LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Aided by an eight-run fifth inning, the Covenant softball team routed visiting Huntingdon 10-3 in the first game but the Hawks responded with an 8-4 win over the Lady Scots in the finale to split the USA South doubleheader on a frigid Saturday afternoon on Lookout Mountain.
Jordan Brett collected five RBIs in the two games and runs her hitting streak to 11 games as she went 3-for-7 on the day to lead Covenant (10-6, 4-2 USA South) offensively. Brett's five RBIs gives her 101 for her career as she became the fourth player in program history to eclipse the 100 RBI mark.
GAME ONE: Covenant 10, Huntingdon 3
Covenant took advantage of seven Huntingdon errors and scored nine unearned runs, including eight in the fifth inning, to pull away for a 10-3 game one victory.
Each team had difficulty adjusting to the cold temperatures in the first few innings as both teams combined for four errors. Covenant capitalized on a Huntingdon error in the first inning to score the game's first run as Brett reached and Madalyn Ames scored to make it 1-0. After Huntingdon got a run in the second, Covenant regained the lead on Jami Johnson's RBI fielder's choice that scored Erika Mast to make it 2-1.
Huntingdon grabbed a 3-2 lead with two runs in the fifth, but Covenant responded in a big way. In the bottom of the fifth, the inning looked to be over but the Huntingdon right fielder dropped Joni Johnson's pop-up allowing three runs to score giving Covenant a 5-3 lead. Madalyn Ames and Madyson Gibbins followed with RBI singles and Brett cleared the sacks with a bases loaded double to right-center field making it 10-3.
Carsyn Stone (3-3) got her third win of the year in the circle as she battled through five innings of work allowing two earned runs with three strikeouts. Tyler Epes tossed two shutout innings in relief. Brett had three RBIs and a hit, one of six Covenant players to record one hit. Ames, Gibbins and Jami Johnson also had RBIs.
Huntingdon starter Raina Lanier (2-7) was the tough-luck loser as she gave up 10 runs, but only one was earned, in 4.2 innings. MacKenzie Smelley was 1-for-4 with two RBIs for the Hawks.
GAME TWO: Huntingdon 8, Covenant 4
In the second game, Covenant grabbed a 1-0 lead early but Huntingdon scored in three straight innings to take the lead for good and come away with an 8-4 win to earn a split.
The Lady Scots took a 1-0 lead in the second when Shade Epes doubled to deep center field that enabled Brett to score. But Huntingdon scored four runs in the third on four hits, then added a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead.
Covenant cut the deficit to 7-3 in the sixth when Brett connected on a two-run homer to left field, her fourth of the year. The Lady Scots would get another run in the seventh on Kaitlyn Sirmons' RBI ground out, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
Brett finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs for Covenant. Starter Cris Gant (3-2) went three innings allowing four runs.
Madison Hunt (2-0) went the distance for Huntingdon (5-13, 4-2 USA South) as she scattered seven hits and three earned runs. Samara Miller and Kelsie Dardon had two RBIs apiece, while Dardon had three hits in four at-bats.
UP NEXT
Covenant will host Agnes Scott for a USA South doubleheader on Monday on Lookout Mountain. Game one is set for 1 p.m.
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