HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College softball team split its 2023 spring regular season opener on Monday afternoon against crosstown rival Caldwell at Highland Recreation Center Field 1.
Game one: Catawba Valley 2, Caldwell 0
The Red Hawks capitalized on a Cobra error in the third inning to score the lone runs of the contest in a two-run shutout in game one of the set.
Camryn Bryant and Grace Andrews led the Red Hawks offensively, each going 2-for-3 at the plate. Chesney Stikeleather and Mayson Lail also recorded one hit apiece for CVCC in the contest.
On the mound, Catawba Valley starting pitcher Jillian Jones allowed five hits, one walk and struck out eight batters in 5.1 innings to improve to 1-0 on the season.
Lail closed out the final 1.2 innings, earning her first collegiate save.
Game two: Caldwell 7, Catawba Valley 1
The Cobras tallied nine hits, including two each off the bats of Kaylee Redwine, Christa Walsh and Zoey Boston, to earn a six-run victory against the Red Hawks in Monday's finale.
Boston and Redwine each drove in two runs, including a two-run single by Redwine during the second inning and a two-run home run by Boston in the fifth inning.
The Red Hawks threatened late, loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning on three-straight singles by Alyssa Kropski, Mya Morency and Annies Andrews.
However, a double play and strikeout ended the potential scoring threat for Catawba Valley.
Camryn Bryant, Alyssa Kropski, Mya Morency, Annie Andrews and Grace Andrews led Catawba Valley offensively in game two with one hit each.
Isabelle Curry earned the win on the mound of Caldwell. Curry allowed five hits, one earned run, one walk and struck out six batters in her complete game performance.
Red Hawk pitcher Mayson Lail suffered the loss. She gave up seven hits, five runs (four earned), three walks and struck out five batters.
The Catawba Valley Community College softball team returns to action on Thursday with its first road games of the spring 2023 season. The Red Hawks travel to Fisher River Park in Dobson to take on Surry Community College for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
