MARION, N.C.— The Montreat softball team got back to .500 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) action thanks to a pair of victories over the St. Andrews University Knights Saturday afternoon at Big League Camp in Marion, N.C. Following the 13-1 and 7-2 triumphs, the Cavaliers climbed to 19-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
St. Andrews (6-26, 1-11 AAC) struck first in the opener with a run before the Cavs came to bat, but the hosts answered with a 3-spot during the ensuing half-inning.
Jasmine Rachal crushed a 2-run homer to left, and
Makenzie Ritchie delivered an RBI single to short to put Montreat in front through one, 3-1.
A trio of 2-run blasts highlighted a 10-run bottom of the third in which the Cavaliers put the game out of reach.
Dayton Kell, Ritchie and
Haley Fethke each clobbered a home run in the frame, and Montreat seized a 13-1 lead in the process.
Victoria Alcantar allowed the initial two batters she faced to reach base safely, but she sent every other hitter packing during her four innings of work. The Apple Valley, Calif. native retired the final 11 Knights of her outing as she racked up nine strikeouts and collected her eighth win.
Leah Coffing tossed a scoreless fifth to close out the 13-1 run-rule triumph.
Ritchie (3-3) and Fethke (2-2) each drove in three runs as they were the only Cavs to tally multiple knocks in game one. Meanwhile, Fethke and
Amayia Hernandez both scored on a trio of occasions.
Like they did in the opener, the visitors captured a 1-0 lead in the top of the first; however, Montreat responded and tied the contest on Kell's infield single coupled with a throwing error.
After
Deanna Waddell sent SAU down in order in the top of the second, the Cavaliers made sure to claim the lead for good thanks to four 2-out runs. In the second,
Elizabeth Gergen singled in a runner before
Jasmine Rachal plated two via a triple off the fence in center. An inning later, Alcantar came up with a 2-out RBI single through the right side for a 5-1 Montreat advantage after three frames.
St. Andrews bunted home a run in the fourth, but the hosts expanded their edge in the same inning regardless. Hernandez stole home and Kell lofted a sacrifice fly into center, pushing the Cav lead out to 7-2 in the process.
Waddell ended any hopes of a Knights' comeback with three consecutive shutout frames inside the circle. The Concord, N.C. native threw her second complete game of the season, surrendering just two runs on four hits to cement Montreat's 7-2 win.
Hernandez (2-3, 2 R) and Rachal (2-2, 2 RBIs) combined for four of the Cavs' seven hits in game two, and they were the only batters to either score or drive in multiple runs.
The Montreat softball team is currently scheduled to host Milligan University in another AAC doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. First pitch of game one is slated for 3 p.m. at Roxy Hines Memorial Softball Field in Black Mountain, N.C.
