Cameron Wright’s sixth inning home run gave Covenant’s softball team a lift Monday, no question about it.
Her blast to center woke up a previously quiet Eagles squad as they rallied from down by two runs late to beat Western Albemarle 3-2.
“I think it definitely increased the momentum,” Wright said. “When I hit it I kind of knew it was gone.”
It was the bottom half of the order though that gave the Eagles their most timely hits. Junior Ashley Harrington and eighth grader Jenna Conrades each had RBI singles late in the game out of the sixth and ninth spots in the lineup. Conrades tied the game with a single to the left side of the infield in the top of the sixth. Harrington then put the Eagles out front with a seventh inning single.
From there Lindsay Chaney closed the door in the circle, inducing a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
“This is one of the ones that we really wanted just because it was local,” Wright said. “I think the girls and me especially had a slow start but once the momentum picked up we knew we could win it.”
Western built its 2-0 lead with some unconventional and aggressive base-running, scoring on a timing play and an error in the third inning. Tiffany Marshall scored from third on a short ground ball after Covenant’s pitcher tried to look her back. Marshall broke for home as soon as the Eagels’ hurler turned back to first on the fielder’s choice. The Warriors’ Olivia Markopoulous then raced home just in time during the frame as Covenant tagged out Molly Dunsmore between first and second.
An injury to starting pitcher and No. 5 hitter Courtney Wright during a slide attempt into third base during the game could prove costly for the Eagles who are already short on reserves.
The Eagles will face Trinity Wednesday night while Western takes on Colonial Beach Saturday.
