Union softball splits doubleheader against Brenau on Senior Day

Barbourville, Ky - On Saturday, the Union Commonwealth University softball team split its doubleheader with Brenau. The Bulldogs won the first game 5-0 and lost the second matchup 11-6.

Game One: 

The Bulldogs wasted no time securing a 2-0 lead in the early stages of the game as Union's offense ignited in the bottom of the second inning. 

The momentum started with Kinsley Redmon's double, which was followed by Katie Fister's RBI single to right field that scored Redmon. Following singles by Shelby Easton and Kaley Harris, the bases were loaded with no outs.

Leea Cole delivered an RBI single, which scored Easton and further extended the Bulldogs' lead. The scoreboard remained unchanged until the bottom of the fourth inning when Megan Merritt unleashed a solo home run to make the score to 3-0. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bulldogs added two more runs to their tally. Harris hit a sacrifice fly, which allowed pinch runner Kayla Keller to cross the plate.

Megan McGinley mirrored Harris's efforts with another sacrifice fly, bringing Easton home and securing the Bulldogs' lead.

The Bulldogs maintained their stronghold until the final out to clinch a 5-0 victory in seven innings. Cole added another complete game and a shutout to her tally. She had one strikeout, while only allowing one walk and three hits.

Offensively, Harris went two-for-two with one RBI. Cole and Sarah Lowe both went two-for-four with Cole collecting one RBI.

Game Two:

Brenau surged ahead with a 3-0 lead in the opening inning. In the bottom of the third inning, Merrit's RBI single drove Cole home to narrow the deficit to 3-1.

Brenau added another run in the top of the fourth, but the Bulldogs swiftly countered in the bottom half of the inning.

Easton's walk with two outs began the rally. On the next at bat, Harris hit an RBI double that scored Easton. McGinley followed suit with an RBI single that scored Harris to inch the Bulldogs closer at 4-3.

Brenau tallied three more runs in the top of the fifth, but Union responded by doing the same in the bottom of the inning. Fister's sacrifice fly scored Lowe, while Easton's two-RBI double further narrowed the gap to 7-6.

Despite the Bulldogs' valiant effort, Brenau managed to add four additional runs en route to an 11-6 win in seven innings.

Katie Fister, Carly Cain, Kerry Dixon, and Jeweleyette Lilley all pitched for the Bulldogs in game two. Cain and Dixon threw one strikeout each, while Lilley allowed zero hits in her 1.2 innings pitched.

Offensively, McGinley went three-for-three with one RBI. Cole also went two-for-four with a run scored.

The Bulldogs are now 10-17 (8-10 AAC) this season, while Brenau is 19-13 (12-8 AAC). Up next for Union is an away doubleheader against Milligan on Wednesday, April 10, beginning at 3:00 p.m.