Driver tosses two 3-hitters, Bishops go 3-3 in Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach, SC - Freshman hurler Ashley Driver tossed two complete game three-hitters to lead her North Carolina Wesleyan softball squad to a 3-3 record at this week's Snowbird Classic in Myrtle Beach, SC. Driver (pictured) went 2-1 at the tourney, recording a 10-3 victory over Dickinson College on Tuesday and an 8-1 win over SUNY Institute of Technology on Wednesday. The Bishops' third win came in an 8-3 defeat of St. Joseph's (NY) on Thursday, thanks to a complete game performance by freshman Brooke Davis. Wesleyan is now 5-5 to start the season.

NCWC opened up the tournament with a 10-3 win over Dickinson. Junior Kate Braun and senior Whitney Moshier got the Bishops on the board in the first with back-to-back homeruns for a quick 2-0 lead. The Bishops never trailed from that point on.

Freshman Jena McFadden had three hits and drove in three runs to lead Wesleyan's offensive efforts. Braun finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Dani Abbey went 2-for-4 with a double, triple, and three RBI.

Tuesday's second game saw the Bishops suffer a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Bridgewater College. Davis took the tough loss after seeing her offense limited to just four hits.

On Wednesday, Driver picked up where she left off with the second of her two 3-hitters, striking out a career-high 13 batters in the process. Moshier and fellow senior Payton Gordon had two hits apiece, while McFadden drove in three more runs at the plate.  Freshman Meredith Mills also had two RBI.

The final game on Wednesday pitted NCWC against Greensburg and ended in a heartbreaking 4-2 loss. Davis took the defeat on the mound, but the offense was highlighted by a three-hit performance by Abbey. McFadden and sophomore Jessica Poindexter each tallied doubles, with Poindexter's plating a Bishop run.

Thursday began with a 6-0 loss to Gettysburg as Driver suffered her only loss of the tourney. Braun was Wesleyan's lone bright spot as she recorded two hits at the plate.

The tourney ended with an 8-3 victory over St. Joseph's, a game that saw Davis earn the complete game win. Sophomore Carla Pridgen went 2-for-4 with her first homerun, while Braun turned in a two-run triple to help the cause. Poindexter and Gordon also had two hits apiece, with Gordon's driving in two runs.

Wesleyan opens up USA South play at home on Tuesday when Meredith College visits Rocky Mount. The doubleheader is slated for a 2:00 p.m. start at Edge Field.

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