BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Covenant softball team rallied from a seven run deficit in game two of a doubleheader at Birmingham Southern, but the home team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim a 12-8 win. Covenant also fell in the first game 8-2.
With the losses, Covenant falls to 1-13 on the season, while Birmingham Southern goes to 9-7 overall.
Game One: Birmingham Southern 8, Covenant 2
BSC scored seven runs in the fourth inning, all unearned, as they cruised to an 8-2 win in the first game.
The Lady Scots took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to an error on the BSC pitcher that allowed Jenni Jobe. But the Panthers tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning on a Bethany Fronk RBI ground out.
The score remained 1-1 until the fourth when two crucial Covenant errors helped the Panthers score seven runs in the inning to take a commanding 8-1 lead.
Cori Hilt's RBI single in the sixth provided the final tally.
Hilt (1-5) also started in the circle for Covenant. The right-hander went six innings and allowed zero earned runs, but picks up the loss. Morgan Lane and Hilt each was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Game Two: Birmingham Southern 12, Covenant 8
Trailing 8-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Covenant scored seven runs to tie the score but BSC scored four runs in its half of the sixth to hold on for a 12-8 victory and a doubleheader sweep.
BSC scored three runs each in the first and second innings and led 8-1 going into the sixth.
In the sixth, Hilt, Meagan Hess, Madison Quirk, Jobe, Lane, and Lauren Johns all had at least one RBI. Covenant sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning and accumulated seven hits to complete the rally.
But in the bottom of the sixth, BSC got a leadoff triple followed by an RBI ground out and then a solo home run as the Panthers regained the lead. The hosts would score twice more for the final score.
Lane and Johns each finished 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Johns had two RBIs. Jobe was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Hannah Rogers (0-6) gets the loss for the Lady Scots.
Covenant will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., on Saturday to take on GSAC foe Salem. Game one of the doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.
