Softball Split Conference Doubleheader Against Montreat

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.- The softball team went back on the road on Tuesday. The team jumped back into Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play with a doubleheader against the Montreat College Lady Cavaliers.

Game One:

The first lead of the game went to Montreat, who took the lead in the second inning. TWU took the lead over in the third inning. 

Macy Chastain sliced a ball through the right side and was followed by a Courtney Sneed single up the middle. Bailee Phillips loaded the bases with a single to left field. Two of the baserunners turned into runs when Taylor Penning hit a double to left field, bringing Chastain and Sneed to make the lead 2-1 at the end of the top of the third. The opponents took the lead in the bottom of the third with two runs though.

In the fourth inning, facing two outs, the Lady Bulldogs were able to keep the inning alive to tie the game. Carlynn Atamaniuk kept the inning alive with a walk and moved into scoring position on second with a stolen base. Atamaniuk was able to make the trip home when Chastain hit a triple down the right-field line. Sneed tied the game with a double that brought Chastain back to home plate. 

The deciding run did not occur until the seventh inning. Unfortunately, it happened for Montreat to give them the game-one win 5-4.

Penning led the team with two RBIs.

Game Two:

Game two was a little bit of a reversal from the first game as one inning saw seven runs scored and there was not a dramatic finish at the end.

After two scoreless innings, Tennessee Wesleyan went off for seven runs in the third inning. Atamaniuk and Chastain both got on base with singles. A third and fourth consecutive single, hit by Sneed and Phillips, brought Atamaniuk and Chastain across home plate. As the inning kept going, the bases eventually became loaded. Mackenzie Baldwin unloaded two of them with a single, scoring Phillips and Penning to make the score 4-0. Emily Higgins brought the last three runs of the inning on the board with a three-run home run that also scored Baldwin and Avery Hope.

The game ended in five innings due to the run rule after Phillips hit a double to score Chastain in the fourth inning, giving the team an 8-0 win to split the series.

Phillips was also in the circle for the Lady Bulldogs in game two, striking out six batters while only giving up one hit.

TWU (8-7, 7-3 AAC) will be back at Athens Regional Park for a home doubleheader on Monday. The team will host Brenau University starting at 3:00 p.m.