Jordan Deaton(Northeast Guilford HS) Posts Four RBI, Cox Strikes Out 11 as Greensboro College Softball Takes Doubleheader from William Peace

RALEIGH, N.C.—Greensboro College’s Cheyanne Cox (Burlington, N.C./Southern Alamance) threw a complete-game, eleven strikeout effort in game one while Jordan Deaton (Greensboro, N.C./Northeast Guilford) totaled four RBI over Saturday afternoon’s non-conference doubleheader sweep over USA South Athletic Conference member William Peace University. The Pride claimed game one, 6-1, and took the nightcap, 5-4.

Cox (2-1) struck out the side in the bottom of the second inning in game one. William Peace only reached third base three times in the game-one win. The Pacers could only muster one run against Cox in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Nadia Pittman double with two outs. Her 11 strikeouts is a season-high and one short of her career high set last season against LaGrange.

Deaton sparked the Pride’s offense in game one. After a pair of singles with two outs in the top of the third inning. Deaton connected on a home run to bolster the Pride’s lead, 5-0. Ivy Ray (Thomasville, N.C./Ledford) was the lone Pride batter with a multi-hit effort in game one, posting a three-for-four effort in game one with one RBI in the top of the second inning to spark the opening two-run rally. Hannah King posted a RBI-single in the top of the fifth inning after entering the contest that inning.

William Peace sought revenge in game two as they mounted a three-run rally in the bottom of the second inning in response to the Pride’s run in the previous half-inning. The Pride countered in the next half inning as Deaton drove home a run on a RBI-double to center field with two outs in the inning.

Lauren Engel (1-0) came into the contest for the Pride in the bottom of the third inning to pitch in relief of Kassie Simmons and induced a double play to get the Pride back on track after the Pacers posted another run. After walking a batter and giving up a single, she produced a ground out to get the Pride out of the inning.

After an error and a single to lead off the top of the fifth inning, Ivy Ray drove home a run on a double to spark a three-run rally. The Pride used another error in the inning to erase the Pacers’ lead and gain the advantage. With one out, King reached on an errant throw to first base that resulted in two runs coming across home plate that gave the Pride the advantage. The Pacers produced a lead-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning, but then the Pride produced three-straight outs on the way to the win.

Both Deaton (two-for-four) and Ray (two-for-two) tallied both multi-hit efforts for the Pride in game two with each tallying one RBI each in the nightcap.

Engel took the game-two win for the Pride, giving up just three hits in four relief innings.

Makenzie Ward (0-3) took the game-one loss for William Peace. She struck out three and walked four batters while surrendering four earned runs on six hits. Katherine Murphy (1-5) took the game-two loss for the Pacers, fanning two batters and walking four while surrendering three earned runs on seven hits.

The Pride returns to action Thursday, hosting Randolph College for a 2 p.m. doubleheader in Greensboro’s home opener at Latham Park.

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Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College Sports Information Director