MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- In the final day of a season-opening weekend in Memphis, the Covenant softball team suffered two more losses at the hands of Greenville and host Rhodes. The Lady Scots fell 5-1 to Greenville in the morning before Rhodes rallied past Covenant for a 6-3 win in the day's finale.
Covenant drops to 0-4 on the year with the losses. Rhodes (4-0) won all four games during the weekend, picking up two wins against Greenville (2-2) over the two days.
GAME ONE: Greenville 5, Covenant 1
Covenant was held without a hit until the sixth inning as Greenville collected its second win over the Lady Scots in as many days with a 5-1 win.
Greenville starter Caitie Opp stymied the Covenant offense through five innings as the Lady Scots went down in order in each inning until the sixth. A Shade Epes bunt single broke up Opp's perfect game bid to leadoff the sixth and sparked a rally for Covenant. Epes stole third and then scored on Madyson Gibbins' sacrifice bunt to get Covenant within 3-1.
Later in the sixth, Madalyn Ames and Faith Manning had back-to-back singles to put runners at first and second with one out. However, Opp was able to get out of the jam and preserve Greenville's 3-1 lead.
Greenville added two more runs in the seventh to widen the lead to 5-1 and put the game out of reach.
Carsyn Stone (0-2) received the loss for the Lady Scots in the circle. Stone went the full seven innings and allowed four earned runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts, while throwing 98 pitches.
Opp (1-0) surrendered just one run on three hits with five strikeouts in her complete-game. Josie Koontz went 3-for-4 and Kate Jolliff Rosado was 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead Greenville's offense.
GAME TWO: Rhodes 6, Covenant 3
Casey Grover hit a solo home run to put Covenant ahead 3-0 in the third inning, but Rhodes answered with four runs in its half of the third and went on for a 6-3 win over the Lady Scots.
Covenant got on the board first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Manning singled to leadoff the frame followed by a Shannon Schmitt walk and a Joni Johnson single to load the bases with two outs. Shelby Ralston then produced a two-run single, plating Manning and Schmitt, to put the Lady Scots ahead 2-0.
That lead stood until the third when Grover launched a solo homer to center field, her first of the year, making it 3-0.
But Rhodes scored four times in the bottom half of the third to grab a 4-3 lead. Kirsten Samuels delivered a bases-loaded double that scored all three runners and Kendall Henry added a sacrifice fly to put the Lynx ahead by a run.
Rhodes scored two more times in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead. Covenant was not able to put another runner in scoring position the rest of the way.
Manning went 2-for-4 and finished the weekend hitting .462. Carlin Labuzan, Grover, Kirsten Aanensen, Schmitt, Johnson and Ralston each had a hit for Covenant. Tyler Epes (0-1) made her first start of the season and went six innings allowing three earned runs on seven hits.
Allison Long (2-0) picked up the win for Rhodes as she tossed a complete-game. Henry went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Samuels was 1-for-3 with three RBIs for the Lynx.
UP NEXT
Covenant will continue its 14-game road trip to begin the season with a doubleheader at region foe Berry on Tuesday. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m.
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