NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Brevard College softball team (3-5) split its first two games at the Fast Pitch Dreams Classic on Sunday at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex. The Tornados defeated the University of St. Joseph (0-3) 7-4 following a 2-1 loss to Gettysburg (2-1).
GAME TWO: BREVARD 7, ST. JOSEPH 4
Freshman pitcher Alyssa Flynn (1-0) earned her first collegiate win, while sophomore Ali Grace Hartman had a big day both in the circle and at the plate as the Tornados defeated St. Joseph (Conn.) on Sunday afternoon.
Hartman earned the save after pitching 2.2 shutout innings allowing just two hits. At the plate, the native of Lawndale, North Carolina went 2-for-3 with two RBI's.
Sophomore outfielder Jocelyn Folkers also had a big day at the plate and on the base paths, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Flynn made her first collegiate start and promptly stranded two St. Joseph baserunners in the top of the first inning.
BC then put together a huge six-run inning in the bottom of the opening frame to jump out to an early lead. Folkers reached base, then was driven home on an RBI-single by third baseman Emily White to start the scoring parade. With the bases loaded, outfielder Summer Wilson then hit an infield single that scored White to give the Tornados a 2-0 lead.
Outfielder Makenzie Rice followed with another RBI-single that resulted in two runs scored due to a throwing error as both Micayla McCoy and Lil Beardon came across the plate to extend the lead to 4-0. Hartman then proceeded to rip a 2-RBI triple to right-center field to score Rice and Wilson and cal off the six-run outburst.
The Tornados would add one more run in the bottom of the fourth before a four-run fifth inning by St. Joseph would cut into BC's lead. Hartman came on in relief and in turn halted the attack by the Blue Jays, getting the final out in the fifth inning. The sophomore right-hander then shut out the St. Joseph hitters in both the sixth and the seventh innings to protect BC's lead and earn her first save of 2020.
GAME ONE: GETTYSBURG 2, BREVARD 1
The Tornados fell behind 2-0 after two Gettysburg runs in the bottom of the first, yet came back to cut the lead in half in the sixth inning before falling 2-1 in the neutral site affair to kick off the Fast Pitch Dreams Classic.
At the plate, Brevard was led by White who went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Catcher Kat Carroll hit an RBI double, while Folkers, Brittany Franks and Wilson all registered singles.
Starting pitcher Micayla McCoy (0-4) shut out the Bullets for the final five innings of the contest, yet took the loss after allowing just two runs on six hits. McCoy faced 26 batters, striking out five and walking one.
Gettysburg's starter Tori Ferraiolo (1-1) earned the complete-game win after allowing one run on six hits. Ferraiolo registered an impressive 11 strikeouts while not allowing a walk.
After a scoreless top of the first for BC, Gettysburg's leadoff hitter Sarahrose Jones hit a home run to take a 1-0 lead. Four batters later, an RBI-double pushed the Gettysburg lead to 2-0 after one inning of play.
McCoy and the Brevard defense held the Bullets in check, allowing no runs and just three hits the rest of the contest. BC, however, was unable to generate offense until the top of the sixth. In that frame, White hit a two-out triple to provide a spark for the Tornados. In the very next at-bat, Carroll promptly hit an RBI-double to left field that scored White and cut the deficit to one run.
McCoy then stranded two Gettysburg baserunners in the bottom of the sixth to keep it a one-run game. The Tornados though were unable to produce a baserunner in the top of the seventh inning as Gettysburg took the 2-1 win.
Brevard continues play in the Fast Pitch Dreams Classic on Monday with two more games. BC will face off against Lancaster Bible at 11:30 a.m., followed by a 4:30 p.m. matchup vs. Iowa Wesleyan. Both games are set to be played at the Central Park Field #1 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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-BC-