TIGERVILLE, S.C. - Casey Whitaker played the hero in the first game of a doubleheader with North Greenville, hitting a two-run home run that proved to be the difference in a 4-2 Brevard win, before the Crusaders rebounded for an 8-6 win in Game Two.
Whitaker strode to the plate with one out in the top of the seventh of the first game hitless in three previous at-bats. Kinny Davis stood at second after a leadoff single and a stolen base. Whitaker pulled the first pitch she saw well over the fence in left center, completing Brevard's comeback after falling behind 2-0 early in the contest.
North Greenville owned a 2-0 lead after three innings following a solo home run and an RBI groundout. Brevard got on the board in the next inning, using a two-out double by Michelle Ray to cut the deficit to a run. A double, a sacrifice bunt, and a walk set the table for pinch hitter Kelsee Grant in the sixth, who executed a perfect bunt in front of the plate that scored Kinsey Parrish from third.
Dallas Heaton deserves much of the credit for the victory, entering in the second inning following a solo home run off of Hrobak and pitching three innings of hitless relief. She allowed a run after two walks, a double steal, and an RBI groundout, but kept the Crusaders' offense at bay through the middle innings until Hrobak could return to finish the contest.
The Tornados appeared to be on their way to a victory in the second game of the day as well before a seven-run fifth inning for the Crusaders derailed Brevard's chances for the sweep. North Greenville sent 12 batters to the plate and notched eight hits in the frame, chasing starting pitcher Hrobak after saddling her with six runs.
Hrobak worked into and out of trouble in the third inning of Game Two, seeming to give the Tornados the momentum. A walk and a single put two on with no outs before an attempted bunt led to a force play at third for the first out of the inning. Hrobak struck out the next batter before single to center field was not deep enough to score a run, loading the bases for the six-hole hitter. Hrobak induced a ground ball to Jillian Gleeson at third base, who stepped on the bag for the final out of the inning.
The Tornados had scored in the second and third innings on a sacrifice fly by Paige Atkison and a two-run Whitaker double. Brevard added a pair of important insurance runs when an Atkison ground ball took a tricky hop in front of the Crusaders' shortstop, striking her in the face and allowing two runs to score.
Brevard attempted to rally in the late innings, pushing across a run in the sixth, but North Greenville's Christene Phillips sat down the Tornados in order in the seventh to preserve the victory.
Brevard returns to action on Saturday with a pair of games against Wingate. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
