CONWAY, Ark. - The Birmingham-Southern softball team started off their weekend series against Hendrix with run-rule victories in their doubleheader on Saturday in Conway. The first game of the doubleheader ended 12-1 for the Panthers, while the nightcap finished 18-3 with a major 6th inning for BSC.
Game one: Both teams were scoreless until the fourth inning when Birmingham-Southern put up their first runs. The Panthers earned three runs on three hits with one error from the Warriors. An RBI single for
Emma Jolley scored
Hailee Bryan to put up the first run for BSC.
Morgan McGuire brought in two on a single to left field to make it 3-0 for the Panthers. The Warriors put up a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Birmingham-Southern returned even stronger in the top of the fifth with 9 runs on 6 hits.
Margaret Axelson struck out six, allowing only one run while facing 22 batters.
Pitching decisions
WIN: Margaret Axelson (8-1)
LOSS: Kelsey Sample (0-3)
Records
#21 Birmingham-Southern 15-5 Overall (7-0 SAA), Hendrix 5-10 Overall (1-6 SAA)
Game two: A wild 6th inning for the Panthers secured the second win on the day in run-rule fashion. Both teams put up one run in the first, with nothing coming out of the second inning for either team.
Emma Jolley took the lead for BSC when she scored on a passed ball,
Margaret Axelson drove in
Katie Hart on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1 for the Panthers. Birmingham-Southern added four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth with RBIs for
Emma Jolley,
Lauren Cabiness and
Izzy Berkopec. The Warriors added another run of their own in the fourth and both teams kept things moving in the fifth adding a run each. The Panthers held the lead 8-3 heading into the top of the sixth when
Alyssa Fowler singled to bring in Berkopec.
Hailee Bryan scored two on a single to make it 11-3 for BSC.
Margaret Axelson drove in the final runs of the game on a triple with only one out in the inning. The massive 10 runs on 6 hits for the Panthers in the sixth inning was enough to end the game in a run-rule victory.
Olivia Trout earned her first career win for Birmingham-Southern.
Pitching decisions
WIN: Olivia Trout (1-1)
LOSS: Makayla Ragland (0-4)
Records
#21 Birmingham-Southern 16-5 Overall (8-0 SAA), Hendrix 5-11 Overall (1-7 SAA)
Up next
Birmingham-Southern will continue their weekend series against Hendrix on Sunday at 12 p.m.
