KINGSPORT, Tenn.— Montreat College's softball team faced the 10^th-seeded Milligan University Buffaloes in the WinWon Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Softball Tournament on Tuesday. The win-or-go-home matchup in the elimination bracket saw the Cavs come away victoriously via a 9-5 scoreline.
 
Milligan's first batter claimed the lead with a solo home run to start the game. Montreat evened the score at one apiece when Haley Fethke hit a sacrifice fly to score Abigail Wyatt. The Buffaloes captured the lead again with two runs in the second. Milligan (18-20, 12-16 AAC) added another run in the third when it bunted home a baserunner.
 
In the bottom of the third, Montreat (33-15, 20-8 AAC) not only erased the 4-1 Buffs' lead, but it also took the lead itself by scoring seven runs. Fethke smashed one deep to center field and over fence. The home run was her first since March 18, and the bomb ushered Maggie Knight to score. Later, Makayla Reid hit a single up the middle that plated Jasmine Rachal and Hannah Henderson. Still in the frame, Dayton Kell allowed Reid to score from a sac fly. After a walk earlier in the inning, Knight singled through the right side and secured two RBIs. Wyatt and Alanna Hernandez added the runs for Montreat.
 
The Cavaliers tallied another run to their advantage in the fourth when Hernandez singled to left, scoring Reid. Montreat ultimately eliminated Milligan from the tournament with a 9-5 victory.
 
Carter Thornton got the start but only threw for two innings. She allowed three runs on three hits during her time in the circle. Rebecca Carson replaced her in the third and went the rest of the way. In her five frames of work, Carson gave up five hits and two runs. She struck out three Buffs and didn't walk any. She also etched her 10^th win of the season with the triumph.
 
Jasmine Rachal had a productive day at the dish, knocking a pair of doubles and adding two walks to her stats. Fethke hit her seventh bomb of the year and had three RBIs. Knight and Reid each had two RBIs, and Kell followed with one of her own. Hernandez was the only other Cav besides Rachal to have multiple hits.
 
The Cavs went 10-for-27 on the day at the plate. Three of their 10 hits went for extra bases. Montreat did not strike out once throughout the game and walked six times. Ten runners were left on the bases. Three Cavs registered a stolen base, and one was hit by a pitch.
 
"I was proud of the way this team battled and fought back," said head coach Corbin Weeks. "After falling behind early, it would've been easy to hang our heads. But this team never stopped competing, and we stayed aggressive and flipped the game in our favor. We need to keep that same mentality entering another elimination game tomorrow."
 
The Cavaliers will play their next elimination game in the WinWon AAC Softball Tournament on Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.