KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— The Montreat softball team wrapped up its 2022 season with a road doubleheader against the Johnson University-Tennessee Royals Tuesday evening. The Cavaliers ousted the Royals 9-2 in game one before defeating the home team 7-5 to complete their sweep.
 
Ashley Starnes and Alyssa Hudson registered RBI hits to get things started in game one, putting the Cavs up 2-0 after just three outs. Following a scoreless bottom of the first from the home team, Starnes then doubled Montreat's advantage with a two-RBI single up the middle.
 
Johnson (5-31, 1-25 AAC) got a run back in the bottom half of the frame; however, the Cavaliers utilized a Bella Colbert double in the third to reestablish their four-run edge (5-1).
 
After another run by the Royals in the fourth, the Cavs responded again, this time with four runs to blow the game open. Alexa Chandler and Coleena Selleck each hit two-RBI doubles to left center as Montreat plated four in the sixth to bring the score to 9-2. The Cavaliers went 8-for-14 with two outs, 12-for-25 with runners on base and batted 0.421 (8-19) with runners in scoring position to seize the victory.
 
Cameryn Bass used a 4-for-5 performance at the dish and three runs scored to lead the Cavalier offense in game one. Eight different Cavs combined to record the team's 15 hits, while six different players scored for the visitors. Selleck (3-4) added a trio of hits, and Starnes captained the squad with as many RBIs.
 
In the circle, Candace Cooper tossed a complete game. Cooper allowed only a single earned run through her seven innings pitched as the Marion, N.C. native walked two and struck out one.
 
Game two featured a pitcher's duel early as the teams battled for the upper hand. Jenae Fedewa allowed just one baserunner through her first three innings of work in the circle, while the Cavs' only tally over the span came on a fielder's choice in the initial half-inning.
 
Montreat extended its advantage to four thanks to a trio of hits and two Johnson errors in the fourth. Bass singled in Katie Johnson prior to a pair of runs scoring on a Royals miscue that made it 4-0.
 
In the fifth, two RBI groundouts, one by Allison Chapman and another by AJ Martin Aiken, made it a 6-0 contest before Starnes crossed in the sixth to give the Cavs their final run of the competition.
 
The Royals recorded five runs over the last two frames and even brought the winning run to the plate, but the Cavaliers held on to win by two.
 
Chandler (2-4), Martin Aiken (2-3) and Bass (2-3) all registered multiple base knocks in the second matchup.
 
The doubleheader sweep marked the first such wins of the season as softball snapped its 21-game losing skid and concluded its year with a 6-39 (4-24 AAC) record.