HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College softball team earned a sweep in its first-ever games in Region 10 West Division play on Saturday against visiting Southwest Virginia at Highland Recreation Center's Field 2.
With the wins, the Red Hawks improve to 8-4 overall and 2-0 in West Division play.
Game one: Catawba Valley 14, Southwest Virginia 5 (six innings)
Falling behind by five runs early, the Red Hawks scored 14 unanswered runs to knock off the Flying Eagles via the run rule during Saturday's opener.
Left fielder Katie Camp led Catawba Valley, going 4-for-4 at the plate with three home runs and seven RBI. Shortstop Paige Norton and right fielder Zoe Dalton also added two RBI each for CVCC.
Southwest Virginia scored three runs in the first inning and two in the second inning to gain its early 5-0 lead. Lindsey Sword led the early charge for the Flying Eagles with a two-run home run during the first inning.
Camp's solo home run in the bottom of the third inning helped light the offensive spark for the Red Hawks, who went on to tally 15 hits in Saturday's opener.
After adding an RBI single by Norton in the third inning and a solo home run by Dalton in the fourth inning, a three-run error on a ball hit by Ashlyn Parsons in the fourth inning helped push Catawba Valley into a 6-5 lead — an advantage it did not surrender.
A pair of three-run home runs by Camp in the fifth and sixth innings helped grow that lead, allowing the Red Hawks to secure the run-rule victory.
On the mound, Katelyn McClure earned her fourth win of the season for Catawba Valley. She allowed just two hits, one walk and no runs while striking out five batters in 4.1 innings.
Game two: Catawba Valley 8, Southwest Virginia 1 (seven innings)
Carrying over offensive momentum from game one, the Red Hawks scored eight runs on 11 hits to complete the two-game sweep of the Flying Eagles on Saturday afternoon.
Pitcher Payton Goble led Catawba Valley in game two. She went 2-for-4 with five RBI at the plate in the contest, and on the mound, she tossed a complete game, allowing five hits, one unearned run and two walks while striking out four batters to earn her second win of the season.
Red Hawks third baseman Kelsea Dejarnette connected on her third home run of the season — part of a five-run third inning that also included Goble's three-run double.
Goble added two runs to the CVCC lead in the fourth inning on a single to center field, making it a 7-0 lead for the home team.
Southwest Virginia's Lindsey Sword broke up Goble's shutout bid in the sixth inning, plating a run on a ground out.
Red Hawks first baseman Katelyn McClure closed out the scoring in the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, hitting her first collegiate home run.
As a team, Catawba Valley now has 14 home runs on the season — the most of any team in Region 10 Division II.
The Catawba Valley Community College softball team returns to action this Friday for an important series against West Division foe Florence-Darlington Tech. First pitch for Friday's doubleheader in Florence, S.C. is set for 2 p.m.
Friday's doubleheader kicks off a string of eight-straight road doubleheaders for the Red Hawks, who return home next on Monday, March 23 for a doubleheader at Highland Rec Center Field 2 against Paul D. Camp.
