HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College softball team earned three more wins during its four games this past weekend against Division I competition, improving to a program-best 7-1 to start to its 2022 season.

Game one: Catawba Valley 8, USC Sumter 1

The Red Hawks jumped on the Fire Ants with three early runs, setting the tone early in a seven-run victory in game one of Friday's doubleheader.

Kaylee Yoder, Jessica Cannon, Lillie Pennington and Grace Andrews led the Catawba Valley offense with two hits apiece.

One of Pennington's two hits was a seventh-inning home run — her first of the season — while Cannon added an extra base hit of her own with a double during the fourth inning.

On the mound, Red Hawk starter Cali Hinnant went the distance. She allowed four hits, one run, one walk and struck out 11 USC Sumter batters to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Game two: USC Sumter 5, Catawba Valley 3

The Fire Ants capitalized on three Red Hawk errors to earn a split of Friday's doubleheader on Friday in game two.

Kaylee Yoder paced the Red Hawk offense with three hits an an RBI, while second baseman Emma Kuproski also drove in a run.

On the mound, Red Hawk pitchers Payton Thomas and Jillian Jones combined to give up eight hits, three earned runs, five walks and struck out five batters. Thomas started the first three innings of the contest before giving way to Jones in the fourth inning.

Game three: Catawba Valley 8, USC Salkehatchie 0

Red Hawk pitcher Cali Hinnant recorded her fourth no-hit performance and second perfect game at CVCC in a shutout victory of game one of Saturday's doubleheader against the Indians.

Hinnant allowed no hits, no walks and struck out eight batters in her five-inning perfect gem — moving her record to 4-0 on the season.

Offensively, third baseman Grace Andrews recorded a team-best three RBI, left fielder Lillie Pennington added her second homer of the weekend and Hinnant helped her cause with two RBI at the plate.

Game four: Catawba Valley 10, USC Salkehatchie 3

The Red Hawks tallied 10 hits, including three each off the bats of Kaylee Yoder and Jessica Cannon, to sweep Saturday's doubleheader against the Indians.

Catawba Valley second baseman Cora Olivares and left fielder Lillie Pennington both drove in three RBI in the contest.

Olivares connected on her first home run of the season — a two-run shot in the sixth inning — while Pennington's two-RBI double in the first inning set the tone early in Saturday's finale.

Red Hawk starting pitcher Jillian Jones improved to 3-0 on the mound this season. During her complete game in the circle, Jones allowed eight hits, one earned run and struck out two batters.


The Catawba Valley Community College softball team is back in action Friday for a road conference doubleheader against Southeastern Community College. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Whiteville, N.C.