FORT VALLEY, Ga.— The Montreat softball team closed out its season-opening trip to Georgia Monday afternoon with a doubleheader at the Fort Valley State University Wildcats, an NCAA Division II program. After dropping game one by an 8-5 scoreline, the Cavaliers rebounded in game two, 9-4, splitting the twin bill and moving its record to 3-3 in the process.
 
Four Cavs singled to lead off the top of the first inning in game one as the visitors started out in front on the scoreboard, 2-0. Cameryn Bass scored on Alyssa Hudson's single just two batters into the contest, and Hudson crossed home plate moments later on a single off the bat of Alara Cashwell.
 
Fort Valley State (1-3) answered Montreat's fast start with a quick response of its own, scoring multiple runs in each of the first three frames. Back-to-back RBI doubles knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the first, five walks helped push across a trio of runs in the second and two batters hit by pitches came around to score in the third. Through three innings of action, the Wildcats held a 7-2 lead over the Cavaliers.
 
Montreat sent seven batters to the dish in the top half of the fifth frame but could only score one run on a Leyna Gould pinch-hit single. Meanwhile, three HBPs scored another run for FVSU in the bottom of the inning, restoring the 5-run lead (8-3).
 
Hudson's sixth-inning triple brought Bass home from first, and Cashwell's RBI groundout pulled the Cavs within three runs; however, Montreat couldn't trim its deficit any further as Fort Valley State ultimately secured the game-one win, 8-5. The Cavaliers had at least one hit in every inning, and they outhit the Wildcats overall, 12-8, but the hosts held on to take the opener.
 
Samantha Browning proved to be the lone Cav to tally three hits in game one (3-4), but Bass (2-4, 2 R) and Hudson (2-4, 2 R, RBI) joined her as Cavaliers with multiple knocks. Leah Coffing pitched two innings of scoreless relief and struck out three batters to hold the Wildcats at bay.
 
FVSU struck first in game two thanks to a pair of runs in the bottom half of the initial frame. The Wildcats capitalized on a throwing error and an RBI single to plate the first two runs.
 
Down just a couple of runs, the Cavaliers erased their deficit and took the lead by scoring in four consecutive innings. Kylie Granger started the rally in the second frame when she slapped a double to right center to bring home Coleena Selleck. Cashwell then tied the game in the following inning on a single to left field, giving her six RBIs on the young campaign.
 
Two-out run production helped the visitors move in front and create a bit of breathing room across the top of the third and fourth. Selleck roped a 2-RBI single into left that handed the Cavaliers the lead in the third, and a Sarah Edge double sandwiched by a pair of FVSU errors expanded the Montreat lead out to 6-2.
 
Fort Valley State had chances to expand its lead or erase the Cavs' edge midway through the ballgame, but the hosts couldn't take advantage of having multiple runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings. Kyann Lyne, who got the start and surrendered two runs across three frames, escaped jams during the initial two potential rallies, while Deanna Waddell escaped trouble in the fourth.
 
While the Wildcats did finally halve their deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth, the Cavaliers had an answer in their final at-bat. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, while a wild pitch, a Madi Scherer sacrifice fly and a fielding error brought all three runners home. Waddell, who notched her second win in as many days by striking out five batters over the final four frames, retired the side to seal the 9-4 Montreat victory.

"It's been a long weekend with six games in three days, but I'm proud of my players for pushing through and continuing to work hard," said head coach Heather Maston. "I think we showed a scrappy side to our offense tacking on some runs late in the first game and scoring throughout the second game to finish the weekend 3-3."
 
Edge (3-4, 2 R, RBI) tallied three of the Cavs' eight hits in game two, while Katie Johnson (2-3, R) also notched multiple hits. Selleck (1-2) proved to be the lone Cavalier with multiple RBIs, and both she and Alexa Chandler registered a pair of walks.
 
The Montreat softball team returns to Georgia on Feb. 18 for its next action against Middle Georgia State University. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Cochran, Ga.