GREENSBORO, N.C. – Plagued by a handful of big innings, the Brevard College softball team (11-19, 3-9 USAS) could not overcome a pair of sizable deficits, falling to Greensboro (14-12, 5-3 USAS) in a Tuesday twinbill.
GAME ONE: Greensboro 15, Brevard 3 (5 Innings)
Both teams went down scoreless in the first, but Greensboro's bats woke up in the home half of the second. An RBI double from Ella Ebert and a sacrifice fly opened the scoring for the Pride, creating a 2-0 tally after two innings.
Brevard was held scoreless again in the third, allowing Greensboro to add onto its lead. The Pride generated a crooked number starting with a bases-clearing three-RBI triple from Olivia Hyatt before Jordyn Tong doubled home one, and Erica Chaney capped off a six-run third with a two-run shot, making it 8-0 Greensboro after three.
The Pride would add seven more in the fourth to extend the lead to double digits. The Tornados generated a response in the fifth, cracking the run column on an Emma Payne RBI single and an Andrea Furr two-RBI single to make it 15-3. However, Greensboro recorded the final out to end the game in five innings.
Megan Bint and Claire Starkey combined for the four innings, allowing 15 runs on 15 hits. Offensively, the Tornados tallied a trio of hits from Addison Smith, Andrea Furr, and Emma Payne. Anna Frazier and Navaeh Buchanan combined for five innings for the Pride and held the Tornados offense at bay.
GAME TWO: Greensboro 10, Brevard 1 (6 Innings)
Greensboro's offense picked up where it left off in game two, scoring five runs in the first off of three run-scoring hits and an RBI groundout, establishing an early advantage in the nightcap.
Brevard chipped away at the deficit in the second inning as Addison Smith scored one on a sacrifice fly to make it a four run game. However, the Tornados were limited to just one run in the frame, keeping the momentum predominantly with the Pride.
Emily Husband held Greensboro at bay until the fourth, where the Pride re-established the five-run lead on a sacrifice fly, making it a 6-1 game. Husband worked her way out of trouble, stranding the bases loaded and keeping it a five-run ballgame.
Brevard was held scoreless again in the fifth, and Greensboro added a pair of runs in the bottom half on an Anna Frazier double and an Alexis Lynch single to grow the lead to a game-high seven runs. The Pride put a stamp on a pair of run-rule victories in the sixth, as Jordyn Tong launched a two-run home run to end the contest an inning early.
Elizabeth Auciello is dealt the loss in game two, pitching a third of an inning, allowing five runs on five hits. Emily Husband helped stabilize the Tornados, allowing three runs in 4.2 innings. Victoria Phagan entered in the sixth but did not record an out. Offensively, Andrea Furr, Rylee Locklear, and Emma Payne logged a hit apiece.
Kenly Brown earns the win for the Pride, holding the Tornados to one run on two hits across five innings. Leah Leonard pitched the sixth, allowing just one hit. Offensively, nine Pride hitters tallied at least a hit, with Anna Frazier, Jordyn Tong, and Ella Ebert recording multiple hits. Tong led the way in RBI, knocking in five.
The Tornados return home on Saturday, taking on NC Wesleyan on Senior Day in a doubleheader starting at 1 pm.
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