MEMPHIS - The Christian Brothers University softball team knocked off No. 2 Auburn Montgomery to help it split a Gulf South Conference doubleheader, on Saturday, at Bland Field. The Lady Bucs took the opener 9-3 before dropping the nightcap 10-6.
The victory for the Lady Bucs marks the first over a ranked team since 2013 (No. 17 West Alabama - 3.16.13).
GAME ONE: Lady Bucs 9 (14-28, 8-17 GSC) | Warhawks 3 (32-8, 20-5 GSC)
GAME CHANGER:
Leading 3-2, the Lady Bucs scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-2 lead.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
The Lady Bucs outhit AUM 8-4.
Five of eight CBU hits were for extra bases, including three home runs.
Kendall Westbrooks led the Lady Bucs at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and three runs.
Ashley Dyer and
RJ Simpson drove in two runs apiece.
Dyer, Westbrooks and
Memory Willingham all hit home runs.
Mackenzie Puckett went the distance in the circle, allowing one earned run, on four hits, with five strikeouts.
KEY PLAYS:
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Lady Bucs used a bloop single from
RJ Simpson to take a 2-1 lead.
After AUM tied the game in the third, Dyer smacked a solo home run, in the next inning to make it 2-2.
In the fifth, the Lady Bucs took advantage of four walks and an error to take a 5-2 lead.
Back-to-back home runs by Willingham, and Westbrooks extended the lead to 9-2, in the sixth.
In the seventh, AUM had four of its first five batters reach base, but Puckett forced a double play to end the game.
GAME TWO: Warhawks 10 (33-8, 21-5 GSC) | Lady Bucs 9 (14-29, 8-18 GSC)
GAME CHANGER:
AUM pushed across seven runs in the top of the fifth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
The Lady Bucs were outhit 11-8.
Ashley Dyer,
Kendall Westbrooks and
Kiera Coulon finished with two hits apiece.
Dyer and Willingham drove in two runs apiece. Dyer added her second home run of the day.
Mackenzie Puckett and Westbrooks also drove in a run.
AUM pitcher Hannah Creel struck out nine CBU batters.
KEY PLAYS:
After AUM took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the third inning, a two-run home run from Dyer cut the deficit to 3-2.
In the fourth, CBU tied the game at three on an RBI single from Puckett.
AUM sent 11 batters to the plate, in the fifth, scoring seven runs on four hits. A three-run home run from Gia Martin was the highlight of the inning.
CBU answered back with three in the bottom half of the inning to finish the scoring.
NOTABLES:
The victory over AUM was the first for CBU over a ranked opponent since 2013.
With the win in game one, the Lady Bucs have their most victories since 2012.
The eight GSC wins are the most for CBU since it finished with nine in 2009.
UP NEXT:
The Lady Bucs are scheduled to return to action on Sunday April 24 when they wrap up their series with Auburn Montgomery. Following the game, CBU will honor its six seniors. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
