NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Sweet Briar College softball team (2-8) kicked off action in North Myrtle Beach with two wins over the Lancaster Bible Chargers (0-2, 0-0 United East), 10-4, and the Thiel Tomcats (0-1, 0-0 PAC), 3-1.
Vs Lancaster Bible
First-year
Kaylie Hudson (Lynchburg, Va.) got the scoring started with her first career home run during the first inning.
Four-straight runs scored by the Chargers to conclude the first and second innings would put Lancaster Bible up 4-1.
However, the Vixens would begin to mount a comeback in the fifth inning that would give them the eventual 10-4 victory.
First-year
Brooke Patrick (Chesapeake, Va.) would send first-year
Melanie Rees (Partlow, Va.) home for the first run of the inning. First-year
Victoria Tew's (Hope Mills, N.C.) single to right field allowed for fellow first-year
Grace Pisenti (Madison Heights, Va.) to cross home plate before Tew herself would score to tie the game up at four entering the sixth.
A double from Rees that sent first-year
Abby Wilkerson (Appomattox, Va.) home gave Sweet Briar 5-4 lead.
The Vixens kept the momentum going in the final inning of the game with Tew stealing home to kick off the five-run inning. The second double of the game for Sweet Briar by Wilkerson brought home first-years
Kaydin Williams (Richlands, N.C.) and
Lauren Jamerson (Buckingham, Va.), while Pisenti would single to center field for Wilkerson to score.
A hard-hit ball to centerfield from Hudson would send first-year
Ilka-Marie Kuleba (Endy, N.C.) home for the 10th run.
Hudson totaled one home run, two RBIs, and five hits during her five at bats while Wilkerson earned a double and two RBIs after stepping up to the plate three times.
Patrick earned her first collegiate win at the mound after facing 16 batters through five innings and forcing seven flyouts and four groundouts while giving up zero walks.
Vs Thiel
The Vixens took control of their second game of the day early on; scoring two runs in the first inning. First-year
Anna Smith (Rocky Mount, Va.) recorded her first double of the season to send Hudson home for the score.
A single from Jamerson would allow Smith to score the second run.
After a tally by the Tomcats in the third to cut the lead to one, Smith would score her second run in the seventh to cap off the 3-1 victory for Sweet Briar.
One again at the mound, Patrick pitched all seven innings and faced a total of 29 batters. The Virginia native forced nine flyouts and six groundouts to keep Thiel off the scorecard in all but one inning.
Highlights
- Hudson currently ranks 7th in the nation with five doubles so far this season.
- Smith has totaled the second-most hits on the team so far this season with 11, while also recording three RBIs.
What's Next
Sweet Briar will take on Delaware Valley and Clarks Summit tomorrow at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
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