SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Ansley Giffin posted two hits and
Hannah Wilson and
Christian Cain each drove in runs, backing up a stellar outing from Reagan Huskey in the circle in a 2-1 victory over Centre in the first game of the SAA Softball Championships on Friday in Mount Berry, Ga.
The Tigers lost the second contest Friday, 3-1, to fifth-ranked Berry College despite two hits and one RBI from Wilson.
In the opener Huskey scattered seven hits, allowing one run with no walks and six strikeouts. The freshman stranded six runners – one in every inning but the sixth. Abby Duncan doubled with two outs in the seventh for the Colonels before Layne Ogle flied out to short leftfield to end the contest.
Zoe Crockett singled to leadoff the Sewanee fourth inning and stole second and third, scoring on a one-out single by Wilson. In the fifth Giffin singled with one out and moved to second on a passed ball. Cain followed with an RBI single, driving in the game-winning run.
Centre plated its only run of the game in the first inning when Ogle and Morgan Tabor both singled to leadoff the frame and a groundout by Kaylee Gregory pushed the runners to second and third. Emily Lammers' grounder to short plated Ogle, but Huskey limited the damage to one run thanks to a strikeout of Cheney Floyd to end the inning.
Andrea Searcy suffered the loss for Centre, giving up two runs on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
Huskey was stellar again in the second game, allowing one earned run on six hits in six innings against the Vikings, who improved to 37-3 on the season. She walked one and struck out two, working around baserunners in every inning but the sixth.
Each team scored a game in the first inning, with
Abbie Buckner singling to leadoff the game and taking second on a one-out bunt by
Sydney Tackett. Wilson followed with an RBI single for the Tigers.
Morgan Frye quickly tied the game with a leadoff homer for the Vikings, who added two more runs in the second.
Anna Jackson singled to start the frame and Katie Parker reached on an error. Both runners moved up on a sac bunt by Elly Bennett and Rachel Runsick's sacrifice fly plated Jackson. Sydney Moroney added an RBI single for a 3-1 Berry advantage.
Vikings hurler Hannah Gore gave up just five hits with no walks and five strikeouts, setting down the Tigers in order in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Sewanee threatened in the seventh with singles from Wilson and
Madilyn Parker, but Giffin grounded out before Cain was hit with two outs, loading the bases.
Emily Litchfield grounded out to end the game with the tying run in scoring position.
Sewanee plays Centre again Saturday at Noon ET and would face Berry again later Saturday with another victory.
