The Covenant baseball team dropped the opener of a three-game USA South series at Huntingdon 9-3 on Friday evening at Posey Field.
Covenant (9-18, 7-9 USA South) has lost six straight.
Huntingdon (14-15, 6-7 USA South) methodically built an 8-0 lead and, despite a comeback threat from the Scots in the eighth, would hold on for the victory in the series opener.
Covenant had just three hits off Huntingdon starting pitcher Carden Mellown through seven innings. The Scots finally got to Mellown in the eighth and scored three times on four hits. Donny Lewis led off with a pinch-hit walk before being doubled home by Trenton Nobles. Two batters later, Joel Johnson delivered a two-run single to slice the deficit to 8-3.
That was all the Scots would get off Mellown (5-2), who went eight innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out 10. Ethan Hess tossed a scoreless ninth inning for the host Hawks.
Huntingdon scored a run in the first, two in the third, and another in the fourth to build a 4-0 lead. In the sixth, the Hawks broke the game open with four runs, two of which were unearned, to grab an 8-0 lead.
Devin Cerrato, Nobles, and CJ Edmond all had two hits apiece for Covenant as the Scots totaled eight on the night. Taylor Bloye (3-4) made the start and went 5.2 innings allowing five earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
Jud Owens went 3-for-3 with two runs to pace the Hawks.
The final two games of the series will take place on Saturday in Montgomery. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m. EDT.
The two games looked vastly different, but the results remained the same for the Covenant softball team. The Lady Scots swept Berea in a USA South doubleheader on Friday with a 1-0 victory in game one followed by a 15-6 rout in the second game.
The wins guaranteed Covenant (19-17, 8-6 USA South) the No. 4 seed from the West Division in next week's USA South Tournament. The Lady Scots will go on the road for the best-of-3 first round series that begins next Friday, April 6.
GAME ONE: Covenant 1, Berea 0
Carsyn Stone twirled a gem in the circle and a Shannon Schmitt RBI single in the third inning was all Covenant needed to take game one, 1-0.
Stone (6-6) tossed her fourth complete-game of the year and surrendered just two hits. The right-hander was able to work around six walks in the contest, but struck out four. Stone worked out of minor jams in the first and second innings and then did not allow another Berea baserunner to get into scoring position the rest of the way.
Covenant broke through offensively in the third inning. With runners at second and third with two away, Schmitt delivered a run-scoring single to left field that plated Madyson Gibbins.
The Lady Scots had other scoring chances, and out-hit Berea 9-2 in the contest, but the one run stood up. Carlin Labuzan and Schmitt both had two hits.
Jacqui Howard (6-13) got the loss for Berea. Lillian Setters and Mattie Shivel had a hit apiece for the host Mountaineers.
GAME TWO: Covenant 15, Berea 6
In the finale of the doubleheader, Covenant used three big innings to secure the sweep with a 15-6 victory.
Shelby Ralston and Erika Mast had four RBIs each, while Jada Allmon was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Shade Epes homered in the rout. Gibbins and Schmitt had two hits apiece.
Covenant scored four times in the first inning, an inning that was cut short when the Lady Scots hit into a triple play. However, Allmon had an RBI single followed by a bases-loaded walk to Ralston and a Mast two-run single to make it a 4-0 game.
In the third inning, Covenant scored three times to grab a 7-0 edge. Allmon collected another RBI single and Mast drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-0. Madalyn Ames capped the frame with an RBI single that plated Ralston.
Berea (6-18, 2-10 USA South) cut the lead to 7-6 after four innings. The Mountaineers scored five runs in the third and once more in the fourth to trim the deficit.
A monstrous top of the fifth for Covenant put the game out of reach. The Lady Scots scored eight runs on four hits to take a 15-6 lead. After a Mast one-out walk, Shade Epes hit a two-run homer, her first of the year. Later in the inning, Schmitt produced an RBI single before an Allmon bases-loaded walk and Ralston's three-run triple. A fielding error allowed the eighth run to come across.
Tyler Epes (4-6) got the win in relief as she went 1.2 innings after starter Sarah Huskey went the first 2.1 innings.
Howard (6-14) was again the loser in the circle for Berea. Abby Nash went 2-for-3 to lead the offensive attack.
Covenant will conclude the regular season with a doubleheader against Guilford on Saturday at home. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.