MOBILE, Ala. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) softball team swept both ends of a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic (SIAC) doubleheader from the Lane College (LC) Dragons by the scores of 7-3 and 2-1 on Friday afternoon at Murray Field.
 
The Dragons (1-5, 0-2 SIAC West) took a 2-0 lead in the 1^st inning of the opener when pitcher Ericka Webster mashed a two-run home run out of right field, but SHC answered back with a run in the bottom of the frame when catcher Aly Fowler slapped a single to left that brought in second baseman Delaney Thomas.
 
The Badgers exploded for five runs in the 3^rd inning by stringing together four hits, including doubles by right fielder Kelsie Authement and shortstop Hannah Fillmore, with the aid of two Dragon errors.
 
Kyla Riley of Lane put a run on the board in the 5^th inning with a double down the right field line that plated relief pitcher Mice'la Ross from 2^nd base. SHC responded with a matching run in the next half inning when Thomas scored from 3^rd base after getting caught in a rundown, but winning the foot race to the plate with the Dragon third baseman.
 
Badger starter Hannah Brenton took the win in four innings with three hits, a walk and six strikeouts while Tiffany Hughes earned her first save of the season in three innings with three hits, a walk and two strikeouts. Webster (0-2) suffered the loss in three innings with six hits, a walk and one strikeout.
 
Brenton (8-3) took to the circle again in the nightcap and earned the complete-game win with four hits allowed, a walk and six strikeouts. Ross (1-3) was saddled with the loss in 6.1 innings with seven hits, two walks and one strikeout.
 
Lane broke open a scoreless tie in the top of the 6^th inning when Whitney Knighton crushed a solo homer out of left field with two outs. The Badgers picked themselves up off the canvass to tie the game in the bottom of the inning when with one out and runners at 1^st and 2^nd bases designated player Randi DeArmitt threaded a ball past the 3^rd baseman. Lane's shortstop prevented the ball from reaching the outfield with a stab to her right, but then flung the ball out of her glove while trying to scoop it to her throwing hand, allowing all three runners to advance.
 
Thomas would plate the winning run with one-out in the 7^th inning by driving a ball to the 2^nd baseman pushing home centerfielder Brooke Vosloh from 3^rd base who had led off the frame with a single to left. Vosloh stole 2^nd base and advanced to 3^rd off a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by left fielder Sarah Johnson.
 
The Badgers (10-8, 5-0 SIAC West) and the Dragons will wrap up this three-game SIAC series on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at Murray Field.