Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's softball team rallied from an early deficit in the nightcap to salvage a doubleheader split, dropping the opener 7-0 before winning 13-8 in the sequel against No. 5-ranked Salisbury Sunday on Moon Field.

Graduate student shortstop Kayla Hugate tallied five hits in the twinbill, while sophomore third baseman Karle Cundiff drove in a pair of runs in Game 2.

Lynchburg (17-11) couldn't find the answer for Sea Gulls pitcher Lindsey Windsor in Game 1, mustering just three hits as the right-hander fired a shutout. SU scored four in the third to take the lead and never looked back.

The nightcap began poorly as well with Salisbury scoring five times in the first. Lynchburg countered with its first run of the day in the bottom half when Gracie Dooley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Salisbury made it a 6-1 lead in the second, but the Lynchburg bats woke up in the home part of the frame. Kaleigh Hackett began the rally by reaching on an error to start the inning. It was the first of three errors that would bite the Sea Gulls in the second, which, paired with RBI hits by Bri Hodges and Dooley, helped the Hornets knot the score, 6-6.

Lynchburg then took the lead in the following inning thanks to a bases-loaded walk by Cundiff, and the Hornets blew the game open with three runs in the fifth, again aided by sloppy Sea Gulls defense.

Cundiff then delivered the final blow, a two-run double as part of Lynchburg's three-run sixth, to put the contest out of reach.

Lynchburg will return to Old Dominion Athletic Conference play on the road Monday with a 5 p.m. doubleheader scheduled at Ferrum.

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--LYN--