Skyhawks Grab Two Straight Wins Against Paine College
WEST POINT, Ga. – The Point University Skyhawks concluded their six-game homestand with some fireworks on Tuesday evening, sweeping the Paine College Lions 5-4 and 11-0 at West Point Park.
Game One:
The teams traded quick outs until the top of the fourth inning. Paine's Alexis Mena lined a pitch just outside the reach of a diving Caroline Bagwell in right field for an RBI, making it 1-0 Lions.
The fifth inning saw the Lions create some separation on the scoreboard with a three-spot. Skyhawks starting pitcher Chloe Mitcham walking in a run before surrendering an RBI single from Catherine Lewis. Alexis Mena followed suit with the same outcome two at-bats later.
Point replied to the adversity in the home half of the inning with Caroline Bagwell dropping a bunt to score Alyssa Letson. Then, Anna McMahan and Avery Lee knocked in runs through the left side of the infield, tightening the score to 4-3 in Paine's favor.
Down to the Skyhawks' last out in the seventh, McMahan pulled off some heroics with a liner off the shortstop's glove, allowing Bagwell to hustle home from second base and tie the game at four apiece.
As the teams entered extra innings, Point reliever Kendall Holbrook silenced Paine's scoring threat with runners on second and third. That set the stage for MaKenzie Gilliland's walk off single as Avery Lee ended the game by stepping onto home plate from third in a 5-4 thriller.
Mitcham began the game by throwing 4.1 innings in the circle in an appearance that saw six strikeouts, seven hits and four runs (three earned). Holbrook was named the winning pitcher after earning five punchouts and giving up only three hits.
Game Two:
A pair of Paine errors in the first inning allowed the Skyhawks to strike first. Alexa McCoy reached base on the first one and scored on the next. Avery Lee was the other Point batter to get on due to a Lions miscue.
The second inning held a similar tone with a bobbled ball at second base allowing Chelsey Hogsed to score and double the Skyhawks lead. Point went on to scratch five more across in that same frame, including runs batted in by Avery Lee (2), Anna McMahan and Caroline Bagwell as the lead ran up to 7-0 Point.
The Skyhawks run total shot up to 11 in the fourth inning between Aubryn Sward and Chelsey Hogsed slugging in runs. Natalie Lovelace scored off the bench after doubling in her lone at-bat of the day.
Raley Thorn jumped into the circle and pitched three straight outs to secure the shutout and put an 11-0 score in the books. Alyssa Burrows got the win as the starter after posting four full innings of work. Paine could only muster four hits against her.
Point logged 10 hits in the second game, just eclipsing their nine in the opening matchup against the Lions. McMahan connected for three hits and three RBIs on the day, batting in the #2 spot in the order through both games.
The next opponent for the Skyhawks will be Faulkner University, who will host them in Montgomery, Alabama this Friday, April 3 at 2:00 and 4:00pm EDT.
