Mills throws shutout to help Reinhardt get victory over Milligan

From college reports

WALESKA, Ga. - Maddie Evans and Melora Kay had big hits in game one, while former Gordon Central standout Maci Mills hurled a shutout in game two as No. 16 Reinhardt defeated Milligan, 4-2 and 4-0, in an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader at Ken White Softball Field Monday afternoon. Game One Evans had an RBI triple and a double in game one as the Lady Eagles earned a 4-2 victory to start the twin bill. Her triple started the scoring in the first inning as her shot to the gap in right-center plated Taylor Weeks with the opening run.

In the fourth, Evans led off the inning with a double, then came home to score when Jessica Baker’s single down the line in left was misplayed. After another error extended the inning, Kay lifted a double to right-center, scoring a pair and making it 4-0.

Milligan would score unearned runs in the fifth and the seventh, but Madison Luck buckled down to earn the win. The senior allowed four hits and two unearned runs while walking two and striking out six. Game Two Mills pitched her best game to date for the Lady Eagles as RU earned a sweep with a 4-0 win. The senior allowed just three hits while striking out six to earn the shutout.

The scoring started again for RU in the first as Taylor Weeks tripled to start the home half of the inning, then came home on a wild pitch. RU added another run in the third as Evans singled to left, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Sarah Kate Jenkins, then came home on Baker’s double to right.

RU doubled its lead in the fourth as Kay walked and Hannah McKinley reached on a bunt single to start the frame. A single by Weeks loaded the bases for Taylor Braselton, who hit into a run-scoring fielder’s choice. Evans then hit a bouncer on the infield that the Buffaloes fielded and threw to the plate on to try and get McKinley out. McKinley found herself off third with Braselton coming behind to get to third base and at least keep a runner in scoring position for the Lady Eagles. Indecision on Milligan’s part would come back to haunt the guests, however, as McKinley was somehow able to make it home safely as the throw to the plate was late, making it 4-0.

That would be more than enough for Mills, who only allowed one runner to reach third base in the contest. The win improved the Lady Eagles to 3-1 in AAC play and 15-7 overall.

In other recent college softball action:

Catamounts drop two to Bethune-Cookman

The Basics: Score: Bethune-Cookman 7, Western Carolina 5; Bethune-Cookman 6, Western Carolina 5 (8)

Records: Western Carolina 5-7, Bethune-Cookman 4-18

Location: Sunnyland Park, Daytona Beach, Fla.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Western Caro- lina softball dropped a doubleheader with Bethune-Cookman 7-5 and 6-5, in extra innings, at Sunnyland Park Tuesday.

GAME 1

Turning Point: Bethune-Cookman scored in four of six innings, including a big three-run inning in the third to hold on for the win.

How it Happened: Bethune-Cookman scored five runs in the first three innings, two in the first and three in third, to jump out to a 5-0 lead against the Catamounts. Western Carolina cut into the lead scoring a run in the fourth and fifth innings. The Catamounts trimmed the Bethune-Cookman lead to 6-4 plating two runs in the sixth inning but Bethune-Cookman pushed the lead back to three with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Western Carolina attempted a seventh-inning rally when Courtney Price was hit by a pitch and Madison Armstrong reached on first on a fielder’s choice erasing Price at second with two outs. Hunter Gibbons singled to keep the inning alive and Erica Hayes singled to centerfield to score Armstrong and cut the Bethune-Cookman lead to 7-5. Salvo popped up to end the inning and the rally. Inside the Box Score: - Western Carolina had 10 hits to Bethune- Cookman’s nine.

- Bethune-Cookman had two errors in the game.

- Sophomore pitcher Lily Hayes got the start for Western Carolina and took the loss falling to 3-4 on the season. She went three innings allowing six runs on eight hits and struck out one.

- Sophomore hurler Shaina Reed replaced Hayes in the fourth inning. She went three innings allowing one run on one hit, walked four and struck out two.

- Freshman Ashlyn Long went 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and a RBI.

- Abigail Daniels hit her first triple of the season and second of her career.

- Gibbons went 3-for4 with a double and a run scored.

GAME 2

Turning Point: Tied 5-5, in the bottom of the eighth inning, as WCU forced extra innings scoring a run in the top of the seventh, Bethune-Cookman scored on an RBI single after a runner was placed on second per the international tie-breaker rule to take the win.

How it Happened: Bethune-Cookman scored four unanswered runs, two in the first and two in the second, to lead Western Carolina 4-0 to start the game. The Catamounts tied the game for the first time scoring four runs in the top of the third. Kassandra Flores got it started with a one-out double and scored courtesy of a RBI single by Emily Weatherman after Daniels singled. Price hit a threerun homerun to knot the game at four. The Wildcats solo homerun in the bottom of the sixth allowed Bethune-Cookman to regain the lead 5-4. In the top of the seventh, Western Carolina tied the game for a second time when, with bases loaded, Flores scored on a wild pitch. With the game tied 5-5, Bethune-Cookman took the win off a RBI single in the bottom of the eighth for the walk-off win. Inside the Box Score: - Armstrong was 2-for4 with a double.

- Flores also had a pair of hits, a double and scored two runs.

- Price hit a threerun homerun with a run scored, three RBI and drew two walks.

- Freshman pitcher Kinsey Liscio got the start but was pulled in the first inning after walking two batters and giving up two runs.

- Senior Courtney Buchanan replaced Liscio in the first inning and ended up pitching 7.1 innings. She gave up nine hits, four runs, three earned, walked five and struck out one. She takes the loss and falls to 1-2 on the season. News & Notes: - Freshman Weatherman was named the College Sports Madness SoCon Player of the Week on Tuesday.

- Price’s homerun was her fourth of the season pushing her career total to 19 tying her for eighth in the WCU record books.

- Daniels has now reached base safely in the last 12 games and is also on an eight-game hitting streak. - With three RBI in game two against Bethune-Cookman, Price now has 77 RBI in her career moving her into a tie for ninth place in the WCU record books.

- Price now also has 94 career runs and remains in fourth place in the WCU record books. She needs seven more runs to move into third place. The record is 108 held, in a two-way tie, between former Catamounts Amelia Griffin and Stephanie Beatty.

- Price ranks fifth in the WCU record books for hits in a career with 163. She needs eight hits to move into fourth place.

- The career-record watch continues for Price in the category of doubles, along with teammate Kara Salvo, as each have 29 career doubles. The duo is chasing the school record of 32 set by former Catamount Beatty who ended her storied career with 32.

- Western Carolina’s extra-inning loss, in game two against Bethune-Cookman, is the Catamounts’ second extra-inning game of the season. WCU is 0-2 in extra-inning games.

Up Next: Western Carolina will take seven days off before hosting Virginia Tech in the Catamounts’ home opener on March 15. The doubleheader with the Hokies is set to begin at 4 p.m. at the Catamount Softball Complex. The games will be broadcast on the SoCon Digital Network.

Martin helps Bobcats to sweep

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Georgia College Softball team (11-9, 2-0 PBC) got two great pitching efforts in a doubleheader sweep at Augusta University (4-20, 0-2 PBC) Saturday, taking games 3-1 and 8-1.

Game one featured sophomore Kayla Price (Indian Land, South Carolina) in the circle, scattering just three hits and a single walk for one run. Price improved to 6-2 on the season, fanning four Jaguar hitters.

Tied 1-1 after four, the Bobcats got the deciding runs in the sixth, when former Gordon Central High standout Shawnda Martin (Cal-houn) had a pinch-hit, two-run double with two out. Senior Faith Flan-ders (Dublin) and junior Baylee Hall (Hephzibah) had three hits each, Hall scoring a run and Flanders driving in another. Senior Danielle Bernstein (Cumming) had two hits in the leadoff spot as well.

Game two brought Flanders to the ring, where she didn’t allow the Jaguars to scratch a run across until the seventh inning. The senior righty allowed nine hits and a single walk, striking out three in the win (3-2).

Georgia College got the scoring started early in game two, plating three in the second, one on a sacrifice fly and two more on a pair of Jaguar errors. After a fourth run came in on another Augusta miscue in the third, Martin drove home two more with a single to left center in the fifth.