MARION, N.C.— The Montreat softball team hosted the Union Commonwealth University Bulldogs in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader at Big League Camp on Friday. Though Montreat battled in a pair of close ballgames, the visitors ultimately took a 4-2 matchup in eight innings and an 8-7 result to drop the Cavs' record to 29-17 (11-15 AAC) on the year.
 
After a quiet three frames from both offenses in game one, Union Commonwealth (13-22, 11-13 AAC) took a 2-0 advantage in the fourth thanks to a pair of solo home runs.
 
Despite the deficit, the Cavaliers used a run in each of the fifth and seventh innings to claw back level. Haley Fethke got the Cavs on the board with her third hit of the day, an RBI single through the left side, in the bottom of the fifth. Then, down to its final at-bat, Montreat utilized a leadoff triple from Amayia Hernandez and a squeeze bunt by Hannah Henderson to tie the contest at two and send the matchup to extras.
 
Although the Cavaliers outhit the Bulldogs 10-7, UCU reestablished its 2-run edge with a homer in the eighth that sealed the fate of the competition. Four players recorded multiple hits for the home side, led by Fethke's 3-for-4 performance. Hernandez (2-3), Hollie Cunningham (2-4) and Victoria Alcantar (2-3) joined Fethke with more than one hit, while Hernandez scored both of the team's runs.
 
Alcantar retired seven straight from the first through third innings in the circle. She spread seven hits across her eight frames of work and tied her season-high in strikeouts with 11.
 
Both sides traded 3-run half innings to begin the second game. Following three from the visitors, the Cavaliers plated a trio of runs in the bottom of the first. A leadoff double by Hernandez set the table for an RBI single from Jasmine Rachal. Fethke then launched her ninth bomb of the season to knot the score at three through one inning.
 
Rachal gave the Cavs a 4-3 edge with her RBI base knock in the second; however, the Bulldogs responded with four runs over two frames to go up 7-4 through four.
 
After a throwing error, Hernandez drove in one with her RBI triple in the sixth to trim the gap to two, but Union answered with a vital insurance run in the top of the seventh to restore its 3-run advantage.
 
Though the first two Cavaliers reached in the bottom of the seventh and an RBI groundout coupled with a wild pitch pulled the home team within a run (8-7), it wasn't enough to complete the comeback as Montreat fell by one.
 
Hernandez (2-2), Rachal (2-4) and Elizabeth Gergen (2-4) all registered multiple hits, while Rachal and Fethke both drove in a pair. Seven different Cavs scored in the latter contest. In relief, Maddox Pleasants allowed just two hits and one run through 1 2/3 innings.
 
Softball plays its final home contests of the 2024 season when the Cavaliers host the Carolina University Bruins in a doubleheader at Roxy Hines Memorial Softball Field tomorrow. First pitch of game one of the non-conference twin bill is scheduled for 4 p.m., while senior day festivities are expected between games.