The Greensboro College softball team blew by Lynchburg 10-1 on Wednesday afternoon to salvage a season opening doubleheader split.
After dropping the opener, 4-1, The Pride offense found a rhythm in game two, pounding out 11 hits in a 10-1 five inning rout. Among the highlights included a nine run outburst in the fourth to blow open a 1-1 game.
Greensboro struck first in the second inning with a lead off homer by Brittany Evans. It was the first career home run for the senior. After the Hornets knotted the score at 1-1 with a run in the third, The Pride bats got rolling with an eight hit fourth inning effort.
Reihle Kash and Hayley Hicks had back-to-back two RBI doubles in the frame to push the advantage to 5-1. Rebecca Pink continued the momentum with a sacrifice fly that scored Hicks followed by consecutive RBI singles by Evans and Nicholson. Kelsey Burkett provided the final run on a single to extend the margin to 10-1.
After struggling with runners on base in the first game, Greensboro went 7-13 with runners on and 7-11 with runners in scoring position in the game two win.
Evans went a perfect 3-3 from the plate with three runs scored and two RBI. Also contributing multiple hits were Nicholson, Hicks and Kanisha Fogg with two apiece.
Kelsey Sanfilippo started the game and earned the win with three shut-out innings of work. She was relieved by Hannah Pennell, who finished with two solid innings.
In game one, Pink put The Pride on the board first with a solo homerun to center field in the top of the first. The Hornets answered, however, scoring four runs in the bottom of the frame to grab a 4-1 lead.
Despite outhitting Lynchburg, 6-5, the score would hold up for the remainder of the game as the pitching and defense of both teams buckled down.
Greensboro had a number of opportunities to get back into the game, placing runners on second or third base in every inning but the sixth. The Pride put two runners on base in the seventh inning and brought the game tying run to the plate before the Hornets closed the door on the comeback.
Leading the way offensively for The Pride was Pink with a game high three hits in four at-bats. Nicholson took the loss on the mound, allowing four runs – three earned – in four innings of work. Sanfilippo finished out the final two scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Greensboro is now 1-1 on the season and will open its home slate on Sunday against nationally ranked Emory at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at UNC-Greensboro.