Brevard, N.C. - North Carolina Wesleyan softball earned a conference doubleheader sweep over Brevard on Saturday afternoon, taking game one 3-0 before breaking things open late in an 8-3 victory in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Battling Bishops used timely hitting and a dominant performance in the circle to secure the 3-0 win. Wesleyan struck in the second inning when Lexi Howerton delivered an RBI single and Caleigh Warf followed with a run-scoring bunt to give the Bishops an early lead. The offense added an insurance run in the seventh as Ragan Holloman drove in Lexi Howerton. Wesleyan totaled 10 hits in the contest, with Holloman recording two hits and an RBI, while Howerton added two hits and a run driven in. In the circle, Ava Strickland was outstanding, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing just four hits and striking out two.
Wesleyan carried that momentum into game two, using a big sixth inning to pull away for an 8-3 victory. After Brevard took an early 1-0 lead, the Bishops answered in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Kendall Wallace to even the score. Wesleyan took control in the fifth as Brooke Markiewicz delivered a two-RBI double to give the Bishops a 3-1 lead. The game broke open in the sixth inning when the Bishops plated five runs, highlighted by a two-RBI triple from Aleah Jones and a two-run home run from Kayla Simmons. Wesleyan finished with 14 hits in the game, with Markiewicz, Holloman, Kayla Simmons, and Kyiah Simmons all recording multiple hits. Kendall Wallace earned the win in the circle, going the distance while allowing three runs on 11 hits.
The sweep marked another strong showing for the Battling Bishops in USA South play, combining consistent offense with strong pitching performances to secure two conference victories.
