BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— The Montreat softball team snapped its losing skid Monday afternoon thanks to a doubleheader split against its Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) rivals, the Milligan University Buffaloes. In the opener at Roxy Hines Memorial Softball Field, the Cavaliers snagged a thrilling 4-3 victory, while the Buffs claimed a 10-1 win in five innings to tally the twin bill split. After the contests concluded, the Cavs' record moved to 6-25 (2-12 AAC) on the season.
 
Milligan loaded the bases in the top of the first, but Kyann Lyne expertly pitched her way out of the jam to keep the Buffaloes off the scoreboard early on. Meanwhile, Montreat managed to plate a run in the bottom of the frame with back-to-back 2-out doubles from Alyssa Hudson and Taylor Yonke.
 
Both starting pitchers dominated the middle innings, which ultimately helped the Cavs enter the sixth with a 1-0 lead. While Milligan's starter surrendered just a single run through her initial five frames, Lyne pitched even better as she scattered four Buffaloes hits across six shutout innings. The Concord, N.C. native's superb start gave the Cavaliers' offense just enough time to find some critical insurance in their final trip to the plate.
 
Yonke and Coleena Selleck began the bottom of the sixth with a pair of singles, and after a dropped foul ball gave Sarah Edge new life, the Montreat outfielder delivered a massive blow. Edge launched a 3-run shot over the fence in right field, handing the hosts some important wiggle room on the scoreboard as the Cavs entered the seventh with a 4-0 lead.
 
Milligan (12-6, 8-6 AAC) pushed the Cavaliers to the brink in the final inning as the visitors scored three runs to trim their deficit to one. Then, with the tying run on second base, it seemed like the Buffaloes evened the score on a single up the middle; however, behind a smart relay from Cameryn Bass in center to Jasmine Rachal at shortstop, the hosts caught a Milligan baserunner taking too large of a turn at second base. As a result, Montreat applied the tag just before the tying run reached home, sealing a 4-3 Cav triumph in the process.
 
Lyne notched her first win of the season after pitching 6.2 innings and allowing a trio of runs, while Deanna Waddell earned the save by recording the game's final out. At the plate, Yonke, Selleck and Edge each went 2-for-3 to garner Montreat's first win against Milligan since April 4, 2019.
 
Game two favored the Buffaloes as the visitors scored in each of the contest's initial four frames. Milligan scored four runs on five hits in the top of the first, pushed another run across in the second, plated three unearned runs in the third and hit a 2-run shot in the fourth to build a sizable 10-0 lead.
 
The Cavaliers saw two baserunners reach in the bottom of the first, but Milligan's starter limited the home side's offense from there. From the first frame through the fourth, the Buffs retired 11 consecutive Cavs.
 
Trailing 10-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Montreat needed at least three runs to extend the game. While the hosts managed to load the bases, Bass' RBI fielder's choice plated the Cavaliers' lone run in game two. As a result, Milligan took matchup in five innings, 10-1.
 
Hudson and Edge each batted 1-for-2, tallying Montreat's only hits in the process. In the pitcher's circle, Waddell threw two scoreless frames in relief.
 
The Montreat softball team jumps back into non-conference action on Wednesday with a road doubleheader at Carolina University. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Clemmons, N.C.