RALEIGH, N.C. (March 5, 2023) – The Denison University softball team split its final two games of the Grand Slam Triangle Softball Classic on Sunday. The Big Red first fell 8-7 to Meredith College after a two-run bottom of the seventh inning before coming back to earn a one-run win themselves, 4-3, against Averett University.

Game 1 (Denison 7, Meredith 8):

• Denison led 4-0 before Meredith tied it with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the third inning.
• The Big Red then bounced back in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6-4 lead on a two-run double to center field by Annabelle Calderon before the Avenging Angels again tied it in the bottom of the fifth inning.
• In the top of the seventh inning, Denison took the lead for the third time in the game with a leadoff double by Janae Arcos followed by an RBI-groundout by Brooke Surbaugh two batters later.
• In the bottom of the seventh, however, Denison could not hold on as back-to-back singles followed by a sacrifice bunt got two runners into scoring position with only one out. Then a fielder's choice on the next at bat tied the game before the game-winning sacrifice fly to right field.
• Calderon was 4-for-4 with three RBIs while Jacqui Abogado, Indy Workman and Surbaugh each finished with two hits and Maggie Ballentine and Workman both scored twice.

 
Game 2 (Denison 4, Averett 3):

• Averett scored in the top of the first inning with a two-out rally featuring three straight singles followed by a bases loaded walk.
• The Cougars then made it a 3-0 lead with a two-out, two-run single up the middle in the top of the fourth inning.
• Denison then used three two-out hits of its own to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning and take the lead in the fifth.
• In the bottom of the fourth, it was an RBI-single by Clara Wolff and an RBI-double by Ballentine to get the Big Red to within one at 3-2.
• Then in the bottom of the fifth, Brianna Gonzalez came up big with a two-run double to center field to make it 4-3 Big Red. That would go on to be the game-winning hit as Sydney Silverstein (2-1) set Averett down 1-2-3 in the sixth inning before getting a getting a strikeout to end it in the seventh and earn the complete game victory.
• At the plate, Ballentine, Calderon and Gonzalez each finished with two hits while as a team, the Big Red finished with four doubles.

 
Records:

• It was the first meeting for Denison (4-2 overall) against both Meredith (4-4) and Averett (3-5).

 
Next Up: The Big Red will return to Granville, Ohio, for their home opener against Franklin College starting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 9.