LYNCHBURG, Va. - Mary Baldwin opened its softball season Saturday against a strong University of Lynchburg squad and the Fighting Squirrels dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Hornets, losing 9-1 and 14-6.
In the opener, Lynchburg led 6-1 after two innings and kept the Squirrels to just two hits as the Hornets ended the game 9-1 after five innings.
Lynchburg tallied 11 hits and two home runs in the opener. The Squirrels got their lone run at the top of the fifth when a single by Olivia Gagne scored Sam Grimsley.
In Game 2, the Squirrels jumped out to an early lead, this time scoring two runs in the first two at-bats. Leanna Rankin singled and moved into scoring position on a single by Emily Hall. Rankin scored on an error for MBU's first run. In the second inning the Squirrels went on a two-out rally. Gagne bagged a double to right center and Trinity Thomas folowed with a run-scoring singl for a 2-0 lead.
The Hornets scored three in the bottom of the second due to some costly walks and key singles, however, the Squirrels answered by scoring another run in the top of the third. Hall and Hadley May both singled before a Sam Charles groundout drove in Hall from third, Two flyouts left two runners stranded for the Squirrels to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third, the Squirrels were in a pinch after an hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, but two straight flyouts got them out of the jam.
The Hornets scored another three in the fourth to take a 6-3 lead after two errors and three singles. The Squirrels quickly fought back with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth. A leadoff double by May was followed by a Charles single and May scored on a throwing error. Molly Thompson walked for the Squirrels before an Isabella O'Bannion double scored both Charles and Thompson making it a tie game 6-6 after the top of the 5th.
The Hornets answered again in the bottom of the fifth with four runs off five hits including another home run. Four more runs in the bottom of the sixth completed the scoring for Lynchburg.
Mary Baldwin is back in action Wednesday (March 1st) when the Squirrels travel to play Ferrum at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.