SEWANEE, Tenn. – Sewanee scored four runs in the final three innings to win the opener and plated six runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the second contest, winning both games, 7-6, over Covenant College in softball action here Wednesday afternoon.
GAME ONE
Maggie Barker posted two hits and three RBIs and Reagan Huskey drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the seventh in a 7-6 victory. The Tigers scored twice in the fifth, once in the sixth and once in the seventh.
Abbie Buckner collected two hits with one RBI and scored twice,
Ansley Giffin added two hits while
Sydney Tackett and
Grace Black both scored twice.
Sewanee plated two runs in the first inning, one on an error and another on a single from Barker, but Covenant scored three runs in the third and fourth innings before the comeback. Barker's two-run double down the leftfield line cut the deficit to one and
Ace Anderson's squeeze bunt pushed across Huskey with the tying run.
In the seventh Buckner led off with a double off the base of the leftfield wall and Giffin singled up the middle with one out, though, Covenant second baseman Cailey Barnett knocked down the slow roller, keeping it in the infield. After fouling off four pitches with two strikes, Huskey singled to right, barely beating the throw to first for a single, driving in the winning run for the Tigers.
Huskey allowed five earned runs on seven hits in four innings.
Ansley Giffin (1-0) worked three shutout innings for the win, giving up four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Elizabeth Yother (7-5), the second pitcher for the Scots, allowed four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
Tackett led off the game with a double to leftcenter and Black lined a single off the glove of Covenant shortstop Myla Still into leftcenter, putting runners on the corners. Buckner lined to center, but the throw back to the infield from Gracie Luckle was wild and got away, allowing Tackett to score. Barker then singled sharply to center, plating Black for a 2-0 edge after an inning.
Lacle started the third inning for the Scots with a single to left and Julie fMavity singled through the hole on the left side. Madison Taylor then laced a triple down the rightfield line, plating both runners, and Taylor scored on a deep sacrifice fly to left from Megan Porras, giving the visitors a 3-2 advantage.
Tackett walked to leadoff the bottom of the inning, moved to second on a passed ball, third on a groundout by Black and scored on Buckner's ground ball to first, knotting the contest at three.
Covenant added three more runs in the fourth, starting with a bloop single by Lily Campbell between the pitcher's circle and second base. Tisha Holland singled to center and Bri Tyson's bunt was a single, with no play at any base.
Lacle was hit, forcing in a run, and Taylor's fly ball to leftcenter plated a run. Kallie Branum grounded to short, but the throw to first was low and she was safe, allowing another run to come across for a 6-3 lead.
Giffin and
Madilyn Parker both walked to start the bottom of the fourth, but they were stranded at first and second after Yother entered the contest.
Sewanee got two runs back in the fifth after a one-out walk from Black and a short single to right from Buckner. Barker then doubled down the leftfield line, scoring both runners, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
Huskey led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple to deep center, off the glove of Lacle, and she scored on a squeeze bunt by Anderson, sliding in just ahead of the tag, tying the game at six.
The Scots got two runners on base in the seventh after a leadoff chopper from Barnett and a two-out, pinch-hit double to leftcenter by Cassidi Phillips before Lacle popped out to end the threat.
GAME TWO
Covenant took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh before Sewanee posted seven hits in an eight-batter stretch, scoring six times to sweep the twinbill and complete a four-game sweep of Covenant this season.
The Tigers recorded just four hits in the first six innings against Scots hurler Charley Clark, with the only run coming on a solo homer in the fifth inning from Giffin.
Barker made the first out of the seventh with a line drive to right before
Abby Winkler started the comeback with a single down the rightfield line. Giffin dumped a single into short left and Parker tripled to rightcenter, driving in two runs. Cain plated another with a single down the rightfield line, cutting the deficit to 6-4.
Huskey then singled to center and Clark exited the contest in the circle, with Covenant bringing in Yother to try and close out the contest. She walked Tackett, loading the bases, and Black singled sharply to center, scoring two runs and tying the game.
With two outs, Barker hit a line drive down the leftfield line that went off the glove of Covenant's Bekah Diener for the game-winning hit and a 7-6 victory.
Buckner allowed three runs on nine hits in four innings and Winkler tossed two innings in relief, giving up three unearned runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Huskey (7-6) picked up the win with one scoreless inning of work.
Clark allowed six runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings and Yother (7-6) picked up the loss for the second straight contest.
The Scots started quickly in the second game with a one-out double to leftcenter from Madison Taylor and a single to right by Phillips. Lexi Tincknell then dropped a short single into left, plating a run, but Buckner worked her way out of the jam with a line out and a soft liner.
Mavity doubled to leadoff the third and Phillips singled up the middle with one out, putting runners on the corners. With two outs Clark singled through the left side, scoring a run, and Clark and Phillips executed the double steal for another run and a 3-0 Covenant advantage.
Giffin led off the fifth with a solo homer to rightcenter, her first of the season and just the fourth hit of the game for the Tigers at that point.
Megan Porras singled to start the sixth for the Scots and pinch-runner Lacle stole second. Barnett reached on an errant throw to first on a grounder to short, allowing Lacle to take third, and Diener plated a run with a squeeze bunt. Myla Still's groundout scored another run and after another errant throw on a ground ball, Taylor lined a triple to the wall in right for the final run of the frame and a 6-1 Scots lead.
Sewanee continues its current homestand with a three-game series this weekend against Southwestern University. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. and Sunday's single game begins at Noon.
