COCHRAN, GA - After having to postpone opening weekend a week ago, the Knights softball team opened their season on Friday, February 8 against #20 Truett-McConnell University with two hard fought games which saw the team come up short in each.  The Knights lost game 1 by a score of 8-5 and game 2 became an extra inning affair which was a 4-3 loss opening the season at 2-0.

Game 1 saw the Bears open up an 8-0 lead after 4 and a half innings and could not get the bats going but the bottom of the 5th changed that as the Knights put up 4 runs on 5 hits to cut the lead to 8-4.  Maggie Burkhalter opened the inning with a double then scored on a passed ball 3 batters later.  Ny'Asia Howard doubled with runners on 2nd and 3rd to drive in two more and scored on a double by Madison Bivins.  Trailing 8-4 in the bottom of the 7th, the Knights loaded the bases with 1 out.  Caroline Newton hit into a fielder's choice to score Howard and the threat ended with the next batter.  Meagan Coleman took the loss giving up 3 earned runs in 4.0 innings on 7 hits and striking out 3.  Sydney Shackleford threw 3.0 innings, givingup 4 earned runs on 3 hits and a strikeout.  

Game 2 saw the Knights jump to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st on Caroline Newton's RBI groundout.  The Bears tied the game in the 3rd with a run on a pair of hits.  Taylor Sheffield broke the tie with an RBI single to score Newton in the 4th and the Knights led 2-1.  The Bears got the tying run in the 6th on 2 hits and then, using the international tie breaker rule starting in the 8th with a runner on 2nd, the Bears were able to push across 2 runs on 2 hits.  The Knights were able to get one run back on a single by Bivins to score Margaret Simmons but stranded the tying runner at 3rd as the game ended 4-3 in 8 innings.

The Knights open the season at 0-2 and host the Point University Skyhawks on Saturday, February 9 at 2PM.