Brevard, N.C. – The Brevard College women’s softball team split one game apiece with Lees-McRae College on Saturday afternoon, as the Tornados took the second game of a double-header, an exciting extra inning affair.

 

With the split on Saturday afternoon, the Tornados improve to 6-4 on the year, tripling their win total from all of last season. 

 

 

The first game of a double-header started off as a pitcher’s duel as both starting hurlers refused to let the other team’s offense get going through the first five innings of play.

 

However, the Lady Bobcats of Lees-McRae got the bats going in the fifth inning, as Amanda Dodson reached on an error with one out. After Dodson then stole second, Lauren Gisler singled to move Dodson over to third. After Gisler stole second, the next batter, Elaine Beavers, laid down a beautiful bunt down the third-base line. An errant throw by the Tornado third baseman to first-base allowed both Dodson and Gisler to score, giving the Lady Bobcats a 2-0 lead on the unearned runs.

 

Lees-McRae then scored again in the seventh, as Gisler was hit by a pitch, putting her on first with one out. After the next Lady Bobcat batter grounded out, moving Gisler to second, shortstop Salle Horner homered to score both Gisler and herself, making the score 4-0 which proved to be final.

 

The Tornados were shutout, despite picking up seven hits for the game. Senior Kristen Tettemer had the bat going as she went 3-3 in the loss.

 

Lees-McRae’s Amanda Dodson picked up the win, going all seven innings giving up no runs on seven hits and striking out eight BC batters.

 

Jennifer Gift (4-3) got the loss, as she pitched all seven innings for the Tornados, giving up four runs, two earned, on five hits and struck out one.

 

 

In the second game of the day, the Tornados were able to push across three runs on eight hits, in a game that needed an extra inning to decide the winner.

 

The Tornados jumped out front of the Lady Bobcats, scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning.

 

BC lead-off hitter Beth Brooker reached on a single. After a Kristina Clayton sacrifice bunt moved Brooker to second, Katie Thornburg singled to put runners on first and third with no outs. Brooker then scored on a wild pitch by Lauren Gisler of the Lady Bobcats making it 1-0.

 

The Lady Bobcats then tied the score up in the top of the seventh, as Dodson started things off with double to centerfield. Magen West then singled scoring Dodson from second. The Tornados then got out of the inning as Jennifer Gift, who came in earlier in the inning to relieve starter Amy Rogers, load the bases and then got second-baseman Knowles to fly out and stop the Lady Bobcats threat.

 

Lees-McRae scored first in extra innings, as Paige Fryer doubled scoring Meagan Knowles from second base. Gift then struck out the next two batters to end the inning and move to the bottom of the eighth with the Lady Bobcats up 2-1.

 

The Tornados bounced back as freshman first-baseman Sarah Carlos got on base with a walk, putting two BC runners on with Brooker at second and Carlos on first with no outs. Kristina Clayton moved the runners up one with a sacrifice bunt.  Katie Thornburg connected for a hit to the second baseman, scoring Brooker on a RBI fielder’s choice to tie the game. After a Jennifer Brown single, Kristen Tettemer hit a game winning double scoring Brown to secure the win. 

 

BC’s Aimee Rogers pitched the first 6.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits.

 

Jennifer Gift (5-3) picked up the win in relief, going 1.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out two.  

 

The Tornados were led by sophomore Jennifer Brown, who went 3-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Tettemer went 2-3 with a double and one RBI and catcher Amber Klein who went 1-2 with a double.

 

Lees-McRae was led by third-baseman Fryer, who went 2-4 with a double and an RBI and West, who went 1-1 with an RBI single.

 

The Tornados (6-4) will be back in action at home tomorrow Sunday, February 17, when they will play host to Pfeiffer University. The Tornados lost both games in a previous matchup with the Lady Falcons. The first game of the double-header is slated for a 1 p.m. start.

 

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