BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Birmingham-Southern softball posted a shutout against No. 23 Mount St. Joseph, taking it 4-0 before fighting off the Lions 2-1 to sweep the doubleheader on Saturday.
Game one
Hailee Bryan started in the circle for the Panthers, throwing a complete-game with five hits allowed and striking out eight. Birmingham-Southern was the first on the board when Krislyn Dapprich scored on the attempt to catch Izzy Berkopec stealing second. With Berkopec now on third base, after advancing on Dapprich's run to home, Alyssa Fowler hit a two out RBI single to left field to make it 2-0. Bryan kept things going in the circle, facing four batters in the top of the fourth with the final out coming from catcher Jordyn Green, who caught the Lions stealing. Still holding on to the 2-0 lead, Bryan stikes out two back-to-back in the top of the fifth and sees a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth.
Alyssa Fowler hit a lead off single in the bottom of the sixth to start things off. With runners on second and third, Lauren Cabiness brought in Fowler with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. That was followed by an RBI single to right field from Olivia Trout, putting the Panthers up 4-0 to finish off the shutout.
Pitching decisions
WIN: Hailee Bryan (2-2)
LOSS: Casey Kemp (0-1)
Records
Birmingham-Southern 3-2 Overall, #23 Mount St. Joseph 0-1 Overall
Game two
Birmingham-Southern won a low-scoring game two, with Freshman, Margaret Axelson pitching her second complete-game for the Panthers. Axelson allowed four hits and one run, striking out four and finished the game off with a 1-2-3 inning. Birmingham-Southern was the first to score again, this time coming from an RBI single in the bottom of the third from Izzy Berkopec. The tying run came from a solo homerun to right field for the Lions in the top of the fourth. The top of the sixth was filled with action in right field as Cassidy Dickson made a quick throw to first to get the first out of the inning. Dickson then followed it up with two running catches to earn all three outs in the inning. The final run came in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double from Margaret Axelson that drove in Fowler to secure the win for the Panthers.
Pitching decisions
WIN: Margaret Axelson (3-1)
LOSS: Courtney Keller (0-1)
Records
Birmingham-Southern 4-2 Overall, #23 Mount St. Joseph 0-2 Overall
Up next
Birmingham-Southern will travel to Lookout Mountain, Ga. to take on Covenant College in a doubleheader on Wednesday, February 22 starting at 2 p.m.
