Athens, TN- The short rest between games did not affect the softball team on Tuesday, as they were playing less than 24 hours since their split against Maryville College. The team was back at Athens Regional Park for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader against the Montreat College Lady Cavaliers.
It was a slow start for the Lady Bulldogs though in the first game of the doubleheader against Lady Cavaliers when the visitors scored a run to lead 1-0 after the second inning. Tennessee Wesleyan took over in the third inning, beginning with Olivia Housewright's single. A Baylee Sutton double put runners in scoring position with Housewright moving to third. A run from Housewright did not come to fruition when she was caught in a rundown but Sutton moved to third on the rundown and scored on a wild pitch after a Courtney Black walk to give TWU a 1-1 tie, who moved to second on the wild pitch.
Two walks from Briana Muller and Allee West loaded the bases before a third consecutive walk by
Laken Collier forced Black home to give the Lady Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. Rachel Mathews kept making batters swing and miss from the mound when Tennessee Wesleyan increased the lead to 3-1 off pinch-runner Sydney Chambers' run. The knockout punch came in the bottom of the sixth when the home squad score three runs, which included Muller crossing home plate off Collier's third RBI of the game, giving the Lady Bulldogs a 6-1 win.
Mathews finished with six strikeouts in a full seven innings of work, only giving up four hits and allowing one run. Black was a perfect 2-2 from the dish.
Unlike the first game, TWU started fast in the second game, beginning with Mackenzie Jackson's bunt single. A second hit followed from Sutton to put runners on first and second. After Black's ground out advanced the runners into scoring position, Muller sent a ball to deep right center to score both Jackson and Sutton. Muller completed her way around the bases on a West single to give the Lady Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
Looking to give the team a little more of a cushion after Montreat scored two runs in the second, Black opened the third inning with a double and moved to third on a passed ball. Black gave Tennessee Wesleyan a 4-2 lead off a Collier sacrifice fly.
The home Blue and White entered the fourth inning in a tie with the Lady Cavaliers. The first three batters of the inning, Rachel Percy, Housewright and Jackson loaded the bases with their hits. A double play kept Housewright from scoring but the Lady Bulldogs gained two runs from Percy and Jackson, with a third coming from Sutton in the inning. The strong pitching from Courtney Calkins kept the score in favor of TWU, completing the sweep with a 7-4 win.
Muller used two hits in the game to bring in three RBIs. Jackson scored two times off her three hits. Calkins had four strikeouts in the game.
Thursday sees the beginning of a two-game Georgia road trip for the Lady Bulldogs. The first leg comes in Gainesville, GA when they face #19 Brenau University in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.
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