The Covenant softball team finally played its home opener and outlasted both the weather and visiting Judson to earn a doubleheader sweep on Thursday afternoon. The Lady Scots won 4-2 in game one, which was delayed over an hour due to heavy rain, and then recorded a 9-1 victory in the finale.
Covenant (6-8) had played its first 12 games on the road or in neutral site locations.
GAME ONE: Covenant 4, Judson 2
Jami Johnson delivered a go-ahead, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth and Covenant rallied for a 4-2 victory.
The game was delayed over an hour after heavy rain hit the area before the top of the seventh.
However, the field crew, including the Covenant team, worked to get the field back into playing condition and the Lady Scots finished off the victory by recording three outs in the seventh.
Covenant trailed 2-1 entering its half of the sixth after Judson went ahead on Amanda Rowley's infield RBI single in the top of the inning. With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the sixth, Shelby Ralston and Grace Turner put together consecutive singles to put runners at first and third. After Turner took second without a throw, Johnson stepped in a singled to shallow center field allowing Ralston and Turner to score giving the Lady Scots a 3-2 lead.
Covenant added an insurance run later in the sixth on a double steal as Erika Mast took second and Johnson scampered home.
Sarah Huskey was lights out in the circle for Covenant as she went the first five innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits with six strikeouts. Huskey retired the first seven hitters she faced and saw her ERA drop to 1.64 on the year. Turner (1-0) ended up with the win in relief. The freshman notched her first career victory after tossing two innings and allowing one run on two hits. She was also 1-for-3 with a run at the plate.
Ralston had two of Covenant's seven hits in the game as she went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Faith Manning, Casey Grover, and Shade Epes also collected a hit apiece.
Sarah Lippeatt got the loss for Judson as she went six innings and surrendered three earned runs on seven hits.
GAME TWO: Covenant 9, Judson 1
Covenant was held to one hit through four innings, but exploded for six runs in the fifth and another two in the sixth to pick up the run-rule victory, 9-1, in six innings.
After each team scored a run in the first inning, with Covenant's run coming on a Grover RBI single that plated Manning, the score remained at 1-1 until the fifth.
The bats broke out for the Lady Scots in the fifth inning as 11 came to the plate and six runs scored on six hits. Johnson and Epes had back-to-back singles to start the frame and Carlin Labuzan brought in one with her RBI single to right field. Schmitt followed with a two-run single, scoring Manning and Epes, for a 4-1 lead. Covenant wasn't done yet as it loaded the bases with two outs and Jada Allmon produced a two-run single to center field and that was followed by a Judson error on Johnson's ball in play that results in Madyson Gibbins scoring from second.
Covenant then ended the game in the sixth on a throwing error followed by another Grover RBI single.
Tyler Epes (1-3) got the win for Covenant after going five innings. Epes battled wildness but only allowed two hits and one unearned run on 91 pitches. Joni Johnson threw a scoreless sixth inning.
Grover finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk, while Allmon and Schmitt had a hit and two RBIs each.
Taylor Hutto got the loss for Judson (6-8) as she went 4.2 innings.
UP NEXT
Covenant will travel to Emory on Saturday for a doubleheader. Game one is set for 12 p.m.