DeLand, FL. - The Wofford softball team (5-2) split the two opening games of the Hatter Classic. The Terriers lost a narrow game against Bethune-Cookman, 6-5, before bouncing back against the host Stetson Hatters 3-0 at Patricia Wilson Field.
Game 1
Game one against Bethune- Cookman saw a narrow 6-5 defeat by the hands of the Wildcats. The Terriers struck first thanks to a Havalynn Abernathy double, for the early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Abby Greenwood got the nod to start the match up, but the Bethune-Cookman offense got after her early with a four run first inning. She was pulled after the first, being replaced by Tayven Stephenson for her first pitching performance of the season. She went five innings with two runs given up.
Wofford would claw back a run in the third frame with an Abby Gossett pinch hit RBI double and then in the fourth inning with a Brianna Stanley RBI single. The Wildcats would add two insurance runs in the sixth as they tried to pull away. However, the Terriers would make a comeback attempt in the seventh, Brianna Stanley drove in an RBI with a single to center. A wild pitch would score a Terrier with runners on second and third with two outs, but the Wildcats would shut the door with a strikeout to end the game at 6-5.
Game 2
Game two of the Hatter Classic was a decisive 3-0 win over the Stetson Hatters. The ever-reliable Margaret Axelson took the circle for the Terriers and made short work of the hot Stetson lineup. The right-hander pitched a complete game shut out with three punch outs and no walks awarded. This was her third complete game of season in three games thrown and she has only given up a single hit-by- pitch and zero walks in 21 innings of action this season.
The Terriers got on the scoreboard in the second inning with smart baserunning by Kaytlin Greenwood to score in a rundown. The Terrier shortstop would strike again in the sixth inning, when she hit a sacrifice fly to score freshman Maize Gatlin to give the Terriers the 2-0 lead heading into the final frame. Another sacrifice fly in the seventh by pinch hitter Kalli Petty would extend Wofford's lead to 3-0. Margaret Axelson would achieve her shutout and complete game after freshman Rivers Sampson robbed a homerun for the first out of the seventh.
Wofford will return to action tomorrow, February 15, as they take on Fairfield at 9:30 am and a rematch against Stetson at 3:00 pm in DeLand, Florida. The game against Stetson will be streamed on ESPN+.
