WILSON, N.C. – The Chowan Softball team earned a hard fought split against their rivals, Barton, to knock the Bulldogs from their number one position in the league during Conference Carolinas action on Sunday afternoon on the road.
THE BASICS
FINAL GAME ONE | Chowan 2, Barton 10 (6)
FINAL GAME TWO | Chowan 2, Barton 1
RECORDS | Chowan 8-27 (3-13), Barton 24-6 (11-4)
INSIDE THE BOXSCORES
Hannah Eden and Jesse Gentry led the Hawks with two hits as Eden hit a home run and Gentry produced the go-ahead hit.
Meredith Morgan and Paige Wilhelm also collected two hits. Haleigh Reid, Courtney Lamb and Kaitlin Brunelli tallied one hit each.
Megan Vincent tossed a complete game scattering four hits and allowing one run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One: Chowan 2, Barton 10 (six innings)
Chowan opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as Paige Wilhelm led off the contest with a single to center. Wilhelm swiped second before Meredith Morgan singled to left. Wilhelm scored on a misplay by the left fielder on the Morgan batted ball. Hannah Eden singled to move Morgan to third before Kaitlin Brunelli reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Barton settled in to strike out the next three batters to end the threat.
The Bulldogs countered with a two run frame in the bottom half of the first as an error allowed the opening batter of the inning to move into scoring position.
The Hawks answered in the second as Jesse Gentry drew a walk to lead-off the inning. Gentry moved to second on Mya Horne's sacrifice bunt before coming around to score on Meredith Morgan's double to right center to even the score at 2-all.
Chowan looked to rally again in the third inning as Haleigh Reid singled to center and Courtney Lamb reached on a bunt single. A sacrifice bunt by Serena Riley moved both runners into scoring position before the end of the inning.
Barton took a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning as a dropped foul ball prolonged the inning for two more runners to score.
The Bulldogs finished off the contest in the sixth inning as a pair of errors in the inning provided four unearned runs to take the victory 10-2.
Game Two: Chowan 2, Barton 1
The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Hannah Eden hit a solo home run with two-outs down the left field line.
Jesse Gentry doubled down the right field line in the second before the end of the inning.
Barton answered in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to even the score at 1-all.
Both teams moved quickly through the middle innings of the contest scattering base runners.
Barton looked to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth as an error and an infield single provided the spark for a rally. The spark quickly went out as a double play ended the threat.
Kaitlin Brunelli opened the top of the seventh with a double to right center. Courtney Lamb advanced the pinch-runner, Cailyn Nowell, to third on a sacrifice bunt. Jesse Gentry singled up the middle to plate Nowell to give the Hawks a 2-1 advantage.
Barton was able to get a runner to third before Megan Vincent produced a strikeout and a ground out to finish off the victory.
UP NEXT
Chowan returns home to take on Belmont Abbey in a make-up series from March on April 13. First pitch is slated for 1pm in the Conference Carolinas series.
