BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College softball team (6-14) won the second game of a Senior Day doubleheader to split with Sweet Briar College (7-16) on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the BC Softball Field.
At the event, five seniors - Lindsey Tolle, Beth Hyatt, Mikayla Morgan, Serena Rodgers-Luckey and KateLynn Olive were honored with a ceremonial first pitch to family members and a special "touch-all-the-bases" ceremony after game one of the doubleheader.
Brevard won game two of the doubleheader via the run-rule 8-0 in five innings. In the first game of the day, Sweet Briar took a 4-1 victory.
GAME TWO – BREVARD 8, SWEET BRIAR 0 (5 INNINGS)
Following an emotional Senior Day Ceremony, the Tornados dominated game two of the doubleheader. BC shutout the Vixens, scored eight runs on nine hits, including four doubles, and did not commit an error defensively.
Olive delivered with a tremendous Senior Day performance at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and 5 RBIs. Morgan and designated player Olivia Martinez each went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Starting pitcher Grace Reynolds pitched a shutout en route to her second win in as many days. Reynolds allowed just three hits, while striking out Vixen batters.
After Reynolds and the BC defense produced a 1-2-3 top of the first, the Tornados struck first in the bottom half with a two-out rally. Morgan recorded a double to left field. Martinez followed with a single to advance Morgan to third. Olive then blasted a double to left to score both Morgan and Martinez, giving Brevard a 2-0 lead.
The second inning proved even more fruitful with five runs coming home. Queen and Morgan both hit bases-loaded RBI singles to make the score 4-0. With the bases still loaded, Olive then came to the plate, again with two outs. The senior from Lenoir, North Carolina delivered again, blasting a double to center to clear the bases and put BC ahead 7-0.
Once again with two outs, the Tornados scored their eighth run in the bottom of the fourth. Hyatt led off the frame with a single, then stole second and reached third on w sacrifice bunt by Karley Queen. Martinez then drove Hyatt home on her second hit of the game, a double to center.
The Vixens threatened in the top of the fifth with runners at second and third with one out. On a sharply hit ground ball to third baseman Gabby Hooper, BC completed a play at the plate as catcher Rodgers-Luckey made an electric tag at the plate. Reynold then induced a ground ball to Hooper for the final out.
GAME ONE – SWEET BRIAR 4, BREVARD 1
Tolle was the Senior Day starting pitcher in game one and pitched a solid seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
Offensively Hyatt was BC's top performer with a 3-for-4 game. Designated player Valarie Sorrell recorded a double and freshman right fielder Jasmine Webb registered a career-high three stolen bases.
Sweet Briar starter Grace Pisenti earned the victory, allowing one run on six hits over a complete seven innings.
The Vixens scored runs in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 advantage early on. BC then cut the margin in half with a run in the third off a steal of home via opportunistic base running by Webb.
A two-run double in the seventh put the Vixens up by three and Pisenti shut out the Tornados for the final three outs to ice the win.
Next up for Brevard is a conference home doubleheader vs. Methodist on Saturday, April 8 at the BC Softball Field.
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