WINCHESTER, Va. - Shenandoah University guaranteed itself its most successful softball conference showing in nine years Friday afternoon with a USA South doubleheader split with visiting Averett University.

Shenandoah (9-15, 2-6 USA South) came back to win game two, 1-0, after seeing Averett (9-20, 3-5) rally for a 3-2 victory in the opener. The two wins equals the 2004 team's total, but that team had 16 league games. The USA South now plays 14 league games in softball.

The Hornets took a 2-0 lead in game one with two runs on two hits and one Lady Cougars error, but saw AU score single runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings to steal the victory. The runs in the third and seventh were both unearned, making a hard-luck loser of sophomore Tana Bartek (3-7).

Bartek gave up the three runs on four hits but was victimized by three SU errors that led to the two unearned runs. She struck out six and also drove in the first run of the game with a triple to right.

Brittany Estep (7-11) pitched both ends of the doubleheader for AU. She did not allow a hit after the first inning of game one and sent her hosts down in order from the third through the sixth innings. Shenandoah put runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Estep induced a infield pop to end the contest.

Coach Marlena Kotynski's club scored the only run of game two in the bottom of the first. With one out, sophomore Jessica Bollinger singled to left and stole second. Following a Bartek walk, freshman Catherine Beuerle drove in Bollinger with a single to center.

This was enough for freshman Katie Haskins, who squared her record at 6-6 with a four-hit shutout. She struck out seven, walked five and allowed just two runners into scoring position (both in the sixth) after the third inning.

Bollinger and Beuerle were both 2-for-3 in game two.

Box Scores/Plays by Play 

SU travels to Christopher Newport on Sunday for another conference doubleheader.