Zack Ciboth, Sports Editor
The UNC Pembroke softball team put on a scoring clinic Tuesday afternoon when they welcomed the Chowan Hawks to town for a Conference Carolinas doubleheader. The bats were firing, and the pitching and defense was dominant with the Braves coming away with a 15-0 win.
The Braves got things rolling the bottom half of the second inning when Chloe Locklear hit a two-run homer to center field to give the Braves a 2-0 win. Emma Eckhart followed with a two-run homer of her own that extended the lead to 4-0. Jai Deese added on with an RBI double that plated one run and was capped off by a Charlotte Rose single and MJ Wilks double.
The Braves strung together five total runs all coming in two situations to end the second inning with a 9-0 lead.
After forcing three scoreless innings the Braves got back to work in the bottom half of the third with a Kaitlyn King solo shot to center, Rose followed with an RBI double and Locklear with a two-run homer to make it 14-0 UNCP. Oliva Hall finished the scoring off with an RBI single. Braves closed things out for the five-inning win.
Kinsley Sheppard got the win for the Braves surrendering four hits and zero runs while striking out six batters and walking none in five innings of work.
The Braves continued their momentum in the second game of the day when they defeated the Hawks to complete the doubleheader sweep. Another productive game at the plate followed by dominant defense helped propel the Braves to an 11-1 win.
Deese got things going for the Braves in the bottom of the first with a solo homerun to take a 1-0 lead early. Kinley Brewer recorded herself an RBI triple that plated a runner to start the third inning. Deese followed with a sacrifice fly to left and Locklear with a three-run homer to left quickly made it 6-0.
Calliope James managed to get the Hawks on the score board with an RBI single to make it 6-1 but the Braves got back to work again in the fourth with a solo homerun from Hall and an RBI single from Deese. Makenna Sibbitt ended the game in the sixth with a three-run homer.
Summer Bullard picked up the win in the circle for the Braves surrendering three hits and one run while striking out six and walking one in six innings of work.
The Braves will hit the road Saturday for a softball doubleheader with Francis Marion beginning at 1 p.m.