NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University softball team had to settle for a split on Friday afternoon as they opened a weekend of Great Midwest Athletic Conference play against two of the better teams from the northern regions of the Conference. The Trojans dropped game one to the University of Findlay (17-14, 8-6 G-MAC) 2-1, but Trevecca (15-7, 7-1 G-MAC) bounced back to win the back half of the day by a score of 8-1.

SEASON ESSENTIALS 

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HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME 1

Findlay dented the plate first in game one. The Oilers put two on with one out in the inning, and an error allowed a run to score to put UF on top 1-0. After a pop-out for out number two, a double by Dylan Wiley doubled the Oilers' lead to 2-0.

TNU threatened in the fourth, getting the tying runs into scoring position with two away, but they were unable to score. In the sixth, TNU got on the board when MaKray Odom scored on an error as Leena Robinson swiped second base, and again the Trojans had a pair of runners in scoring position, this time with only one away, but a pop out and a strikeout ended the threat. Trevecca again got the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh, but a popped-up bunt resulted in a double play, and Findlay held on to take the win 2-1.

GAME 2

Trevecca drew first blood in game two when Eakes singled in Odom in the bottom of the first to give TNU the 1-0 lead. Matti Byrd belted her second round-tripper of the season to double the Trojans' lead in the bottom of the second, and in the fourth, Byrd scored again - this time on a single from Odom. After Findlay scored to cut the margin to 3-1 in the top of the fifth, Thrift answered with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning that plated Carly Sperlich and restore the three-run gap.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Trojans nearly pushed the margin to the run-rule, as they scored four more runs and left a pair in scoring position. Findlay went quietly in the seventh, and TNU took the win 8-1.

CIRCLE AND BOX NOTES

GAME 1

Robinson and Brooke Eakes each had two hits for the Trojans, who notched seven safeties in the game. Odom, Robinson, and Malone Thrift each had stolen bases, and Raygn Hall (7-5) took the tough-luck loss despite scattering eight hits in seven innings and allowing only two runs - neither of which was earned. She walked one and fanned a pair.

GAME 2

Odom set the table at the top of the order with a 4-for-4 game that included a stolen base, an RBI, and two runs scored. Sperlich and Thrift were each 3-for-4 in the game, Thrift stole a base and knocked in two, and Sperlich drove in a run and scored two others. Eakes also had a multi-hit game, lashing a pair of singles and picking up three RBIs. In the circle, Alex Behnke (7-1) tossed her sixth complete game of the season, she gave up only one earned run on six hits, and she struck out three with only one walk.  

WHAT'S NEXT

The Trojans will continue their 10-game homestand on Saturday when they take on the Hillsdale College Chargers (20-12, 8-2 G-MAC) - the team on the Trojans' heels in the G-MAC standings. Trevecca is percentage points up on Hillsdale for the top spot in the Conference, and the Trojans have two games in hand on the Chargers. First pitch of the day's twin bill is slated for 1 p.m.

The rest of the regular season slate includes home games with Cedarville University (14-10, 3-3 Great Midwest / April 23) and Ohio Dominican University (15-8, 4-1 Great Midwest / April 24), before closing the season on the road at Lake Erie College (5-18, 0-3 Great Midwest / April 30) and Ursuline College (1-11, 1-3 Great Midwest / May 1).

The Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championships are set for May 6-8.

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