DUNCAN, S.C. – Two first-inning runs held up in the UNC Pembroke softball team's 2-1 upset of No. 25 Carson-Newman on Saturday at the Mid-South Classic in Duncan and the Braves held off Barton in the nightcap by a 4-3 score to reach the 10-win mark in the 2018 campaign.
The Braves (10-6), who have now won five-straight games and eight of their last nine overall, picked up their first win over a ranked team since a 3-1 defeat of Armstrong State on April 9, 2016 in Pembroke. UNCP also improves to 6-0 at the Mid-South Classic in the last two seasons. Carson-Newman (11-5) had won five-straight until two losses on Friday and Saturday in Duncan, while Barton (5-7) was in the midst of a four-game winning streak before the Mid-South Classic.
Taylor Gerhart's first-inning, two-run double was the only offense UNCP needed in the upset of Carson-Newman.
Cara Davis and
Jamie Johnson reached on a fielder's choice and single, respectively, before scoring on Gerhart's two bagger.
Sophomore
Malerie Leviner (3-2) went the distance in the circle to log her third complete game of the season. She worked around nine hits, including four in the seventh, and stranded Eagles on first and third in the bottom of the seventh with a game-ending strikeout. Leviner struck out four batters and walked one on an even 100 pitches and set down nine-straight batters at one point.
Johnson and
Alex Watkins each registered three-hit performances and an RBI in the win over Barton, while
Tatum Brummitt went 2-for-4 with an RBI as well. The Braves logged six extra-base hits, including a trio from Johnson (two doubles, one triple).
Freshman
Breezy Yelton (6-1) allowed three runs (all unearned) and struck out four Bulldogs in 6.2 innings of work to pick up her team-best sixth win of the season. Leviner needed just three pitches to record the final out of the game and secure her first-career save.
Toni Nelson laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to open the scoring top of the second and the Black & Gold tacked on two more runs in the third on a pair of doubles from Johnson and Brummitt. The UNCP lead swelled to 4-0 on a Watkins single in the fifth.
Barton clawed back within one on a three-run home run in the latter half of the sixth. All three runs went down as unearned after a two-out UNCP error. The Bulldogs put runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh, but Leviner closed the door with a ground out.
The Braves wrap up play at the Mid-South Classic with a pair of games on Sunday. With the threat of rain in the forecast, UNCP will move both games up an hour. The Black & Gold will do battle with Converse (0-14) at 9 a.m. before another meeting with Barton at 11 a.m.
