Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BLUEFIELD, Va. – The Bluefield College softball team gave a valiant effort, but in the end dropped an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader to the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs 3-1 and 9-3 in extra innings on a blustery Saturday afternoon at Graham Rec Park.
In game one the Rams took a 1-0 lead in the second when Michaela Carter and Alexandra Bartley had back-to-back doubles to left, Bartley's hit scoring Carter. Bluefield's lead held until the fourth when the Bulldogs tied it and TWC took the lead in the fifth.
For the game Bluefield out-hit TWC 7-6, but three errors proved costly for the Rams.
Bartley suffered the loss in relief for BC while Rachel Mathews pitched a complete game for the win for TWC.
Eryn Haley was the big stick for Bluefield as she was 3-for-43our at the plate.
Game two saw Tennessee Wesleyan score two in the first off BC starting pitcher Bartley, but in the bottom half of the inning the Rams were able to cut into the lead when Carter walked and later scored on a TWC error. Bluefield knotted the game at two in the bottom of the fourth. Kristen Murphy singled to center and later scored on Mary Blake Avery's double to left. The Rams took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Murphy again singled. Brienna Sparks pinch ran and later scored the go-ahead run on Kiki Jones' single to left.
The Rams retired the first batter in the seventh, but TWC then managed to push across a run to tie the game at three. Haley singled and Carter's sacrifice bunt moved her to second, but she was stranded and the game went to extra innings.
TWC took command in the extra frame and scored six runs. Alyssa King hit a two-run home run to center and Kayla Stevens followed with a solo blast.
The Rams went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Murphy had two of Bluefield's seven hits while Baily Garin, Avery and Jones each had an RBI.
Bluefield fell to 11-23 overall and 1-15 in the AAC while Tennessee Wesleyan moved to 15-12 and 10-4 in conference play. The Rams are back in action Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. as they host Brevard in non-conference play. It will be Senior Day.