DANVILLE, Va. – Shenandoah University opened up its 2014 softball season Sunday afternoon by dropping a pair of games at former USA South Conference rival Averett.

Shenandoah (0-2) fell 6-5 in the opener before stopping the nightcap 9-7.

Averett (6-4) rallied for victory in both contests.

The Hornets led 3-2 after scoring two unearned runs in the fifth inning of game one only to see AU answer with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to retake the lead.

Sophomore Madison Bradley then had a two-run single in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5 only to see the Cougars win it with an unearned run in the seventh.

Amy Hamlett drove home M.B. Smith with the game-winning run on a single up the middle.

Shenandoah was held to five hits in game one, with Haley Koeninger contributing a two-run single in the fifth to give the Hornets that one-run lead.

Sophomore Megan Tripp (0-1) allowed six runs (five earned) on 12 hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings of work. She also struck out three.

Senior Emily Wilson drove in the squad's first run of the game with a single down the right field line.

The Hornets had a five-run first in the nightcap, but came up three runs in the first, four in the fourth and two more in the fifth to allow Averett to complete the sweep.

Senior Heather Sink had two of her team's eight game-two hits.

She drove in one run in the first and also scored twice.

Wilson, Erica Kondzielawa and Lindsey Corbin all drove single runs in game two.

Corbin (0-1), who came on in relief of Lisa Mitro in the middle of the second, allowed six runs (four earned) on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings of work.

She struck out two.

SU is off until this coming weekend when it plays at the Virginia Wesleyan Beach Blast. The Hornets play SUNY-Old Westbury, Allegheny, Plymouth State and Salisbury in the tourney.

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