CLEMMONS, N.C. — The Montreat College softball team wrapped its 2026 regular season on Wednesday afternoon, going on the road to take on the Carolina University Bruins in a nonconference doubleheader. The Cavaliers ended their season by earning a sweep in the two-game set, winning game one by a final score of 6-0 and outlasting the Bruins in game two, 3-2. As a result, the Cavs finished the year with a 20-24 record, while CU came away with a 14-28 record.
Getting ahead in a hurry, Montreat struck first in the opening game of the twin bill.
Nadilyn Eason made it all the way to third with a triple to right field, setting up
Jasmine Rachal to bring her home with an RBI base hit. That knock gave the Cavaliers a quick 1-0 lead in the first.
The third inning was where the Cavs found their stride. They started the frame off with three straight singles, that last of which brought Eason in to score.
Isabella Martinez added to the tally with a base hit of her own, driving in Rachal. An error allowed Montreat to tack on another run, closing the inning with a 4-0 advantage.
A couple of more insurance runs came in the fifth and sixth for the Cavaliers.
Abigail Wyatt delivered a double down the right field line to score
Lauren Davis during the former frame, while Rachal added on with another extra-base hit, this time to right center, bringing home Eason in the latter inning. The additional offense pushed the visitors' lead to 6-0, and that proved to ultimately be the final score of game one.
Lauryn Bishop delivered a standout performance against Carolina, pitching her first career complete-game shutout. She allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out five over seven innings, leading to her fifth win of the campaign.
Eason recorded three hits, including a triple, and scored three runs. Rachal added three knocks and drove in two runs while scoring one of her own. Davis scored twice and contributed two hits to go along with one RBI. Martinez had three knocks, bringing in one run. Wyatt helped round out the offensive effort with a big RBI double.
Game two began quietly for both teams as neither side pushed a run across in the first inning. CU broke the ice during the ensuing frame, scoring one unearned run after taking advantage of a throwing error.
Neither team budged for the next couple of innings. It wasn't until the fifth that the Cavaliers were able to get on the board.
Aaliyah Penalber led off the frame getting hit by a pitch, and Eason brought her home after singling to center field. Wyatt then drove in Eason, who represented the go-ahead run, with a two-out double to left center. However, Carolina struck back in its half of the fifth, evening the score at 2-2.
Montreat plated the winning run in the sixth inning. After
Bre Speight walked and
Hannah Henderson singled, Penalber came up clutch with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt to score Speight and vault the Cavaliers back in front, 3-2. The Cavs were able to hold on to their one-run lead through the seventh and come out on top of the Bruins, finishing their regular season with a doubleheader sweep.
Mykenzie Flores tossed a complete game in the circle for Montreat, allowing seven hits and one earned run over seven frames. She issued four walks and struck out one batter.
Wyatt contributed offensively with two hits, including a double, and drove in one run. Henderson also tallied two knocks. Eason added a hit and an RBI, while reaching base with a walk and two HBPs. Penalber scored a run and drove in another. She was also hit by a pitch twice.
The Montreat College softball team officially concluded its 2026 regular season with a 20-24 record overall and an 8-18 record in Appalachian Athletic Conference action.
