LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- The Covenant softball team used a grand slam and a record-setting comeback to complete the sweep of visiting Johnson on Wednesday afternoon with wins of 11-1 and 12-11.
The Scots have now won four in a row and six of their last seven contests.
Covenant recorded 22 hits and 22 RBIs over the two games and now sits at an even 12-12 record.
Holman extended her hitting streak to 15 games during the doubleheader and has reached base safely in 19 straight contests.
GAME 1: Covenant 11, Johnson 1
Jordan Holman went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and a grand slam in Covenant's 11-1 win over Johnson.
The Scots came out hot, scoring eight runs off of five hits in the bottom of the first inning. Holman, Faith Manning, Brianna Hill, and Lauren Kierpa all recorded singles during the rally. After every batter had seen the plate, Holman came up to bat for the second time in the inning and slammed one over the center field fence with the bases loaded, making it 8-0.
The score remained that way until the top of the fourth when an RBI double from Summer Dean gave the Royals their first run of the day (8-1).
But, the Scots quickly answered in their half of the fourth inning, scoring three more runs off of singles from Manning and Brianna Hill. After holding Johnson scoreless in the top of the fifth, Covenant sealed the 11-1 run-rule victory.
Manning was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Brianna Hill went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Kierpa (9-7) got the start in the circle for the Scots and set a career-high with her eight strikeouts.
Dean went 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Royals. Graysen Lowery got the start at pitcher and earned the loss (0-1).
GAME 2: Covenant 12, Johnson 11
The Scots set a new program comeback record after overcoming a seven-run deficit to get the 12-11 victory.
The bats for both teams got hot in game two, as they both recorded 15 hits each.
The visiting Royals struck first, going up 8-1 after the top of the fourth inning. Johnson out-hit Covenant 10-2 during the stretch.
The Scots were not to be down for long though, as the comeback began in the bottom of the fourth after a two-RBI double from Emma Giller cut the lead to five (8-3). And after their defense held the Royals scoreless in the top of the fifth, Covenant turned on the heat.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Scots would score seven runs off of eight hits to take the lead.
The inning rally started off with a two-RBI double from Makenna Dance, making it 8-5. Back-to-back RBI singles from Kierpa and Taylor Murdock brought the Scots within one (8-7).
After Giller was walked, Holman also hit a two-RBI double to help Covenant take the 9-8 lead. The hit extended Holman's hitting streak to 15 games and her on-base streak to 19 games.
After taking the lead, an RBI single from Vanessa Davis would bring in the seventh run for the Scots for the inning, extending their lead to two (10-8).
A single from Giller brought in the 11th run for Covenant in the bottom of the sixth, making it 11-8. But the visiting Royals were not to be done away with easily, as they would rally in their half of the seventh.
Johnson recorded three hits and scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game up at 11, leaving Covenant's offense with one more try to win it in seven.
After Davis reached first on a Johnson error, Aileen Hill singled to center field, advancing Davis to third. Manning would then hit a single straight up the middle, bringing in the winning run and sealing the 12-11 comeback victory for the Scots.
Aileen Hill went 4-for-5 in game two. Manning was 3-for-5 with the winning RBI. Kierpa and Giller were 2-for-2 with four RBIs between them.
Jennifer Coates started at pitcher for the Scots and was relieved by Kierpa in the top of the third. Kierpa earns the win (10-7).
Casiee Jordan and Josie Huff went 3-for-4 for the Royals. Scarlett Johnson got the start in the circle, while Graysen Lowery records the loss (0-2).
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME
UP NEXT
Covenant will travel to Agnes Scott for a conference series on Saturday, March 27. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Decatur, Ga.
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