The North Carolina Wesleyan University softball team extended its winning streak to a season-best five in a row with a doubleheader sweep over Brevard in USA South Conference play.
The Bishop women improved to 9-5 in the conference and 19-15 overall by winning the first game 13-3 and the second game 8-0.
In the first game, Skyler Walker’s two-run homer in the first inning got Wesleyan on the board and they never looked back, amassing four runs in the second, six in the fourth and one in the fifth to win via the mercy rule.
Walker’s first-inning blast came after Lillie Baumbach led off the game with a double.
Baumbach had a two-run double to plate Alexis Whitfield and Savannah Thompson, and Emily Humphrey singled home Walker and Baumbach with the help of an outfield error to make it 6-0.
Brevard came back with three runs in the bottom of the second inning to cut the deficit in half, but the Bishops provided a big response in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Baumbach, a two-run single by Humphrey, an RBI double by Ava Lowry and a sacrifice fly by Aleah Jones to push the lead to 12-3.
Humphrey’s RBI double brought in Walker for the final Wesleyan run in the fifth.
The Bishops finished with 14 hits, including six for extra bases. Walker (double, home run, two RBI), Humphrey (double, four RBI) and Thompson led the way with three each; Baumbach (two doubles, three RBI) added two hits while Makayla Simmons (double), Lowry (double, RBI) and Molly Alejandrino managed one hit each.
Morgan Aycock improved to 9-6 on the mound for Wesleyan. She went 2.1 inning and allowed three hits and three runs (all earned) with two walks and three strikeouts. Keira Boisvert threw 2.2 frames and allowed one hit with two walks and three hit batters.
In the second game, the Bishops erupted for six runs in the top of the second inning on their way to the sweep.
The big second frame was highlighted by a two-run double from Frances Hanshew, RBI singles from Walker and Humphrey and a two-run double from Taylor Kelly.
The Bishops tacked on single runs in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Thompson and in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Simmons.
Walker (RBI) and Alejandrino had two hits each for Wesleyan. Baumbach, Humphrey, Lowry, Kelly, Hanshew and Alexis Whifield collected the other hits.
Humphrey improved to 7-6 on the mound by going six innings and allowing three hits while striking out two and walking none over 70 pitches.
Wesleyan finishes the regular season this week with four USA South Conference games. The Bishops host Methodist at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in a doubleheader at Edge Field on Wednesday and then travel to Raleigh to face Meredith on Saturday for another twinbill at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The USAS Conference Tournament will be held May 2-4 with the winners advancing to the championship series May 10-11.
The Bishops are currently tied with Greensboro for second place in the league as both own 9-5 conference records.
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