'Roo Softball Drops Two at Belhaven

JACKSON, Miss. - The Austin College softball team fell in both halves of its doubleheader on Tuesday, dropping game one 17-3 before being edged 12-11 in game two at Belhaven. The 'Roos are now 1-7 on the year.

Belhaven overwhelmed Austin College offensively to open up game one, plating 10 runs in the first inning and adding five in the second inning. In between, the 'Roos managed to put three runs across in the top of the second, with Lauren Mara, Ashley Mayorga, and Ashley Elliott each driving home a run. However, that's the last time that Austin College would get a run on the board in the game, and Belhaven would add two more in the fourth to make it a 17-3 final.

Elliott took the loss in her first collegiate pitching appearance, surrendering eight runs (four earned) on two hits and five walks in 0.2 innings pitched. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the 'Roos offensively.

Game two saw Belhaven once again jump out to a big lead, scoring four runs in the first and adding a run in the second to go on top 5-0. However, Austin College erupted for five runs in the fourth to square things up, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple from Mayorga. The 'Roos took their first lead of the day in the next inning, pushing three runs across with Mara driving home a run while two more scored on wild pitches to make it 8-5.

Belhaven got one run back in the bottom of the fifth, but Austin College plated two more in the sixth to go on top 10-6. Belhaven would answer in the bottom of the sixth, though, scoring six runs to take a 12-10 lead heading into the final inning. The 'Roos would get one run back on an RBI single by Courtney Gonzales, but the tying run would wind up being stranded at second as Belhaven closed the door and denied Austin College the comeback victory.

Alyssa McDowell absorbed the loss, giving up 12 runs (nine earned) on 14 hits with nine walks in a complete game performance. Madison Mahaffey went 4-for-4, Gonzales went 4-for-5, and Mayorga and Mara each went 3-for-5 as Austin College racked up 17 hits in the loss.