LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. – The Mary Baldwin University softball team opened its 2020 season on the road at Covenant on Saturday.

The Fighting Squirrels fell in game one 6-5 before dropping the second contest 9-4.

In game one, the Scots grabbed a pair of runs in the third inning to go ahead 2-0. In the sixth frame, Sam Breeden hit a two-out double to get in scoring position before Alexis Clark hit her first home run of the season to tie the game.

In the bottom half of the frame, CC plated four runs to go up 6-2. The home half of the final inning saw Daleya Scaife earn a lead-off walk before moving to second after Jordan Miller drew a walk as well. Marybeth Strickler stroked a one-out three-run home run to cut the lead down to just one run, 6-5, but the Scots recorded the final two outs in order to preserve the victory.

For MBU, Strickler and Breeden both had two-hit performances while Strickler drove in three runs and Clark had two RBI. Strickler, Breeden, Clark, Samantha Grimsley and Miller each scored once.

In the circle, Courteney Back was strapped with the loss after throwing 5.2 innings and allowing six runs (two earned).

In game two, the Scots took an early 3-0 lead in the second inning. In response, Lindsay Simmons led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch. She came around to score on a base hit by Breeden, 3-1. Covenant added another score in the bottom half to set the score at 4-1.

The Fighting Squirrels got a run on a sacrifice fly from Simmons to half the deficit, 4-2, but CC plated two runs in the fourth. MBU scored another in the fifth and sixth, but the Scots added three insurance runs to in the fifth to take a 9-4 win.

Grimsley went 3 for 4 In her second career collegiate game and scored a run, while Breeden was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI.

Simmons took the loss after throwing 1.1 innings and allowing three runs (two earned). Stormy Harrison pitched 4.2 innings in her collegiate debut.

The Fighting Squirrels begin a stretch of four-straight home dates on March 4 as they host Randolph in a doubleheader beginning at 2pm.

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