MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Brevard College softball team (4-9, 0-2 USA South) dropped its conference-opener, falling in both games of a doubleheader at Huntingdon College (15-5, 2-0 USAS) on Friday evening in Montgomery, Alabama. Huntingdon won game one 4-3 in extra innings, followed by an 8-0 victory in five innings in the second game.
Game One - Huntingdon 4, Brevard 3 (8 IN)
The Hawks won in a walk-off fashion in extra innings to defeat the Tornados in a back-and-forth affair. BC totaled 11 hits in the contest, including a dramatic home run by shortstop Mikayla Morgan.
The two teams were scoreless over the first four innings of the game in what started as a pitchers duel between Brevard freshman Abby Delp and Katelynn Holcombe of Huntingdon. Delp allowed just two hits over the first four innings, pitching two hitless frames.
The Tornados then struck first in the top of the fifth as junior outfielder Beth Hyatt ignited the offense with a lead-off single. Following a Hawks pitching change, second baseman Gaby Hooper hit a single to advance Hyatt to third and put runners on the corners for the Nados.
With two outs in the fifth, Morgan singled to load the bases to provide BC with a run-scoring opportunity. Sophomore first baseman Autumn Lollis then hit an infield single of her own to record an RBI and score Hyatt to give BC a 1-0 lead.
Huntingdon answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game, followed by two more runs in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead.
With the game hanging in the balance and trailing by two runs in the top of the seventh, the Tornados were down to their final three outs.
Following a pop-up for the first out, graduate third baseman Emily White singled to bring up Morgan. The native of Robbinsville, North Carolina promptly blasted a home run over the left field fence to tie the game at 3-3. The two-RBI round-tripper marked the first home run of Morgan's collegiate career.
Delp then returned to the circle for the bottom of the seventh and retired the Hawks 1-2-3, sending the game into extra innings.
The Tornados were unable to capitalize on their baserunner in the top of the eighth. With two runners on in the bottom of the frame, the Hawks then scored on an error that occurred on a sacrifice bunt to score the game-winning run in a walk-off fashion.
Delp (1-2) faced 32 batters over seven innings pitched, allowing three earned runs on eight hits.
Hyatt (2-3, 1 RS), White (2-4, 1 RS), Morgan (2-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Lollis (2-4, 1 RBI) all finished with two-hit games, while graduate outfielder Brittany Franks recorded a double.
Game Two - Huntingdon 8, Brevard 0 (5 IN)
The host Hawks scored five runs in the decisive fifth inning to secure a run-rule victory over the Tornados.
The two teams played a scoreless first inning as BC starting pitcher Katelynn Farmer was able to strand two Hawks on the base paths in the bottom of the first.
Huntingdon then scored one run in each of the next three innings to take a 3-0 lead into the fifth.
HC then produced its biggest inning of the twin bill with five runs in the bottom of the fifth on five hits, including a home run.
BC was limited to three hits over the five-inning contest with senior catcher Taylor Hannah, White and Hyatt each registering singles.
Brevard returns to action with its second USA South Conference matchup of the season as the road trip continues Saturday at LaGrange College. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET in LaGrange, Georgia.
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-BC-