BUENA VISTA, Va. - The Brevard College softball team (5-13, 2-6 USA South) took a series-ending win to earn a doubleheader split over host Southern Virginia (14-10, 2-4 USAS) on Saturday afternoon in Buena Vista, Virginia. Brevard fell 11-4 in game one of the twin bill, before responding with an emphatic 6-2 victory in game two.
GAME TWO – BREVARD 6, SOUTHERN VIRGINIA 2
Starting pitcher Grace Reynolds (3-4) led a masterful performance in the circle to earn the victory for the Tornados. The sophomore from Troy, North Carolina pitched a complete seven innings and allowed just one earned run on seven hits. Reynolds limited the Knights throughout the contest by not allowing an extra-base hit.
Senior shortstop Mikayla Morgan continued her hot hitting with a 2-for-4 performance that included her second home run of the day, a double, and four RBIs. Left fielder Karley Queen also went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Freshman Jasmine Webb hit her third career double en route to a 2-for-3 game with a run scored.
Senior centerfielder Beth Hyatt also drove in a run, while second baseman Ivelysse Leighton scored a run.
The two teams went scoreless in the opening two innings until Brevard broke through with a big four-run frame in the top of the third.
With one out, Leighton reached base via a hit-by-pitch followed by a double from Webb down the left field line. Hyatt hit an RBI single to score Leighton. Next up was Queen who blasted a single to score Webb. With runners on second and third, Morgan then delivered with a two-run double scoring Queen and Hyatt.
After a scoreless fourth, Queen reached base again with two out in the top of the fifth. That brought up Morgan who jacked a home run over the left field fence to stake a 6-0 lead for the Tornados. The homer was the team-best fourth of the season for the native of Robbinsville, North Carolina.
Southern Virginia scored two runs in the sixth in an inning plagued by two BC errors to cut the margin to four runs.
Holding a 6-2 lead, Reynolds took the circle in the bottom of the inning. After a Knight single, Reynolds retired the next two batters. With two outs, SVU singled again, then loaded the bases with a hit batter. With the tying run at the plate, Reynolds induced a line drive to Queen in left field who made the play defensively to clinch the win.
GAME ONE – SOUTHERN VIRGINIA 11, BREVARD 4
Morgan hit the first of her two home runs of the day to lead BC offensively. Leighton doubled and scored a run, while Hyatt recorded an RBI. Third baseman Gabby Hooper and Webb each recorded base hits and runs scored as well.
Southern Virginia never trailed in game one of the doubleheader. The Knights scored three runs in each of the first three innings to run out to a 9-0 lead.
Brevard broke through in the fifth inning with a four-run frame. A Leighton double was followed by a Webb single to set up Hyatt who drove home a run on an RBI groundout as Webb came home to score on a Knight error. Hooper drew a walk, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Morgan then came to the plate and blasted a home run, her first of the day, to cap off the four-run inning.
SVU added two more runs for insurance in the sixth to seal the win.
Arianna Prymak (7-4) earned the win for the Knights after pitching four shutout innings. Brevard pitchers Lindsey Tolle, Abby Delp, and Kennedy Fennell all saw time in the circle for the Tornados.
Brevard returns to action with a Senior Day doubleheader on Sunday. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the Senior Day pre-game ceremony which will be followed by the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
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-BC-