The Covenant College softball team played a Monday afternoon doubleheader against No. 5 Berry, looking to pull off an upset. The Scots played the Vikings tough in game two, but were ultimately beaten twice today.
Game 1 Final: Covenant 1, No. 5 Berry 11 In the first inning, Berry took a 1-0 lead on a bases-loaded walk. The Vikings used a grand slam from Katie White in the second inning to extend their lead to 5-0. In the third inning, a RBI single to left field made it 6-0.
A pair of RBI doubles followed by a RBI single up the middle made it 9-0 Vikings in the fourth inning.
After Helena Nagy and Olivia Stefl delivered Covenant's first hits of the game in the fourth inning, Nagy scored on an infield error off the bat of Ashlyn Gaines. Katie White hit her second home run of the game in the fifth inning, a two-run shot to left field to put the score at 11-1. Bailey Johnson reached second base in the fifth inning, but the Scots were unable to score her and avoid the run rule.
Berry outhit Covenant 11-2. The Scots committed two errors while the Vikings had one. Taylor Murdock (1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB) and Valery Baxter (4 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) pitched for the Scots.
Game 2 Final: Covenant 3, No. 5 Berry 13 Covenant scored in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead thanks to a RBI single from Murdock that drove in Mary Elaine Mitchell. Jaycie Lyles delivered a RBI double to left-center field in the second inning as the Scots extended their lead to 2-0.
White blasted her third home run of the day in the third inning, a two-run shot to tie the game. Two batters later, Anna Jackson hit a two-run home run to put the Vikings on top 4-2. Murdock edged Covenant closer with a RBI double to right-center field in the fourth inning. The Scots put two runners on with no outs in the fifth inning, but a strikeout and a double play ended the threat.
Berry blew open the game in the sixth inning as six hits, two walks, and one error led to six runs and a 10-3 lead. The Vikings sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh inning and added three more runs.
Covenant moves to 5-27 all-time against Berry. Berry outhit Covenant 18-6. Covenant committed three errors while Berry had two. Nagy and Murdock each had two hits for the Scots to lead the offense. Nagy also drew two walks. Madison Bowden (5.1 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) and Mackenzie Kirby (1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB) pitched for the Scots.
Covenant ends the season on Saturday with a doubleheader at Johnson.