BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Covenant softball team was swept in a doubleheader by 15th ranked Birmingham Southern on Saturday afternoon at the Birmingham Southern College Softball Park.
The Scots fell to the hosts 10-2 in a run-rule shortened game one, before falling in game two, 7-3.
Covenant is now 0-4 in the short season while the Panthers are now 3-3.
GAME TWO: BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN 7, COVENANT 3
Madyson Gibbins went 2-for-3 and Emma Giller got a pinch-hit double for the only three hits the Scots could gather in the game.
The Panthers raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first four innings of the contest but Covenant answered with a three-spot in the fifth.
Giller came in to pinch-hit for Gibbins and delivered with a two-run double to trim the lead in half. Later in the inning, Faith Manning reached base with an RBI fielder's choice and the Scots trailed 4-3.
The Panthers answered in the home half as Madison Plunkett singled through the left side to score a run and extend their lead to two. The hosts then tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth and Birmingham Southern came away with the 7-3 win.
Heather Long (0-1) got the start in the circle for the Scots going all six innings, allowing eight hits, seven runs (three earned), while walking five for her first loss of the season.
Morgan McGuire, Bailey Murphy, and Alyssa Fowler all recorded two hits each for the Panthers.
Annie Clayton (1-2) got the start for Birmingham Southern and lasted 4.1 innings, giving up three hits, three runs (two earned), and a pair of walks to go with three strikeouts to get credit for the win. Murphy went the final 2.2 innings striking out two along the way.
GAME ONE: BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN 10, COVENANT 2
The Panthers used nine runs in the first two innings to put the game out of reach en route to a five innings win over the Scots.
The hosts got on the board with Murphy RBI walk before Saydee Keith singled through the left side to score two more in the first.
The Panthers then hung a six-spot in the bottom of the second and added one more in the third to jump out to a 10-0 lead.
Covenant got on the board in the fourth as Erika Mast found a hole on the left side of the infield to score Manning.
After holding Birmingham Southern scoreless in the fourth Manning delivered a sacrifice fly to score Baylie Sims but could not trim the lead to under eight as the mercy rule came into effect.
MK Pritchett, Manning, Kirsten Aanensen, Cope Whitaker, Mast, Sims, and Aileen Hill all recorded one hit each for the six Scot hits.
Kaylyn Chapman had a 2-for-2 day for the hosts as Murphy led the offense going 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs.
Sarah Huskey (0-2) got the start and lasted one inning allowing two hits, five earned runs, and six walks while striking out one and being tagged with the loss. Lauren Kierpa went the final three giving up six hits, five earned runs, one walk and struck out three in the process.
Lauren Keplinger (1-1) started and went three innings allowing just one hit for the win. Cassidy Dickson went the final two innings giving up five hits, two earned runs, and walked and struck out a batter.
UP NEXT
The Scots return to Lookout Mountain for their home opener on Tuesday as they face Sewanee in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
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