before Serena Rodgers-Luckey singled home Hartman to cap off the four-run frame.
Following a pair of scoreless innings, Hannah tripled home Hyatt and scored her third run of the contest on a Jocelyn Folkers sacrifice fly, extending the BC advantage to 9-2.
A wild bottom of the seventh inning ensued, as Agnes Scott plated three runs on McCoy who was subbed out for Farmer who had a save opportunity late. After the Tornados made the second out of the inning, a walk, single, and costly error gave the Scotties a bases-loaded, two-out situation that they capitalized on. A pair of two-RBI singles tied the game up at 9-9 before Farmer forced a strikeout to send the contest to extras.
With the international rule in effect for extra innings, BC's White was placed on second base. After a sacrifice bunt moved White over to third with one out, Agnes Scott was able to force a strikeout and a fly out to end the frame.
The bottom of the eighth was opened up with a stolen base, fielder's choice, and intentional walk that loaded the bases up for the Scotties. Agnes Scott's Linzie Jarvis was hit by a pitch on a 3-2 count to give the Scotties the victory, 10-9, over the Tornados in the first game in the doubleheader.
GAME TWO – AGNES SCOTT 6, BREVARD 5
White led all Tornado batters with three runs scored, including her fourth home run of the 2021 campaign in the top of the third inning. The Shelby, North Carolina native drove the ball over the left-field wall for her fourth big fly in her senior season.
Ali Grace Hartman (1-4) logged the start in game number two for the Tornados, lasting 6.2 innings letting up three earned runs and accruing a season-high seven strikeouts.
White tallied the game's first run in the top of the first, coming across to score on a wild pitch that gave the Tornados the lead, 1-0.
Rodgers-Luckey scored BC's second run on an error before White's solo shot in the top of the third extended Brevard's advantage to a 3-0 margin. A throwing error plated the Tornados' fourth run of the contest in the top of the sixth inning before a two-run homer and RBI-single by Agnes Scott made it a 4-3 affair.
Hartman helped herself with a run-scoring groundout in the top of the seventh, as White came across on a throwing error to push Brevard's lead back up to a 5-3 margin.
The Scotties flew out to begin the bottom of the seventh before a fielding error and wild pitch put a runner in scoring position with one out. Agnes Scott's KayLeigh Fitzgerald drove in a run on an RBI-single and advanced to second base on the throw to bring the Scotties within a run, 5-4. The hosts then drew a pair of walks to load the bases up, however, a Hartman strikeout put the Tornados just one out away from victory.
Sarah Fox drew a bases-loaded walk that tied up the score at 5-5 before a Kat Boyer RBI-single off the left-center field wall gave Agnes Scott its second walk off win in as many games.
The Tornados are scheduled to return to play on Friday at 2 and 4 p.m. at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, and like 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow 'brevardcollege' on Flickr for photos from Brevard College events.
-BC-