PETERSBURG, Va. — The 18th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College softball team won two of three games played against Richard Bland in its opening series of the season on the road this past weekend.

Game one: No. 18 Catawba Valley 8, Richard Bland 0

The Red Hawks scored five runs in the first inning and got a dominant pitching performance on the mound from Mayson Lail in a season-opening shut out against the Statesmen on Friday.

Miranda Valerio led Catawba Valley at the plate with two RBI, while Zauryn Moore, Tristan Smalling, Macey Pennell and Kayla Hollar each drove in one run.

Lail allowed just two Richard Bland hits and struck out two batters over five innings of work to earn her first win of the spring.

Game two: No. 18 Catawba Valley 7, Richard Bland 5

The Red Hawks scored five runs combined in the fourth and fifth innings to pull ahead of the Statesmen in a two-run win on Friday.

Miranda Valerio continued her hot hitting, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and three RBI. Macey Pennell scored a team-high two runs and teammates Chesney Stikeleather, Abby Teague and Kayla Hollar drove in one run apiece.

Mayson Lail and Tristan Smalling split the pitching duties in game two, combining to give up eight hits and two earned runs while striking out six batters. Smalling earned her first win of the spring.

Game three: Richard Bland 5, No. 18 Catawba Valley 2

Three errors were costly for the Red Hawks in a three-run loss to the Statesmen in the series finale on Saturday.

Abby Teague led CVCC with a team-high three hits and the lone RBI of the contest for the Red Hawks. Chesney Stikeleather added two hits.


The 18th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College softball team returns to action this weekend for its first home series of 2024. The Red Hawks welcome Pitt to Stanford Park for a 5 p.m. contest on Friday before finishing the three-game series on Saturday with a noon doubleheader.