VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The NC Wesleyan College softball team ran into a tough pitcher on Tuesday afternoon as they fell 4-0 in game one to Virginia Wesleyan University on the road. The Bishops then rallied in game two but came up short 6-4.
Game 1 turned out to be a low scoring affair as VWU's Hanna Hull shut down the Bishops over 7 innings allowing just two hits while walking two and striking out 12.
Wesleyan junior pitcher Beth Braswell (2-3) struck out five over 6 innings allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits with 2 walks. VW scored their first two runs on a Braswell error and a sac fly before a two-run homer in the 6th gave the Marlins some insurance.
The Bishop offense was led by junior CF Nichole Mooney as she reached base twice via a double and a walk while junior SS Meredith Mize singled and stole a base. Mize is batting .516 on the season so far with 8 RBIs while Mooney is hitting .345 with 6 SBs.
GAME 2: VWU 6, NCWC 4
The Marlins jumped out to a 5-0 lead in game two off the Bishop's junior pitcher Grace Preston scoring all 5 runs in the 2nd inning. However, NCWC would not be denied as the Bishops put up 4 runs in the 4th inning.
Braswell first drove in Mooney with an RBI single before junior catcher Summer Phillips' sac fly brought in Mize. Junior 3B Chelsea Nixon then singled in Preston and Braswell to get the Bishops within one at 5-4 after 4 innings.
Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Bishops would get as VWU added an insurance run in the 6th to grab the 6-4 win. Preston (3-2) threw 5 and 1/3 innings allowing 6 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits while Braswell finished the game walking two and striking out two. Braswell now has 40 strikeouts on the season.
NC Wesleyan was led by Nixon's 2-hit, 2-RBI game while Mooney recorded another double. Junior DH Kayla Molivas and Mize also tallied singles in game two.
The Bishops fall to 5-5 on the season while VWU improves to 7-1.
Note: Wesleyan's games at Greensboro College on Thursday have been postponed due to rain and will be made up on April 1.
The Lady Bishops will now next be in action on Sunday when they head to Tennessee to battle West Division foe Maryville College in a 12 PM DH.