The Covenant softball team split a double-header with Maryville on Saturday afternoon. The Scots took game one 5-4 and lost game two 9-4.

Covenant recorded 17 hits and seven RBIs for the two contests.

GAME 1: Covenant 5, Maryville 4
The Scots used 11 hits, including a homer by Vanessa Davis, to get their seventh win in a row and fourth conference win on the season so far.

After a scoreless first inning, Covenant jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Singles from Faith Manning and Tori Layfield, along with an error from the host Scots, helped bring in the first two Covenant runs.

The Scots continued their hot hitting into the third, when Davis would hit a home run after a single by Jordan Holman, extending the lead to 4-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Maryville would score their first run of the day after Christina White tripled to right field and was soon brought in to score after a ground out (4-1).

The score would remain 4-1 until the top of the sixth, when Covenant would extend the lead to four after recording three hits. Taylor Murdock, Emma Giller, and Holman all singled during the inning, giving the Scots a 5-1 lead heading into the seventh inning.

Though Covenant had a runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh, the Scots failed to capitalize, leaving Maryville with one more chance on offense in the bottom of the inning.

The host Scots would rally, hitting two home runs and scoring three. After Kaliyah Hensic hit a single, Courtney Deck would hit an inside-the-park home run, cutting Covenant's lead to two (5-3).

After White grounded out, Covenant needed just one more out to seal the victory. But, with two outs, Taylor Campbell hit a homer over the left field fence, bringing Maryville within one
(5-4).

Covenant's defense would ultimately stop the last run from coming in though, as Reid Ballard flew out to left field to end the game and give the Scots the 5-4 win. 

Holman and Manning were both 3-for-4. Davis was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. 

Lauren Kierpa (13-7) got the start in the circle for Covenant, pitching another complete game and striking out two. 

Campbell went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Deck was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Hannah Bruce started at pitcher for Maryville and earned the loss (1-1).

GAME 2: Covenant 4, Maryville 9
Davis hit her second home run of the day, but it was not enough as Maryville would use 14 hits to win game two, 9-4. The loss breaks a seven-game winning streak for the Scots.

Covenant jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first, using two hits to bring in the first two scores. Holman and Murdock both recorded singles during the inning.

But, Maryville would answer in their half of the first, scoring three runs off of five hits. After White singled, Campbell would hit her second homer of the day, tying the game up 2-2. Three more singles afterwards helped bring in the go-ahead run, giving the host Scots the 3-2 lead.

Covenant would then take back the lead after another two-RBI homer from Davis gave the Scots a 4-3 lead in the top of the second.

From there, it was all Maryville, as the Scots would fail to score again for the remainder of the game.

Maryville would score four in the bottom of the second, giving them a 7-4 lead. The runs came off of five singles that were recorded for the inning.

A triple from Deck and a double from White extended the lead to four in the bottom of the third inning (8-4).

The score would remain 8-4 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Campbell recorded an RBI double, making it 9-4 in favor of Maryville. And after holding Covenant scoreless in the ninth, the host Scots were able to earn the game two victory.

Davis went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in game two. Holman was 2-for-4, while Murdock was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Jennifer Coates started at pitcher for the Scots and pitched 1.2 innings with seven earned runs and a strikeout. Kierpa pitched 4.1 innings of relief, with two earned runs and a strikeout.

Campbell went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while White and Deck were both 3-for-4. Kennedy Henry pitched a complete game for Maryville, allowing four earned runs and striking out two.

Covenant drops to 4-2 in USA south play (15-13 overall), while Maryville sits at 2-2 (3-9 overall).

UP NEXT
Covenant will travel to Brevard to play a conference series double-header on Wednesday, April 7. First pitched is scheduled for 1pm EDT.