MARION, N.C.—The Montreat softball team kicked off its 2025 campaign with a doubleheader against the Alice Lloyd College Eagles at Big League Camp in Marion, N.C. Friday afternoon. In the duo of games, the Cavs (2-0) hit four home runs, matching their total from opening day last year. Montreat triumphed over the Eagles (0-2) with a 5-4 final in game one and an 8-0 five-inning run-rule scoreline in game two.
 
In game one, Carter Thornton got the start in the circle. The transfer from CSU-Bakersfield hurled five frames, giving up 10 hits and four runs in her Montreat debut.
 
Trailing by one run in the bottom of the third, Montreat's Haley Fethke flew out to left field with runners on the corners. The effort was far enough out to advance both Cavs and bring in Amayia Hernandez to level the score at one apiece. Later in the inning, Elizabeth Gergen slammed a double into center field that allowed Abigail Wyatt to trot home, giving Montreat the lead, 2-1.
 
Each team scored a run in the fourth frame, with the Montreat run coming from another sacrifice fly to left with two runners on. This time, Hernandez drove in Victoria Alcantar to keep the Cavs in front, 3-2.
 
Both teams tallied two runs in the fifth. The Cavs drilled back-to-back two-out solo bombs to the left side. Gergen nailed the first, and the second came from Maggie Knight. With the homers, Montreat retook the lead, 5-4.
 
From then on, Alcantar came in to slam the door on the Eagles with a two shutout innings in relief. Alcantar surrendered just one hit while striking out a batter to close out game one of opening day with a 5-4 victory for the Cavs. Thornton and Alcantar secured a win and a save, respectively, during the first contest.
 
Game two was all Montreat as it kept the Eagles scoreless through five innings thanks to Rebecca Carson's performance in the circle. Allowing just two hits and striking out two Eagles, Carson earned the win, and the rest of the Cavalier defense put on a show behind her.
 
Montreat scored in every inning it batted. Gergen brought in the first run with a double to left center, scoring Fethke. In frame two, Alanna Hernandez hit a double of her own, this time scoring Jasmine Rachal. The two runs scored in the third inning came from a Fethke bunt and a Knight double.
 
The onslaught continued on offense when four more Montreat runs added to the advantage in the fourth inning. Amayia Hernandez's two-run blast only got the frame started. Fethke roped a solo home run to left, and Knight doubled into left center field, scoring pinch-runner Maya Moro. The Cavs mercy-ruled the Eagles after five innings by a score of 8-0.
 
On the day Wyatt, Gergen and Knight tallied three hits while Amayia Hernandez corralled two. Amayia Hernandez combined with Wyatt for the two stolen bases in game one, and Fethke stole the only two bases in game two. From the plate, the Cavaliers hit 7-for-22 in game one and 7-for-20 in the concluding match.
 
The Cavaliers will play two games tomorrow in Marion, N.C. as well. At 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., Montreat will face Alice Lloyd and the Bluefield State University Big Blue, respectively.