Softball Opens AAC Play; Splits with St. Andrews

Laurinburg, North Carolina- In the Appalachian Athletic Conference season opener, the Brenau softball team split with St. Andrews University by losing the first game but rallied to take game two on Friday.

In game one, St. Andrews starting pitcher Charlee Mullins held the Golden Tigers bats to one earned run and the Knights scored four runs in the bottom of the third for a 4-3 win.

Down 4-2, the Golden Tigers rallied in the top of the sixth as junior Maygan Loparo singled home freshman Hannah Patridge to cut the deficit to one, but the Knights (2-4 overall, 1-3 AAC) limited the damage to escape with the victory.

Offensively, senior Brooke Wakenigg led Brenau with a 1-3 day at the plate and two RBIs. Starting pitcher Chloe Fambrough took a tough loss on the mound as the senior threw six innings and allowed only two earned runs.

In game two, the Brenau bats exploded with nine runs in the first-inning to cruise to a 15-10 win.

The scoring started quickly as leadoff Faith Grooms walked and stole second and then was singled home by junior Shea Reagor. The early scoring continued as the Knights allowed two runs on a combination of wild pitches and walks. With the score 3-0, Patridge singled home Wakenigg, then freshman Abigail Brown singled home Patridge to increase the Brenau lead to 5-0.

After a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases, Grooms tripled in her second at bat of the inning to clear the bases and increase the lead to 8-0. Reagor then tripled home Grooms to make the score 9-0.

St. Andrews rallied with six runs in the bottom of the second inning, but the Brenau bats answered again as Wakenigg singled home Grooms to increase the lead to 11-6. Patridge added to the lead with her third homer of the season to increase the lead to 12-6.

The Golden Tigers held off a late Knights run to capture the win 15-10.

Grooms, Reagor and Patridge each drove in three runs, while Brown and sophomore Morgan Tyler added two hits each to the win.

Brenau (4-4 overall, 1-1 AAC) next hosts Point (Ga.) University (10-2 overall, 7-1 AAC) on Saturday March 13th for a 1 pm AAC doubleheader.

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