Nick Kolsin, Sports Reporter
Game 1
The UNC Pembroke softball team fell short of a victory Friday when they faced Davis & Elkins in the first game of their three-game series as part of the UNCP Softball Invitational. The Braves rallied but fell in the end 8-5.
The Senators bats woke up early as leadoff hitter Sharon Morales hit a Home Run to deep left field to take the early 1-0 lead. In the top of the third, with runners on first and third, Senators’ Emily Rose cracked a homer to dead center field to give the Sens a 4-0 lead.
The Braves answered back in the bottom of the inning with a Marijo Wilks RBI single bringing home a run making it a 4-1 game. After a Hit by Pitch to load the bases, Makenna Sibbett smacked a double to right bringing home two runs and making it a 4-3 ballgame.
Kinsley Sheppard was pulled and finished the game with four innings pitched, giving up six hits, seven runs but managed to strike out nine batters and walk one. Freshman Katie Neel was not able to weather the storm for the Braves as the Senators added three to their lead with an RBI single from Lily Saucedo, Sharon Morales stealing home, and a bases loaded walk.
Chloe Locklear gave the Braves some life in the bottom of the sixth with a deep home run to left-center field bringing them within three of the Senators.
After a Valient effort in the Bottom of the seventh including a homer from Marijo Wilks, the Braves rally was just too little too late as the Senators took the win.
Game 2
The UNC Pembroke softball team fell 13-6 to the Davis & Elkins Senators in game two of the three game series Saturday afternoon during the UNCP Softball Invitational.
The Senators bats were hot from the jump scoring two runs in the first inning off of a double from Sens hitter Jules Gutierrez when she doubled to center field scoring one run, and Ashlyn Zapach bringing home another run with a single later in the inning.
The Braves answered back in the bottom of the inning when MaKenna Sibbett drove home a runner on second with a slap single through the infield into right to make it 2-1 after one complete.
To start the second innings the Senators scored three more runs, with doubles from Alyssa Haynes and Sharon Morales bringing in two runs, and a fielder’s choice bringing in a third.
The Senators tackled on three more runs in the 3rd and 4th innings, after Linzey Allerd was hit by a pitch scoring a run in the third.
In the fourth, Trinity Fleming singled home a run and Zapach later scored on a passed ball making the score 8-1.
The Braves showed some life in the bottom of the fifth after an RBI single from Jai Deese, and a hit from Sibbett bringing her home in the next at bat making the score 8-3.
In the sixth, The senators scored three runs off two RBI singles from Haynes and Allard, and Allard came around and stole home on a wild pitch.
The Braves answered back with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning with RBI hits from Deese and Sibbett making the score 11-5.
The Senators scored two more runs in the top of the seventh with a double from Morales and a sac fly bringing her home two batters later.
The Braves ended the contest with a homer from Chloe Hunsinger in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too late.
Summer Bullard took the loss for the Braves pitching one inning giving up four runs and four hits while striking out three and walking one.
Game 3
The Braves lost the final game of the series against the Davis and Elkins Senators 3-2 in a Pitcher’s dual Sunday night as part of the final day of the UNCP Softball Invitational.
Summer Bullard started the game on fire striking out six of the first seven batters she faced and ending her outing with nine strikeouts on the day in five innings of work.
The bats were silent until the top of the fourth inning when Lily Saucedo singled to center bringing home a run giving the Senators a 1-0 lead. In the top of the fifth the Senators added to their lead with a single from Linzey Allard bringing home a run. In the sixth they tackled on another runoff a fielder’s choice from Trinity Cossette making it a 3-0 game.
The Braves showed some life in the bottom half of the inning with three straight singles from Marijo Wilks, Jai Deese, and Chloe Lockler who brought in a run with her hit.
Kynley Brewers bunt single brought home a run on a throwing error in the seventh making it a 3-2 game with 1 out in the seventh.
Brewer advanced to third on a wild pitch later in the inning giving the Braves a runner 60 feet from the plate with a chance to tie the game. That is as far as she will go however, as the next two batters went down in order ending the game 3-2 and closing out the sweep of the weekend for the Senators.
The Braves will hit the road Wednesday afternoon for a doubleheader with Lenoir-Rhyne. Pitch times are at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m