In a matchup of two teams ranked in the NFCA Preseason Top 25 Poll, No. 17 Berry knocked off No. 14 Piedmont, 10-4, Saturday night in Demorest, Ga. In the first game of the day, the Vikings were shutout by George Fox University, 7-0.
Game Two: Berry 10, Piedmont 4
A four-run first inning sent the Vikings on their way to a big victory over Piedmont.
Anna Jackson,
Morgan Frye,
Riley Jackson, and
Olivia Stefl each had RBI knocks in the inning.
Piedmont (0-2) answered back with a run in the bottom of the first, but
Katie Parker beat out a double play ball to earn an RBI as
Shelby Daniel scored to answer back and make it 5-1. The score stayed that way until the fourth when a bases loaded wild pitch brought home a run for Piedmont.
In the fifth, the Vikings (2-2) salted the game away. A bases loaded walk to
Katie White brought in the first run of the frame, with an RBI single by Daniel two batters later bringing home the second run. Another bases loaded walk, this one to
Anna Jackson, made it an 8-2 game, and then an error by the Lions made it 9-2 with Parker's at bat.
Riley Jackson then singled home the sixth run of the inning for the Vikings to make it 10-2.
Piedmont would fend off the run rule with a tally in the bottom of the inning, and the Lions would add one run in the seventh; however, it would not be enough as the game would be over and out with a 10-4 Vikings win.
Hannah Gore (1-0) earned the win in her first collegiate start, allowing three runs in five innings while striking out six.
Danielle Sudick gave up an unearned run in two innings of relief.
Game One: George Fox 7, Berry 0
The Vikings struggled to string hits together as Berry was held to just five in the contest. George Fox scored unearned runs in the second and fourth innings, before a five-run seventh inning put the game out of reach for Berry.
Daniel had two hits to lead the Berry offense.
The Vikings will be back in action Sunday, facing George Fox and Piedmont once again in back-to-back games. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. against George Fox, with the Piedmont game to follow immediately after.
