RALEIGH, N.C. - William Peace relied on the heroics of several players to sweep Averett in a softball doubleheader at the WPU Softball Complex on Friday.

Cierra Lear's RBI triple in the sixth inning lifted the Pacers to a 5-4 win in the first game. In the second game, it was Preston Hawkins' turn to be the star as she smacked a two-run single in the fifth inning to give the Pacers a 6-5 win.

The victories evened the Pacers' record to 8-8 overall while Averett fell to 3-9. The Pacers, who played two days after competing in the Myrtle Beach Classic, are on a three-game winning streak.

"We fought hard and won two close games against a strong and competitive Averett squad," Pacers Head Coach Charlie Dobbins said. "Our 2024 start has been a challenge with a highly competitive schedule and unpredictable weather. Hopefully, this will get us on a run as we move towards conference play."

Reagan Stewart went the distance in the first game to pick up the pitching win. She scattered 10 hits and struck out five in seven innings for the Pacers, who collected eight hits. 

Kimberly Bordeaux earned the pitching victory in the second game. She held the Cougars to one run in 2.2 innings of relief which allowed the Pacers to come back from a 4-2 deficit in the fourth inning.

Both games unfolded in similar ways as the Pacers took an early lead only for the Cougars to move ahead in the middle innings. The Pacers rallied in both games to come out on top.

In the first game, Lear led the way with three RBIs, one run scored and a triple on 2-for-4 batting. Logan Ayers drove in two runs and Lydia Hunt scored twice while Hawkins was 2-for-2 with one run scored.

Lear started the scoring with a two-run single in the third inning but Averett responded with four runs in the fourth for a 4-2 lead. Ayers' two-run single in the fifth tied the score, setting the stage for Lear's game-winning triple in the sixth that scored Hunt, who opened the inning with a single.

In addition to Hawkins' two RBIs in the second game, Angelina Jones was 2-for-3 with a triple, one RBI and one run scored. Ayers batted 1-for-2 with a double, one RBI and two runs scored.

Jones started the scoring on an Averett error for a 1-0 Pacers' lead in the first inning. She then singled in a run in the third inning to tie the game at 2-2. 

The Pacers regained the lead at 3-2 in the fourth inning on Megan McAnany's RBI single. The Cougars moved back in front 4-3 in the fifth inning but Ayers' RBI double in the same inning tied the game again. Hawkins followed Ayers' hit with a two-run single to give the Pacers the lead for good at 6-4. 

Averett got within one at 6-5 in the seventh inning but Bordeaux ended the game with a strikeout to preserve the win.

The Pacers are back on the field Sunday, March 17, when they travel to face Roanoke in a doubleheader. The starting times are 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in Salem, Va.









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