CLINTON, S.C. – The opening afternoon of Big South Conference competition was certainly an eventful sequence for the Presbyterian College softball team on Friday, starting off the league schedule with a 13-5 rout over Winthrop before the Eagles returned the favor in the second contest 12-3.

PC has recently been on an unlucky skid against quality opponents (nearly all of them away from home), but they unleashed those frustrations in the first Big South duel by jumping out to an 8-0 advantage after just two innings.

Sophomore Audrey Burton – often slotted as a designated player but starting both games at second base – cranked her first career home run to help the Blue Hose run-rule their Palmetto rival.

Friday's results have set up a very intriguing rubber match tomorrow, with the series finale taking place at 1:00 on ESPN+.


 
NOTABLES
 

- Burton may have stolen the show in the opener with her two-run launch against reigning Big South Pitcher of the Week Lonna Addison, but Avery Robinson was also efficient in the DH with a double in either affair.

- She and senior Peyton Duncan shared the six-inning victory in the circle (which emphatically snapped a nine-game losing skid), withstanding an opponent that advanced to the conference championship game last spring.

- The freshman tandem of Cierra Grice and Hali Duke – who bat one and two in PC's lineup, respectively – combined for six knocks in the twinbill, giving them 19 consecutive games with at least one hit between them.

- Burton's first two at-bats against Addison were the aforementioned homer and a bases-loaded walk. Senior Blair Darby pushed the lead to 8-0 with a two-run single shortly after.

- Another positive sign for the Blue Hose's future was the return of rookie Ava Coggins at the centerfield spot, starting for the first time since Valentine's Day following a wrist injury.


 
GAME ONE: Presbyterian def. Winthrop, 13-5 (Six Innings)

 
- PC pounced on the Eagles before they knew what hit them, stacking up 10 runs in the first three innings that were all charged to Addison (who posted a 3-0 personal record last week).

- Grice, Burton, Robinson, and Gracie DeCuir went 8-of-12 at the plate collectively in the blowout, smelling blood in the water from the get-go and taking their eighth home win of the season.

- Winthrop was able to fight back to an extent near the end of Game One, trailing 10-5 before a two-score single from pinch-hitter Jessica Wilson and a sacrifice fly by Grice signaled the run rule.


 
GAME TWO: Winthrop def. Presbyterian, 12-3 (Six Innings)

 
- The visitors returned the favor in the back half of Friday's feature, scoring 10 of the final 11 runs to reach the split. Emmy Cardenas tossed the full game for Winthrop and obtained the win despite zero strikeouts.

- Another Robinson double moved the deficit to 7-3 in the 5^th frame, but the Eagles closed the door on a potential PC comeback with a five-run flurry in the next stanza (punctuated by a couple of longballs).