Averett splits with Pride in offensive battle

GREENSBORO, N.C. - A day after Averett University's Gene Yost led Averett to a 3-0 pitcher's dual win over Greensboro College, a game that saw Yost strikeout 17 Pride batters, the Cougars split a double header with the Pride on Sunday. Averett dropped game one by a 12-3 final, while the Cougars bounced back in game two with a 12-4 rout of the Pride.

Averett (10-6, 4-2 USA South) gave up 10 runs in the first two innings of game one. The Cougar pitching staff allowed nine hits in two innings. The Pride added a pair of additional runs in the sixth inning for the 12 run total.

The Cougars scored in the sixth inning on an Eddie Guessford homer, and added two runs in the seventh on a Chris England home run and an RBI by Jason Inge. Vondell Johnson was 2-for-3 in the contest to lead the Cougars at the plate.

Averett earned their revenge in the closer with an offensive onslaught against the Greensboro pitching staff. The Cougars scored four runs in the first inning on RBIs by Gene Yost, J.T Hyler, and two RBIs from England. However, Averett allowed a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning.

After scoring a third inning run and allowing a fourth inning run by the Pride, the Cougars increased their lead to 8-3 in the fifth when the Pride walked in three runs in the inning. Averett scored a run in the seventh and Guessford added his second home run of the day, a three-run homer, in the eighth. The Pride managed one run in the seventh for the final 12-4 margin.

Kenny Payne struck out seven, while earning the win for Averett. England went 1-for-3 with four RBIs for the Cougars, while Guessford added three RBIs and two hits. Inge and Kevin Bundy also accounted for two hits for the Cougars.

Averett returns to action on Wednesday with road games against Huntingdon College and LaGrange College. The Cougars will play two games in two separate time zones on Wednesday, Huntingdon in Montgomery, AL and LaGrange in Atlanta, GA.

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