NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Sweet Briar College softball team (4-8) won both of its games today to extend its win streak to four. The team first took down the Delaware Valley Aggies (1-3, 0-0 MAC Freedom) 10-7, before turning around and sending the Clarks Summit Defenders (0-0, 0-0 CSAC) home after five innings by a score of 15-7.
Vs Delaware Valley
The Vixens got out two a two-run lead after the top of the first inning thanks to the efforts of first-year
Victoria Tew (Hope Mills, N.C.). A single to left field would bring fellow first-year
Kaylie Hudson (Lynchburg, Va.) home while Tew would cross home plate on an error by the Aggie's catcher.
Delaware Valley would answer back with four runs of their own to go up 4-3, but a momentum swing in the second inning in favor of Sweet Briar would help them take the lead back.
First-year
Anna Smith (Rocky Mount, Va.) would wind up safe on a fielder's choice to allow first-year
Alyssa O'Quinn (Powhatan, Va.) to score on the error. Tew's second single of the game would allow Hudson to score once more while Smith would come home on first-year
Lauren Jamerson's (Buckingham, Va.) RBI.
An additional tally by the Aggies in the second would be answered with five runs through the next three innings by Sweet Briar.
First-year
Ilka-Marie Kuleba (Endy, N.C.) recorded an RBI in third after sending first-year
Kaydin Williams (Richlands, N.C.) in the third and a single to center field by Smith would send first-year
Grace Pisenti (Madison Heights, Va.) across home play for the Vixens' seventh run of the game.
The offense continued to pick up in the fifth with Pisenti recoding 2 RBIs and then coming home herself on an error to put Sweet Briar up 10-5.
Despite a late push with Delaware Valley scoring two runs in the sixth, a scoreless seventh inning helped the Vixens hold on for the 10-7 victory.
Both Tew and Pisenti recorded 2 RBIs while Hudson, Jamerson and O'Quinn each recorded one double during their time at the plate.
On the mound, Pisenti earned her first collegiate win after coming into the game in the third inning and pitching the final four. The Virginia native face 21 batters and recorded four strikeouts, eight flyouts and two groundouts.
O'Quinn saw 15 batters during the first two innings of the game, gave up zero walks and forced four flyouts and two groundouts.
Vs Clarks Summit
Hudson kicked off a three-run opening inning for the Vixens after scoring on a line drive from Tew. Tew would be sent home thanks to a triple from Williams before Williams would cross home plate on the ensuing steal for the 3-0 lead.
A sacrifice fly from Hudson would send Kuleba home for Sweet Briar's fourth run of the game while first-year
Melanie Rees (Partlow, Va.) and Smith would all score runs themselves to increase the lead to six.
Despite giving up a run in the bottom of the second, the Vixens would bounce back with an additional two runs in the top of the third for the seven-run lead. An error by the Defenders' right fielder would give Kuleba the opportunity to come home and Smith would record an RBI on a ground ball to third base.
Clarks Summit would answer with two-runs scored but Sweet Briar would continue to put on the pressure at the plate in the ensuing two innings.
A triple from Hudson to center field would allow for runs scored by Kuleba, Rees and O'Quinn while Smith would find a gap in right field to bring Hudson home for the 15-3 lead.
Another triple, this time from first-year
Abby Wilkerson (Appomattox, Va.) to bring in one run, followed by Wilkerson being sent home by Rees and a steal at home from O'Quinn would allow bring the Vixens run total to a season-high of 18.
Despite a three-run RBI by the Defenders in the final moments of the fifth inning, Sweet Briar would hold on to the 18-7 victory.
Hudson would lead the team with four RBIs and one triple, while Williams and Wilkerson also recorded triples of their own.
Smith spent all five innings at the mound and earned three strikeouts while facing 27 batters.
Highlights
- Both Hudson and Tew recorded four RBIs over the course of the two games.
- Hudson now ranks 76th in the nation with a batting average of .553.
What's Next
Sweet Briar will face Gwynedd Mercy at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8, followed by a contest with Blackburn at 1 p.m.
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