BREVARD, N.C. - Behind a pair of masterful pitching performances, Brevard picked up a doubleheader sweep over Montreat to even its record at 2-2 on the young season.
Senior Jamie Hrobak and freshman Ricki Kuhn combined to allow just four hits in 12 innings in the circle on a blustery afternoon in Brevard. Hrobak got the afternoon started with a complete-game victory in an 8-0 five-inning Tornados' win, giving up two hits while striking out eight batters.
Kuhn was arguably equally dominant in Game Two, needing just 61 pitches to complete six innings of work. She seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, with the only baserunner she allowed over the final 13 batters she faced coming on a walk. She dispatched of the Cavaliers (0-4) on four pitches in the sixth inning before giving way to Hrobak, who pitched a perfect seventh in a non-save situation to complete the 5-0 victory.
The Tornados snatched the Game Two lead with a run in the third inning before breaking the game open with three in the fifth. Brevard was opportunistic in the inning, taking advantage of two Cavaliers' errors that extended the frame. Brevard tacked on an insurance run in the sixth to reach the final margin.
Peyton Bailey was the star of Game Two, going 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI to give her four hits in the series. Bailey also had the afternoon's best defensive gem, ending the fifth inning by stabbing a sharply struck Desirae Bebber line drive that appeared headed for the gap in right center.
The Tornados' offense was the star of the first contest, exploding for eight runs through the first four frames while holding Montreat scoreless to win a run rule-shortened contest. Brevard opened the scoring with consecutive triples by Paige Atkison and Kuhn in the second inning before Lauren Parker's RBI single brought home the second run.
Brevard batted around in the fourth inning, rocking two Montreat pitchers for six runs that all came with two outs. Three Tornados recorded an RBI in the inning, giving Brevard five players with one run batted in each and three players with multi-hit games. Kuhn was also impressive offensively, notching a single hit but recording an RBI and scoring twice.
Hrobak counted eight strikeouts among the 18 batters she faced in the contest, twirling a gem a year to the day after her most dominant pitching performance of the 2015 campaign against these same Cavaliers. On that afternoon in Black Mountain, Hrobak pitched a complete game while giving up just three hits and recording 15 strikeouts in the first game of a twinbill, then pitched three perfect innings in relief to earn a save in Game Two.
Brevard will look to extend its winning streak on Saturday with a doubleheader at Emmanuel. First pitch from Franklin Springs, Georgia is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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