MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - The No. 9 Berry College softball team (20-6, 5-3 SAA) split a doubleheader with the Trinity University Tigers as they won 4-3 before dropping the second game 9-3 on Friday afternoon at home.
Game 1:
Ava Fouts (9-3) picked up the win throwing a complete game 7 innings allowing three runs, one earned on nine hits while walking two and striking out three. Brooke Thompson led the offense going 1-for-2 with the game winning RBI.
The Vikings got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first as three straight singles with the last one by Lauren Cothern giving the Vikings a 1-0 lead. The Tigers quickly answered in the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead but the Vikings quickly answered in the bottom half. With two on and one out a wild pitch scored Erica Bennett to tie the game 2-2. Fouts then ripped an RBI single up the middle on the first pitch she saw to put the Vikings up 3-2.
Fouts then shut down the Tigers over the next three innings until she ran into trouble in the top of the sixth. The Tigers would get a leadoff double and then tie the game 3-3 on an error. Later in the inning things looked like they were about to go from bad to worse as it looked like the Tigers had taken the lead later but the Tigers batter was called out for being outside the box to end the threat.Â
The Vikings then retook the lead in the top of the sixth as Thompson came through with a clutch one out RBI single on the first pitch to put the Vikings ahead 4-3. The Tigers didn't give up as they tried to rally in the seventh by loading the bases with two outs but Fouts delivered a huge strikeout to seal the win.
Game 2:
JJ Sweat took the loss pitching 5 innings allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out four. Lauren Cothern led the offense going 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs.
The game was a pitcher's duel early on as it was scoreless through the first four innings. The Tigers then opened the scoring as they got to Sweat in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 lead. The Vikings looked for a response in the bottom of the fifth but were unable to rally. The Tigers then chased Sweat from the game as they went on to lead 7-0.
The Vikings finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth without recording as they loaded the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch before Kennedy Moody came in to score on a wild pitch to make it 7-1. The Tigers would add two more in the top of the seventh to make it 9-1. The Vikings didn't go down easily as Lauren Cothern crushed a two run home run to start the bottom of the seventh but that's all the Vikings got as they fell 9-3.
The Vikings continue action against Trinity at home on Saturday, April 4 at 9:30 AM at Kay Williams Field.
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