Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's softball team opened up the 2022 season Saturday, splitting a double-dip with visiting William Peace on Moon Field. The Hornets fell in the opener, 7-6, but rallied to win Game 2 by a 9-1 score in 6 innings.

Caroline Joy collected three hits, including a home run, and four RBI; Bri Hodges doubled and drove in three runs; and Emily Charlton appeared in both games, totaling 7 ⅔ innings of one-run ball and earning the victory in the circle.

The Hornets took an early lead in their first at-bat of the season. Lexi Powell drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Pacers error. William Peace assumed a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, but Lynchburg got the upper hand in the bottom half. The rally started on Jordan Brown's leadoff double and, after two quick outs, Hodges reached on an error that allowed Brown to score. The next batter, Joy, homered to center field for a 4-2 Lynchburg lead.

William Peace cut the lead to one with a solo homer in the fifth, but Hodges doubled home Powell in the bottom of the inning to keep the Lynchburg lead at two. It didn't last long. The Pacers exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth for a 7-5 advantage.

Ruby Stewart's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth got Lynchburg within one, but the Hornets couldn't muster up the tying run and dropped their 2022 opener.

Lynchburg's luck was better on the back half of the doubleheader. Powell again walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and this time her base on balls was followed by four Hornet hits. Joy delivered a two-run double and, later in the inning, Kaleigh Hackett laced a two-out, two-run single to center for an early 4-0 Lynchburg tally.

Charlton needed no more support. The southpaw retired the first 10 hitters she faced and finished the abbreviated complete game with one run allowed (a solo homer) on four hits, no walks, and three strikeouts.

Lynchburg tacked on as the afternoon waned. Brown and Addison Walter delivered RBI hits in the fourth, and a Powell RBI and Hodges' two-run single in the sixth invoked the eight-run mercy rule for an early end to the game.

Lynchburg (1-1) will take the week to rest before a busy next weekend in which Methodist pays a visit to the Hill City Saturday, February 19 and future Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponent Averett comes the following afternoon, February 20. Both start times are set for noon.

Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts from Lynchburg athletics.

Give Lynchburg Sports a like on Facebook, and follow Lynchburg athletics on Instagram and Twitter.

--LYN--