Leslie Hensley (Cheraw, S.C.) drove in eight RBI, doubling her season total, and gave up just three hits pitching the first game, to lead the Presbyterian College softball team to the 5-1 and 10-2 wins against Western Carolina in an afternoon doubleheader at the PC softball complex in Clinton, S.C.
The Blue Hose improved their record to 15-5-1, while the Catamounts dropped to 13-17 on the year.
Western Carolina scored a run in the top of the first inning to open the first game after Jordan Fulton led off with a double and came home off a Kelly Braman single three batters later.
The game remained 1-0 in favor of the Catamounts until the bottom of the fifth when the Blue Hose scored off a Hensley (Cheraw, S.C.) home run, her third of the year.
Jennifer Marshall (Spring Hill, Fla.) and Rachel Hopper (Simpsonville, S.C.) both hit singles to start the sixth inning and set up Tera Powell (Green Cove Springs, Fla.), who knocked her fourth double of the year, this one down the left field line, to take PC up 3-1. After Taylor Staten (Belvedere, S.C.) walked, Hensley stepped it up again, this time with a two-RBI double to left center, and PC led 5-1.
The Catamounts wouldn't threaten in the seventh and the Blue Hose came away with their 14th win of the season.
Hensley threw a complete game, picking up her ninth win of the season (9-3), allowing just three hits and one earned run.
The Catamounts got on the board first in the second game as well, with a run in the top of the first inning.
PC responded with three runs in the bottom of the first. Hensley picked up a two-RBI double, while Yeske added another RBI as the Blue Hose took the 3-1 lead after the first. Presbyterian College tacked on two more in the third with Yeske and Morgan Durham (Simpsonville, S.C.) posting RBI.
Western Carolina fought back with a run in the top of the fourth but that would be its last run as the Blue Hose put up five in the bottom to take the 10-2 lead.
With runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth, Staten hit a single to center, sending in a run to make the score 6-2. With runners on first and second, Hensley hit her second home run of the game and fourth of the season to give the Blue Hose the 9-2 lead. The next at-bat, Yeske was hit by pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home off a Durham single to right field.
Western Carolina went scoreless in the top of the fifth and the game ended early.
Brittany Howell (Concrete, Wash.) went the distance, with just eight hits given up and two runs scored, for her sixth win (6-2).
Powell went three-for-five with two-RBI and three runs scored, while Hensley was four-for-seven with eight RBI and three runs.
PC hosts Gardner Webb Thursday, March 24 in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on www.goBlueHose.com.
