SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Abbie Buckner and
Sydney Tackett each posted two hits and two RBIs in the opener and
Christian Cain hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs in the second game in Sewanee's doubleheader sweep, 8-0 and 9-3, against Berea in softball action here Friday afternoon.
The Tigers (5-5) swept the Mountaineers in the home opener, scoring a pair of runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings in the first game and plating five runs in the first inning in the second contest. Cain's homer capped a three-run fifth inning, extending the lead to 9-3.
Reagen Huskey (3-2) tossed a one-hit shutout in the first game for Sewanee, walking two, hitting three batters and striking out four, allowing a leadoff single in the fifth for Berea's only hit. The Mountaineers (1-5) had two baserunners in the fourth inning with a walk and a hit by pitch and collected a single and a hit by pitch in the fifth.
Buckner, Tackett and
Ansley Giffin all collected two hits apiece and Tackett scored twice with a pair of doubles. Kelly Wiard (0-1) took the loss for Berea, allowing four earned runs on six hits in three innings.
Cain and
Grace Black both drove in two runs each with singles in the five-run first inning to start the second contest. Berea collected three runs in the fourth and loaded the bases with one out in the fifth before
Hanna Hollis worked out of the jam.
Sewanee then scored three times in the bottom of the inning, capped by Cain's line drive two-run homer to complete the sweep. Hollis (1-0) tossed 3.1 shutout innings of relief for the win, giving up three hits with two strikeouts. Buckner worked the first three innings in a start, allowing no runs on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Mia Thomas (0-1) took the loss in the second game, giving up nine runs, five earned, on six hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
Tackett reached on a throwing error by the pitcher to leadoff the Sewanee second inning and Giffin singled to right. Berea's Emily Searcy booted the ball and Tackett scored on the play, with Giffin reaching third. Cain's single off the glove of the second baseman pushed across Giffin for a 2-0 edge for the Tigers.
In the third
Maggie Barker singled to rightcenter with two outs and Tackett followed with an RBI double to rightcenter. Giffin then singled down the rightfield line, plating Tackett, and Sewanee loaded the bases with a pair of walks before Sophie Nolan grounded out to end the inning.
The Tigers added to the lead in the fourth after a leadoff walk to
Kaylie Smith, who went to second on a groundout by Buckner. Smith stole third and scored on
Madilyn Parker's single to center. With two outs Tackett doubled off the wall in center, plating Parker and extending the advantage to 6-0.
In the fifth Black singled down the rightfield line with one out and with two outs, Smith singled to center, with both runners moving up on a bobble by Maddie Dickson. Buckner followed with a two-run single to center, ending the game early for the Tigers.
Sewanee scored five runs in the first inning of the second game, taking advantage of a pair of Mountaineers errors.
Buckner walked, stole second and scored when Parker's ground ball that was thrown away at first. With one out Tackett walked and Giffin grounded to the left of the circle, with a throw pulling the third baseman off the bag.
Cain then singled to rightcenter, scoring two runs, and after Cain stole second, Black singled through the leftside, off the glove of the shortstop into short leftcenter, pushing across two more for a 5-0 advantage.
Buckner reached on an infield single in the second inning, took second on a wild pitch and came across on groundouts by Parker and Barker, extending the lead to 6-0.
Berea threatened in the third inning after walks to Maya Meads and Emily Searcy, with the runners moving up on a wild pitch, but Jessyca Searcy grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Mountaineers cut the deficit in half in the fourth, starting with a solo homer to left by Mackenzie Howell. Thomas was hit before a groundout and a flyout. Meads and Tiffany Deel both singled, loading the bases, and Maggie Dickson's soft single into short leftcenter plated two more runs, making it 6-3 Sewanee.
Berea threatened again in the fourth with a leadoff single and stolen base by Jessyca Searcy. With one out Thomas grounded to the left side, reaching first, and
Hannah Wilson tried to throw behind the runner at second, but it was low and got away, putting runners on the corners.
Josie Hollingsworth bunted down the first base line and Cain ran Searcy back to third, loading the bases for the Mountaineers. Wiard also bunted but Hollis got the force at the plate and then another groundout to the circle to end the inning.
Sewanee responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame, starting with a double down the leftfield line by Barker. Tackett's grounder just inside the third base bag for an RBI double as well. Hollis lined out before Cain drilled a line drive over the wall in rightcenter for a two-run homer and a 9-3 Tigers advantage.
Sewanee travels to Hawaii next week for six games beginning with a doubleheader Tuesday against Drew University at 3 p.m. CT.
