Lynchburg, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg softball team's opening-day success continued on Friday as the Hornets swept Mary Baldwin.

Driven by a strong day at the plate from Sarah Watts, Addison Walter, and Sophie Tully, the Hornets won Game 1 of the doubleheader 9-1 and Game 2 by a score of 14-6.

Sarah Watts hit two home runs over the left field wall in Game 1. Watts was 4-for-5 on the day with five RBI for the Hornets. Walter had five hits on the afternoon, and Tully added four hits in her season debut.

The Hornets got out to a strong start after Lexi Powell singled to start the day. She later scored after Tully batted her in. Kaleigh Hackett also added an RBI to her total as she hit one the opposite way into right field which scored Karle Cundiff. Olivia Herman contributed the final run of the first inning in the home opener on a wild pitch that gave the Hornets a 3-0 lead after the first inning. 

Lynchburg scored four more runs as they took an 8-0 lead into the top of the 5th inning. However, the Fighting Squirrels cut into the lead courtesy of Olivia Gange as she singled up the middle which allowed Sam Grimsley to score the lone run of the game for the visitors.

Gracie Dooley continued her hot streak as she earned an RBI in the 4th inning as she singled up the middle. This allowed freshman Madison Barnes to score, extending the Lynchburg lead to 8-0.

Watts then stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 5th inning and turned on an offspeed pitch, sending it over the left field wall which gave the Hornets the 9-1 lead. This enacted the run-ahead rule and improved Lynchburg to 3-0 on the season.

Kailey Dorscis made her first start of the season as she accumulated five strikeouts and did not concede a hit in her four innings of work. Bre Carter also pitched the top of the 5th inning in relief for the Hornets. 

After the defeat in Game 1, Mary Baldwin came out swinging to start Game 2. Leanna Rankin got things started for the Fighting Squirrels and singled up the left side with one out in the top of the 1st. She later scored to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Mary Baldwin extended its lead to 2-0 after an RBI single from Trinity Thomas allowed Olivia Gagne to score in the top of the 2nd inning. 

But the Hornets had an immediate response after Walter singled with the bases loaded. Pinch runner Leah Caldwell scored. The next batter, Carly Hudnall, singled allowing both Dooley and Ruby Stewart to score, reclaiming the lead for the Hornets 3-2. 

From there, both sides were locked in a back-and-forth battle. Mary Baldwin plated three in the top of the 5th to tie the game 6-6. Once again, the Hornets responded immediately when Walter was the beneficiary of a delayed double steal as Hudnall took second, Walter came home to regain the lead for the Hornets. 

Lexi Powell took all of the momentum in the bottom of the 5th as she turned on an inside pitch and ripped it over the left field fence to extend the Hornet's lead to 9-6. Lynchburg kept adding to the lead and won 14-6 in the 6th.

Lynchburg (4-0) starts its 10-game road trip on Sunday in Fayetteville, N.C. to take on Methodist.

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--LYN--