BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College softball team celebrated its three seniors - Elizabeth Auciello, Ive Leighton, and Regan Winkler - in between games of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at the BC Softball Field.
The Tornados (11-21, 3-11 USA South) went toe-to-toe with the league's second-place team, but ultimately fell by finals of 3-0 and 8-3 to NC Wesleyan (21-10-1, 12-2 USAS).
GAME ONE: NC WESLEYAN 3, BREVARD 0
NC Wesleyan scored two of its three runs in the top of the second inning with a pair of RBI singles to take the early edge in game one, 2-0, however Auciello and the Tornado defense limited the damage.
Brevard responded with a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the third. Analee Morris pushed a single through the left side of the infield, but the scoring opportunity was thwarted by an outfield assist.
NCWU's Ava Strickland was able to complete her complete-game shutout by sitting down 12 of the next 13 batters that came to the plate. Strickland allowed just four hits in seven innings of work, striking out a pair of Tornados. Auciello was efficient in her outing, also going the distance allowing three runs with two strikeouts.
Emma Payne went 2-for-2 at the dish, while Morris and Winkler also notched base hits.
GAME TWO: NC WESLEYAN 8, BREVARD 3
Brevard struck first in game two, as Andrea Furr drilled an RBI double to right-center field. The two sides put up zeroes on the scoreboard until the top of the fourth when NCWU tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
The Battling Bishops were able to take control of the contest in the top of the fifth with a two-RBI double that allowed NCWU to take the lead for good.
A two-RBI triple, error, and two-run homer put the visitors up by seven runs, 8-1, with an inning to go. BC put together a late rally in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of runs, but the Battling Bishops finished off the sweep, 8-3.
Furr, Hayden Moody, Morris, Winkler, and Peyton Wise all tallied two hits apiece, with Furr, Morris, and Wise racking up extra-base knocks. Winkler recorded her 100th base hit in a Tornado uniform during the contest.
BC returns to play next Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader against William Peace at Raleigh, N.C.
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