COLUMBUS, Miss. – The Covenant softball team opened up the 2022 season at the MUW Invitational on Friday afternoon.

The Scots faced the host Owls followed by Sewanee. The squad was able to split the two contests, falling to MUW 5-3 and topping Sewanee 9-1.

GAME 1: Covenant 3, MUW 5

Even though the Scots tallied six hits, MUW was able to gain a 5-3 victory off of eight hits of their own.

In the first game of the season for both teams, Covenant struck first as Helena Nagy was brought around to score thanks to an RBI triple from Jordan Holman, making it 1-0 in the first inning. Nagy had notched a single prior to Holman's triple, marking the freshman's first collegiate hit.

MUW quickly answered, though, with three runs in their half of the inning, giving them a 3-1 lead. The Owls did not record a hit during the inning, but scored all their runs due to walks and a hit-by-pitch.

Though Cope Whitaker would hit a double in Covenant's half of the second, the Scots could not bring her around to score. The Owls then quickly extended their lead to three after producing a three-hit bottom of the second (4-1). Jessica Deming and Madison Crosby both hit singles during the rally, while Riley Phillips doubled. 

The Scots answered with two hits and two more runs in the top of the third, cutting the lead to one run (4-3). After Lauren Kay reached base via walk, Holman brought her around using an RBI single. Holman was then able to score Covenant's third run of the contest thanks to an RBI single from Taylor Murdock.

The deficit soon returned to two runs, however, after MUW took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the third. The run came thanks to a double by Jaelynn Palmer and a single from Katie Beth Williams. From there, both teams remained scoreless, allowing the Owls to gain the 5-3 victory.

Holman led the Scots with two hits with two RBIs and a triple. Murdock tallied one hit and an RBI, while Nagy, Whitaker, and Janna Holloway had one hit apiece.

Lauren Kierpa (0-1) got the start in the circle for the Scots and pitched the entirety of the contest. The senior tallied two strikeouts and allowed eight hits and four earned runs.

Deming and Phillips both had two hits for the Owls. Amelia Stalter (1-0) pitched all seven innings, recording nine strikeouts and three earned runs.

GAME 2: Covenant 9, Sewanee 1

The Scots' bats got hot in their second game of the day, as they would tally 10 hits and earn a 9-1 run-rule win over the Tigers.

Covenant had big days from several newcomers. Rebecca Hazard led the way with three hits with two runs scored and an RBI. Isabella Duran notched two hits and an RBI, while Jazzmyn Shelton, Nagy, and Kay tallied hits of their own.

Sophomore Vanessa Davis also slammed her first home run of the season, and Holman recorded her third hit of the day with a single.

The first score of the contest came in the bottom of the second, after Hazard hit a single and scored on a Sewanee error (1-0).

After holding the Tigers scoreless in their half of the third, the Scots produced back-to-back four-run innings off of nine total hits to take a 9-0 lead after the end of the fourth.

Kay began the top of the third with a triple and was quickly brought around to score thanks to an RBI single from Nagy (2-0). With Nagy on base, Davis then launched one over the left field fence, making it 4-0.

Hazard then hit her second single of the contest, and after stealing, scored the Scots' fourth run off of an RBI single from Duran (5-0).

And they would pick up right where they left off in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After Shelton and Kay reached base, they were both brought around to score thanks to sacrifice flies from Nagy and Davis, making it 7-0. Holman then singled through the left side and stole two consecutive bases, ending up on third base. After Jaycie Lyles reached via hit-by-pitch, Hazard singled yet again, allowing Holman to score (8-0).

The Scots' ninth and final run came thanks to a passed ball, which allowed Lyles to score and bring the score to 9-0 after four innings played.

Sewanee would score one run in the top of the fifth thanks to an RBI double from Alice Charboneau; but it was not enough to keep the Tigers in the game, as Covenant would run away with the 9-1 run-rule victory.

Charboneau was 1-for-3 with an RBI double, while Peri Prestwood and Michaela Walker tallied one hit apiece. Kathryn Kennedy (0-1) got the start in the circle for the Tigers and pitched 3.2 innings, allowing eight hits and seven earned runs. Jenna Speer pitched 0.1 innings of relief, allowing two hits.

Madison McDonald started at pitcher for the Scots and pitched the entirety of the contest. The freshman tallied two strikeouts, three hits, and one earned run in five innings pitched.

The Scots end the day 1-1, while Sewanee falls to 0-6.

UP NEXT

Covenant will play both Sewanee (12 p.m.) and MUW (2 p.m.) again tomorrow for Day Two of the MUW Invitational.

CONNECT WITH THE SCOTS

Be sure to follow the Scots all season long on athletics.covenant.edu and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news and other information.