Posted: Mar 26, 2022
LAGRANGE, Ga. - The Brevard College softball team (4-11, 0-4 USAS) lost two tight games to host LaGrange College (6-15, 2-2) in a USA South Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in LaGrange, Georgia. The Tornados fell 6-5 in game one of the doubleheader, then dropped the second game 7-5 as the host Panthers won in the late innings of each contest.
Graduate third baseman Emily White led the Tornados with a 3-for-4 game that included a two-run home run, a double and three runs scored in the first contest. Senior outfielder Jocelyn Folkers provided the biggest highlight of game two with a dramatic two-RBI double.
Game One - LaGrange 6, Brevard 5
BC struck first as White singled with two outs, then advanced on a wild pitch in the opening frame. With a runner in scoring position, junior shortstop Mikayla Morgan promptly delivered with an RBI-single to score White and give BC a 1-0 lead.
The host Panthers responded with a tying run in the bottom of the first. After two scoreless innings, LC then took a 2-1 lead with a run in the fourth.
Senior catcher Taylor Hannah tripled in the top of the fifth. Then with two outs, White came to the plate and connected on two-run home run to score Hannah. The homer, the second of the season and the tenth of White's illustrious career, gave BC the lead while sending the Tornado dugout into a frenzy.
Starting pitcher Abby Delp and the BC defense then held the Panthers scoreless in the bottom of the fifth with a tag at the plate by Hannah producing the third out.
The Panthers however would strike in the sixth inning, scoring three runs on four hits to take a 5-3 lead into the seventh.
A double by Morgan then scored Hannah and White in the top of the seventh to again give BC the lead by one run.
The two teams headed to the bottom of the seventh, tied 5-5. After a ground out, LC's Abbey Gardner hit a walk-off, solo home run to clinch the win for the Panthers.
In total, BC recorded 10 hits and three extra-base hits. Defensively, the Tornados were error-free in the contest.
Game Two - LaGrange 7, Brevard 5
Similar to game one, BC took the initial lead with a run in the first inning as Hannah led off the frame with a walk then advanced to third on a White single. Hannah then scored on a pop-up by Morgan to give the Tornados a 1-0 lead.
LaGrange stormed ahead with five runs in the bottom of the third to take a 5-1 lead, the largest lead of the doubleheader for either team.
BC was able to chip away on the deficit with a double by first baseman Autumn Lollis that scored Karley Queen who had entered the game as a pinch hitter.
Trailing 5-2 after a scoreless fifth inning, the Nados came alive with a big sixth frame. With one out, Queen hit a double followed by a walk by Serena Rodgers-Luckey. With two outs, Savannah Jones blasted a single to right field to score Queen. Hannah then loaded the bases with a walk for Folkers who delivered with a game-tying, two-RBI double to score Rodgers-Luckey and Jones.
Tied 5-5, LaGrange would answer once again with a solo home run by Kaitlin Redmond followed by an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Morgan and Hyatt led off the top of the seventh with a double and single, but both were stranded on base as LaGrange came away with the 7-5 victory.
Kaitlynn Farmer started the game and pitched a complete six innings for the Tornados, registering three strikeouts.
Brevard will return to action on Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader at Reinhardt in Waleska, Georgia. The next home game will be Saturday, April 2 vs. conference foe Agnes Scott at the BC Softball Field.
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-BC-