Lynchburg, Va. -- Caroline Joy's fifth-inning grand slam put University of Lynchburg's softball team ahead for good as the Hornets took the opening game of a doubleheader from Averett, 8-5, Sunday on Moon Field. The Cougars won the nightcap, 4-2, to salvage a split.

The two teams were locked in a 1-1 pitchers' duel entering the fifth inning of Game 1, but Lynchburg broke the game open in the bottom half. Carly Hudnall got the rally started with a one-out single, and a Karle Cundiff base hit and Ruby Stewart's walk loaded the bases for Joy. The junior didn't waste the opportunity, sending a drive over the left-field fence for a 5-1 Hornets lead. After Kaleigh Hackett's two-out single, Sophie Tully ripped a triple down the right-field line for an insurance run, and Gracie Dooley later delivered a two-RBI double to break the game open.

The Cougars slugged a pair of late home runs to tighten the score, but Angela Sperandeo induced the game-ending groundout to polish off a complete game and her first victory of 2022 in the circle.

Joy and Hackett each collected three hits in the opening game of the day, and Stewart walked twice and scored twice.

The day's second contest also began as a pitcher's duel. Lynchburg scraped across an first-inning run, taking advantage of a Cougars error to bring Lexi Powell in to score. Meanwhile, Bre Carter was nails in the early going for Lynchburg. The sophomore retired the first eight Averett hitters in order and didn't allow a hit until a leadoff single in the fifth. Lynchburg got into a jam in that inning, but Emily Charlton entered in relief and slammed the door with a pair of groundouts as the Hornets held on to a 1-0 lead. The Hornets doubled their lead in the bottom half thanks to Powell's two-out RBI single.

Averett changed that in the sixth, however, taking advantage of three Lynchburg fielding miscues en route to a four-run inning. The score remained 4-2 through the rest of the ballgame.

Lynchburg (3-3) will return to action Saturday with its road debut, heading to Staunton for a double-dip at Mary Baldwin beginning at noon.

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--LYN--