Skyhawks split with AAC foe

WEST POINT, Ga. (March 14, 2022) – The Point University softball team's offense came alive late in both games of Monday night's Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader with Truett McConnell. The Skyhawks' late scoring in game one earned them a 4-2 victory, but Point's efforts in game two came up short, as the Skyhawks fell 6-5.

Game one- Point: 4, TMU: 2

The Bears posted a run in the top of the third and in the top of the fourth to gain a 2-0 lead, all while holding the Skyhawks to only two hits. In the bottom of the fifth, Taylor Knight connected for her third home run of the season to cut TMU's lead in half. After holding the Bears scoreless in the top of the sixth, a double to left field from Chelsea Parker would tie the game as Haley Lyner scored, and Meagan Pildner would follow with a 2-RBI double to left field to help the Skyhawks earn the lead. Point held the Bears scoreless in the top of the seventh to earn the victory in game one.

Point combined for five hits with Pildner, Parker, Knight, Lyner and Asia Jones all accounting for one. Knight and Parker each recorded an RBI and Pildner recorded two. Mary Burnham got the win, going 6.2 innings, giving up nine hits, two runs (both earned) and striking out one. Ashlynn Hamm earned the save.

Game two- Point: 5, TMU: 6

TMU jumped out 1-0 after the first inning and added two more runs in the fourth and another run in the top of the fifth to go ahead 4-0. In the bottom of the fifth, Point cut the Bears' lead in half with a 2-RBI double from Jones to score Lyner and Devin Foster. In the top of the sixth, TMU answered with two runs to retake a four-run lead (6-2).

In the bottom of the seventh back-to-back hits from Alexus Griffin and Foster would put runners in scoring position for a pinch-hit double to left center field from Allie Davis to bring Griffin home and move Foster to third. Jones would then connect for another 2-RBI shot to right field, scoring Griffin and Brianna Plocharczyk, who came in to run for Davis. Jones' RBI would bring Point within one, but the Skyhawks could not perform the comeback and fell in game two.

Both teams connected for 12 hits apiece, with Foster leading Point, going 4-for-4 and scoring twice. She was followed by Jones, who went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and Parker, who was 2-for-3. In game two, Katelyn Jiles suffered the loss, going 3.0 innings, giving up four hits and two runs (one earned). Hamm came in for relief, going 4.0 innings, giving up eight hits and four runs (all unearned).

Up next

Following Monday's split, Point is now 16-10 (8-2 AAC). The Skyhawks are scheduled to return to action on Friday, March 18, as they host Johnson (Tenn.) at 2 & 4 p.m.