DECATUR, Ga. - The Brevard College softball team (1-1) split with host Agnes Scott (2-4) in a season-opening doubleheader on Sunday at Oakhurst Park in Decatur, Georgia. The Tornados won their season-opener 9-2, then dropped game two by the score of 9-5 en route to the split.
GAME ONE – BREVARD 9, AGNES SCOTT 2
Sophomore Abby Delp (1-0) started in the circle for Brevard for the first game of the 2023 season. Delp delivered with a complete-game victory, allowing just two runs on nine hits.
At the plate, shortstop Mikayla Morgan produced three RBIs with the first triple of the year by a Tornado to go along with two walks. Centerfielder Karley Queen went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while third baseman Gabby Hopper drove in a pair of runs with a double.
Lauren Mann, who started at first base, scored a game-high three runs to complement a double. Designated player Katelynn Olive also doubled, while Beth Hyatt and Olivia Martinez each drove in a run.
The first two innings of the contest were scoreless until Brevard broke through in the top of the third. With the bases loaded, Queen hit an RBI single to score Mann for BC's first run of 2023.
BC added two more runs in the fourth on an RBI walk with the bases loaded by Morgan followed by an RBI groundout by Queen that scored Mann.
After a scoreless fifth, Agnes Scott produced two runs in the sixth to cut BC's lead to 3-2.
The Tornados responded with an explosive six-run seventh inning to regain the momentum and ultimately put away the game. An RBI single by Martinez and a 2-RBI double by Hooper began the offensive assault by BC. Hyatt followed with an RBI single of her own to score Hooper. Morgan then provided the exclamation point with a triple to score Hyatt and Mann to stretch the lead to 9-2.
Delp and the Tornado defense went on to hold Agnes Scott scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to secure the season-opening win.
GAME TWO – AGNES SCOTT 9, BREVARD 5
Agnes Scott jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening frame, before BC responded with a sacrifice fly RBI by Morgan that scored Hooper for the tying run.
The Scotties then added three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead. Two more runs came home for the Tornados on a single by Martinez in the third, matched by another pair of runs in the bottom of the frame by Agnes Scott.
Back-to-back RBI singles by freshmen Jasmine Webb and Ivelysse Leighton on their first career hits as collegiate players cut the deficit to 6-5 in the top of the fourth.
The Scotties would once again respond with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. ASC pitching then shut out the Tornados for the final three innings to preserve the 9-5 win.
Morgan went 3-for-3 in the contest and Olive went 2-for-3 as the lone multi-hit performances for BC in the second game of the doubleheader.
Grace Reynolds started the game for BC, allowing two earned runs in 1.2 innings. Lindsey Tolle pitched the final 4.1 innings, striking out three.
Brevard returns to action with its home opener on Saturday vs. Johnson (Tenn.) with the doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. at the BC Softball Field.
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-BC-