GRAYSON, Ky.— Montreat College's softball team traveled to the Kentucky Christian University Knights in its last road Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader of the season. Against the Knights, the Cavaliers overcame a pair of four-run deficits to sweep KCU by scores of 11-6 and 9-4.
In game one, Kentucky Christian (17-25, 10-18 AAC) took the lead with three runs in the second inning. Montreat answered in the third with an RBI single from
Amayia Hernandez. The knock scored
Dayton Kell. KCU came right back with three more runs, taking a 5-1 lead. In the fifth,
Alanna Hernandez smashed a solo home run to left field to trail 5-2.
The Knights got a run back in the bottom half to stay ahead by four. The Cavaliers blew the game open in the sixth with seven runs.
Makayla Reid started it off with a triple that scored
Hannah Henderson and
Jasmine Rachal. Reid came home after a bunt from Kell.
Abigail Wyatt singled up the middle to bring Kell home later in the frame. The runs continued when
Maggie Knight slammed a ball to right field. On the double, she plated Wyatt and
Alanna Hernandez. The final run in the inning came from a Rachal bunt single that scored Knight to secure the 11-6 triumph.
The Cavs (29-13, 17-7 AAC) used four pitchers in the opener.
Rebecca Carson got the start and pitched for 2 1/3 frames. She allowed six hits and three runs. She was replaced by
Jaidyn Stephens in the third. Stephens allowed three hits and two runs in her shift of 1 2/3 innings in the circle. She also struck out a KCU batter.
Mykenzie Flores pitched the fifth frame and gave up a hit and a run.
Victoria Alcantar threw the final two innings of the contest and recorded her NAIA-leading ninth save of the campaign. Alcantar surrendered just two hits and a walk while striking out one batter.
The Knights got out to a hot start in the second game as well, leading the Cavs 4-0 going into the top of the third.
Amayia Hernandez drilled a double to left center that hopped over the fence on a bounce. The hit scored both
Hollie Cunningham and Henderson. Still in the third,
Haley Fethke singled through the left side, which permitted
Amayia Hernandez to score. With the runs, Montreat cut the KCU lead to just one run.
The Cavs took the lead in the fourth with a Wyatt single that scored two runs. Henderson and
Alanna Hernandez scored on the knock. They extended their advantage when Fethke hit a bases-clearing double to left.
Makenzie Ritchie,
Amayia Hernandez and Wyatt made it home on the play. A sacrifice fly from Rachal concluded the scoring for Montreat in the 9-4 victory.
Carter Thornton got the nod in the circle for game two. She pitched for 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs, two of which were earned. Thornton walked and struck out one batter in her shift. Alcantar suited up for the second contest and secured another save. She pitched 1 2/3 frames and only surrendered one hit. She struck out two Knights in her time inside the circle.
Individually, Wyatt led the Cavs in hits with two in each game.
Alanna Hernandez had three hits and was a double away from the cycle in game one. Fethke also had three hits in total. Behind them,
Amayia Hernandez and Knight had two. Six other Cavaliers recorded a knock in the doubleheader. Both Fethke and Wyatt tallied four RBIs on the day. After the pair, Knight and
Amayia Hernandez had three apiece. Rachal had two RBIs, and
Alanna Hernandez secured one RBI.
Altogether, Montreat went 20-for-62 on the day. Of the 20 hits, seven went for extra bases. The Cavs struck out eight times and walked six times. Montreat left 13 total runners on base. The Cavaliers were caught stealing once and did not steal a base.
Up next, the Cavaliers will reside at home for the next two AAC twin bills. Montreat will host the Bluefield University Rams on Saturday and the Johnson University Royals on Tuesday to round out their conference schedule.
