ATHENS, Tenn.— The Montreat softball team went on the road for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader against the Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs on Tuesday. The duo of games marked the first of four straight away conference twin bills. The Cavs split the event by scores of 5-2 and 8-1.
The Cavs (15-11, 3-5 AAC) got on the board first in game one with an RBI single from
Maggie Knight. The play scored
Amayia Hernandez. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the frame. TWU (8-5, 6-4 AAC) took the lead with a single that plated two runs.
Montreat came back and snatched the lead again after a
Haley Fethke bomb in the third. Hernandez scored on the home run. The Cavs gained some insurance in the sixth as
Abigail Wyatt reached on a fielder's choice.
Makenzie Ritchie was able to score on the play. Montreat added more runs when Hernandez singled to center.
Makayla Reid came around to score. Montreat went on to win, 5-2.
Rebecca Carson started the first game and threw for three innings. Carson gave up four hits and walked a batter. She did not strike out or hit any Bulldogs in her performance.
Victoria Alcantar came into the game after leading 3-2 and helped the Cavs secure the triumph. Alcantar pitched for the remaining four frames and surrendered three hits. She also walked a batter but struck out two in the process. With the win, Alcantar's record moved to 2-3.
In game two, both teams were hitless through two-and-a-half innings. In the bottom of the third, the Bulldogs slammed a double into left center. The Montreat defense prevented the runner from scoring, however. Montreat scored its lone run in the concluding game when Knight hit a sacrifice fly to center field in the fourth. Wyatt tagged up and sprinted home on the play. The Cavalier defense held the Bulldogs scoreless for five innings.
Going into the bottom of the sixth inning, Montreat still held a 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs. Tennessee Wesleyan scored all eight of its runs in the frame. Three singles, two sac flies, a bases-loaded walk and an error on a fielder's choice plated the scores. In the next inning, the Cavs could not get anything on the board and lost, 8-1.
Carter Thornton started game two and hurled for five innings. She gave up four hits and two earned runs. Half of the runs TWU scored were unearned. Alcantar,
Mykenzie Flores and
Jaidyn Stephens also split the final inning.
Hernandez and Fethke each had a team-high three hits on the day. Wyatt, Kell and Knight all had two. Knight and Fethke each had two RBIs, leading the Cavs. Hernandez stole the only base for Montreat on the day. The Cavaliers made three errors in the doubleheader.
In total, Montreat swung for 13 hits, with 10 in the first game. Two Cavalier hits went for extra bases. Cav batters went 13-for-55 combined in both games. Montreat struck out 12 times on the day.
On deck, the Cavaliers will continue their road trip and face the University of Pikeville Bears in another road AAC twin bill on Friday. The first pitches are scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m.
