BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— Montreat's softball team was scheduled to play two seven-inning games against the (RV) Reinhardt University Eagles at Roxy Hines Softball Field on Thursday. Instead, it played a nine-inning opener and an eight-inning closer. Both games headed to extra innings in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) battle. The Cavs lost the initial game, 5-4, but walked off the second by a score of 9-8. The triumph in game two marked the Cavaliers' first win against Reinhardt since 2019.
 
Game one started slowly as the first runs came across in the bottom of the third. Montreat scored three in the frame when Haley Fethke laid down a bunt with two on and one away. Abigail Wyatt was able to make it home on an error. That set up a two-RBI single from Maggie Knight. The base knock scored Fethke and Amayia Hernandez.
 
From there, the Eagles found their stride and slowly clawed back to take the lead in the top of the eighth. They scored all their runs in different innings. Now trailing 4-3 in the bottom of eighth, the Cavs needed one run to force a second extra inning. With two outs, Kell slashed a single down the right-field line. The speedy Hernandez made it around the diamond, scoring from first base to keep the Cavs alive.
 
The Eagles scored the eventual winning run from a bunt single that deflected off Cavalier pitcher Victoria Alcantar. One run came in to score with a second on its way when Alanna Hernandez zipped the ball to Elizabeth Gergen covering the dish to get the third out. The tag at home plate was the third of its kind for the Cavs in the game.
 
Rebecca Carson went 6 1/3 innings and ended her day allowing 10 hits and three runs. She struck out two batters without walking any Eagles in her performance. Alcantar pitched the final 2 2/3 frames and gave up six hits and two runs. She struck out one batter as well.
 
Game two was just as dramatic. This time, the Cavs started from behind early giving up three runs in the second. They answered when Jasmine Rachal reached from an error, allowing Knight to score. Reinhardt answered that with a solo homer in the third. Montreat got one run back in both the fourth and fifth innings. Alanna Hernandez singled to right in the fourth, ushering Amayia Hernandez home. The score in the fifth came from an RBI triple from Amayia Hernandez, notching her second trifecta of the season. No other Cavalier even has one.
 
Carter Thornton started the closing contest and hurled for five complete frames, allowing six runs from seven hits. She walked just one Eagle and struck one out as well.
 
Montreat then allowed three runs to score in the sixth. Now trailing by four, the Cavs never gave up. They plated three of their own in the bottom half to answer. Alanna Hernandez singled through the left side to guide Dayton Kell home. Then, with two outs in the inning, Makayla Reid came in clutch and singled to right scoring, both Alanna Hernandez and Rachal.
 
Heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Cavs were still within striking distance trailing by two runs. Makenzie Ritchie came home to score from a wild pitch. Still trailing by one run and down to its last strike, Montreat answered when Alanna Hernandez dropped a single to right field that scored Kell.
 
A clutch three-up, three-down inning for Mykenzie Flores set up a wild final frame. Flores went the final 1 2/3 innings in the contest with a strikeout and a walk. She didn't give up a hit or a run in her shift.
 
The play of the game occurred with two outs and runners on first and second. Knight came up to bat and slapped a grounder through the legs of the pitcher and into shallow center field. Wyatt rounded third base and beat the throw home, sliding in for good measure. The Cavs came back despite trailing by four runs to beat Reinhardt for the first time in over five years.
 
Kell swung a hot bat, recording five hits from seven at-bats against the Eagles. Alanna Hernandez secured three hits that all came in the win. Knight also had three hits, including the walk-off.
 
On the day, seven Cavaliers recorded hits. Montreat swung for six in the first game and doubled their production in game two with 12. The home team hit six extra-base hits in the doubleheader, with five of them occurring in the come-from-behind victory.
 
"Today's games were a total team effort," said head coach Corbin Weeks. "We've dropped some tight games over the last two weeks, and it was great to see this team continue to show resiliency and come out on top. I'm proud of them, and I'm excited to see what we can do the rest of the way."
 
Up next, the Cavaliers will continue their AAC schedule with a doubleheader against the Truett McConnell University Bears. The matchups are slated for 2 and 4 p.m. The series continues an eight-game homestand for Montreat.