LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- The Covenant Lady Scots completed their second consecutive doubleheader sweep as they defeated the Talladega College Tornadoes 6-1 and 8-2 on a chilly and overcast Tuesday afternoon. Game two was called after 6 innings because of darkness. Covenant has now won 5 of 6 games to improve its record to 9-7, while Talladega, a member of the NAIA, falls to 6-14.
As has been the case for most of the year, it was the pitching that carried the Lady Scots in the two games. Beth Harris started her first game of the year in game one and turned in a gem of a performance. Harris, who had pitched just 4.1 innings coming into the game, tossed a complete game five-hitter giving up just a single run in the top of the 1st and striking out 5 hitters.
Harris worked out of a jam a few times in game one. With the Tornadoes leading 1-0 in the 3rd inning, the first two batters reached base to start the inning. But Harris got a harmless pop-up, then a strikeout, and finally a ground out to end the threat. Harris would get out of a similar situation in the 4th inning. After two runners were on with no outs, she got a strikeout and ground out to end the frame.
In game two, it was Chelsea Krafft's turn to toe the rubber. Krafft was coming off an outstanding back-to-back complete game outing in Friday's doubleheader and looked as sharp as ever. At one point, the junior retired nine straight hitters as she went the distance, striking out 9 and allowing just one earned run and scattering 4 hits. Krafft is now 6-3 on the year and has struck out 67 batters in 70 innings pitched this season and is 14th in the NCCAA in strikeouts per 7 innings.
But great pitching also needs a good offense, and the Lady Scots provided that on this day. In game one, all of Covenant's runs came in the 3rd inning as the Lady Scots sent 10 batters to the plate and scored 6 runs on 6 hits in the process. Harris got the inning going by helping herself as she homered to left, her first of the year. Christine Core then singled, and Courtney Wagoner would drive her home with a single to make it 2-1 Covenant. Lindsey Potter's RBI single drove home Wagoner, and Kristen Walker would also score on an error. Claire Settle would cap off the inning with a 2-RBI single as the Lady Scots led 6-1.
In game two, Covenant did not waste any time in getting on the board as the Lady Scots scored twice in the 1st inning. Wagoner's double to right field- that deflected off the diving right fielder- allowed Harris and Core to score and put the Lady Scots up 2-0. Covenant would add a single run in the 3rd inning before opening up the game in the 5th inning.
In that 5th inning, it was Potter's bases-clearing triple to right-center that was the key hit in the inning. Covenant had already gotten a run via an error before Potter came up and added to her RBI total on the year that now stands at 15, which leads the team. Morgan Booker then drove home Potter with a sacrifice fly to make it an 8-1 lead.
For the day, Christine Core was the hitting star as she went 4-for-7 with 4 runs scored and an RBI. Lindsey Potter drove in 4 runs on the day, while Courtney Wagoner had 3 RBIs in the two games.
Covenant will next play a doubleheader against Judson College on the road on Saturday, April 2. The Lady Scots will return home to Lookout Mountain on April 8 for a doubleheader against Huntingdon College.
