Bass powers Bishops to softball split with Broncos

Rocky Mount, NC - Senior Ashlee Bass (pictured) belted two homeruns and recorded four RBI in game one of Wednesday’s softball  doubleheader, leading her Battling Bishops to a 5-0 win over Division II Fayetteville State University at Edge Field. The Broncos handed Wesleyan its first loss of the season in game two, a 12-9 FSU victory that secured the twinbill split. Wesleyan is now 5-1 on the season, while FSU moves to 3-5 overall.

The opener proved to be a pitcher’s dual through the first three innings. Bass plated the game’s first run when she delivered an inside-the-park homerun in the bottom of the fourth.

The Bishops threatened again in the fifth when Katie Dunavant and Whitney Moshier led off the inning with a double and walk, respectively. Bass later blasted her second homer of the day, a three-run shot over the fence in left-center that gave the Bishops a 4-0 lead.

Moshier later tacked on an insurance run with an RBI-triple in the sixth for the 5-0 final.

Libby Fulford (3-0) earned the win on the mound, earning her second straight complete game shutout. Fulford scattered eight hits and struck out eight over seven innings.

In the second game, the Broncos managed an early 1-0 lead on an Alicia Frank RBI-single to left. Wesleyan, however, answered with three runs on just one hit in their first two at-bats. The Bishops benefited from four walks, while freshman Carla Pridgen recorded the lone hit.

FSU regained the lead in the third when the Broncos tallied four hits to plate three runs. Frank recorded another RBI, while Danisha Lyons delivered the big blow with a two-run single to left with two outs, giving Fayetteville State a 4-3 advantage.

Wesleyan continued the back-and-forth battled with a three-spot in their half of the inning to go up 6-4, but the Broncos again climbed back on top with a six-run fourth.

Down 10-6, Moshier pulled NCWC to within one with a three-run homer of her own in the bottom of the fifth, her second of the season. Unfortunately, the Bishops would get no closer as the Broncos added two insurance runs in the sixth for the 12-9 final.

Pridgen paced Wesleyan’s offensive effort in game two with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate, including an RBI and two runs scored. For Fayetteville State, Frank finished 3-for-3 with six RBI.

NCWC freshman Kacie Brandes (2-1) took the loss in the circle, going three innings and allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. Frank earned the win in the relief for the Broncos.

The Bishops return to action this weekend at Ferrum College’s spring tournament. Games are set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. in Salem, VA.