Raleigh, N.C. -- University of Lynchburg's softball team kicked off the 2023 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of William Peace on the road Sunday, powered by the hot bats of Gracie Dooley, Kaleigh Hackett, and Olivia Herman. Lynchburg won the opener, 10-3, and the nightcap by a 12-1 score.

Dooley had a perfect day at the plate. The Hornets' left fielder went 6-for-6 with three doubles, a homer, six runs scored, and four RBI to start off the season. Hackett and Herman collected four hits apiece.

Lynchburg drew first blood in the second inning of the opener. Dooley singled with one out to start the rally and came around to score the season's first run on Hackett's RBI double, and the Hornets made it a 2-0 lead after Lexi Powell delivered a sacrifice fly later in the inning. Addison Walter drove in another Hornet run in the third with an RBI infield single.

The Pacers battled back to tie the game with a two-run homer and a run-scoring single in the fourth, but Lynchburg took control an inning later. Dooley helped Lynchburg regain the lead with an RBI double, and Hackett drove in two more with her second double of the ballgame to make it a 6-3 score. The Hornets added four more insurance runs in the seventh on RBI knocks by Dooley, Madison Barnes, and Skylar Sams and a sac fly off Hackett's bat to win 10-3.

Angela Sperandeo started in the circle for the Hornets, yielding just two earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings. Kailey Dorcsis was fantastic on her way to the win in relief; the sophomore allowed just one hit in 3 ⅓ innings and struck out three Pacers.

Lynchburg also drew first blood in the nightcap as well. After a pair of scoreless frames, Karle Cundiff drew a two-out walk in the top of the third to start the Hornets' rally. Herman doubled to drive in the game's first run, and Dooley promptly homered to center field to make it a 3-0 game. The Hornets extended the lead to 6-0 an inning later on Carly Hudnall's RBI single and Powell's two-run double, and Lynchburg cruised to the sweep. Emily Charlton earned the win in Game 2 with five innings of one-run ball, and Logan Curtis turned in a pair of scoreless frames to close it out.

Lynchburg (2-0) will make its home debut Saturday with a noon start against Mary Baldwin.

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--LYN--