BLUEFIELD, Va.— The Montreat softball team passed through the state of Virginia Wednesday afternoon for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) twin bill against the Bluefield University Rams. With the race to make the conference tournament heating up, the Cavaliers picked up a pair of 9-2 and 4-3 victories, improving to 29-15 (11-13 AAC) in the process.
After the first seven Cavs went down in order to open game one, the visitors broke out the bats in a big way during the top of the third. Montreat utilized four extra-base hits—three doubles and one triple—to help seize a 5-0 lead through three.
Amayia Hernandez pushed across the initial two runs via her double, and
Hannah Henderson added a run-producing double of her own to expand the advantage out to 3-0.
Makayla Reid's RBI triple and a passed ball closed out the scoring in the frame.
Henderson tacked on two more with a 2-out single in the top of the fourth, but Bluefield (8-22, 2-18 AAC) managed to pull those runs back in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a 2-run homer; however, that proved to be all the Rams could do against
Victoria Alcantar. The Apple Valley, Calif. native scattered seven hits across seven innings as she picked up her 12
th win of the season and her 11
th complete game. Alcantar also punched out nine Rams in the triumph.
A sixth-inning throwing error and Henderson's fourth RBI of the afternoon rounded out the scoring for game one. The Cavaliers ultimately outhit their counterparts, 11-7, during the 9-2 victory. Henderson (2-3),
Alanna Hernandez (2-3) and
Hollie Cunningham (2-2) each registered a pair of hits, while Henderson (4) and
Amayia Hernandez (2) were the lone Cavs to tally multiple RBIs. Cunningham scored three times to lead both squads in the opener.
Like she did in game one,
Amayia Hernandez got the scoring started in the third inning of game two. This time, Hernandez lofted a fly ball deep enough into center field to bring home Cunningham for the contest's first run.
After a few quiet trips to the plate, Montreat created some breathing room with a 3-run sixth. Reid doubled the visitors' edge on a single to center and, after stealing both second and third, came around to score on Alcantar's fielder's choice.
Makenzie Ritchie extended the lead to 4-0 moments later on a throwing error.
BU pushed the Cavaliers to the brink in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a trio of runs and placing the tying run on second.
Maddox Pleasants came in and erased the danger, though, notching her first save by recording the final three outs on just five pitches to secure the 4-3 win and the doubleheader sweep.
Deanna Waddell faced the minimum in four of her six-plus innings of work, allowing five hits and three runs while also collecting a strikeout. With the victory, Waddell moved to 12-6 on the year.
At the plate, the Cavs doubled up the hosts in hits, 10-5. Eight different Montreat batters totaled a base knock, while
Amayia Hernandez (2-3) and Henderson (2-4) racked up multi-hit performances. Hernandez, Reid and Alcantar each had an RBI, and Henderson, Reid, Ritchie and Cunningham each scored once.
The Montreat softball team returns home on Friday for another conference doubleheader, this time against Union Commonwealth University. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Big League Camp in Marion, N.C.
