DECATUR, Ga.—One crack of the bat gave Agnes Scott softball all the confidence it needed to slay a giant as the Scotties earned an impressive doubleheader split with Maryville on Saturday at Oakhurst Field. Gigi Elizondo's (Deer Park, Texas) home run in the first inning of game one powered the Scotties to a 12-3 triumph over the shocked Scots. Maryville ran out to a 9-1 lead in game two before holding onto a 10-6 win to even the series.

The Scotties' victory in game one was their first over Maryville since the 2014 season. Maryville, the preseason favorite in the USA South Conference this spring, had won eight consecutive meetings between the two schools before the Scotties blew them out in the series opener.

Game One

Maryville looked like they would score right out the gate, putting pressure on first-year pitcher Regan Hutto (Douglasville, Ga.) with the first two batters reaching base. Hutto settled in to record back-to-back popouts before KayLeigh Fitzgerald (Dalton, Ga.) caught Courtney Deck trying to steal third, effectively ending the inning.

Anyla Fulton (Ellenwood, Ga.) continued a hot start to the season with a single to lead off the bottom of the first and an impending steal to put a runner in scoring position. After Kat Fernandez (Humble, Texas) singled, Elizondo crunched a pitch sitting over the heart of the plate sending it sky-high over the tall fall in left field. The three-run homer was the sophomore's first of her career.

Elizondo was at the center of the Scotties' fourth run scored in the third, scoring from third on a fielder's choice play at the plate.

Maryville took a run back in the top of the fourth to make it a 4-1 game, but Agnes Scott poured it on in the bottom half to break the game open. Kat Boyer (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and Fulton doubled in consecutive at-bats to plate one before Fernandez and Michaela Dailey (Smiths Station, Ala.) each reached safely to load the bases with only one out.

Elizondo again walked up to the plate with runners in play and sent one right back up the middle to score runners from second and third. Fulton also scored on the play after the ball skipped over the glove of the Maryville centerfielder and rolled to the wall.

The Scotties were not done there as Emma Thomas (Navarre, Fla.), Jani Howington (Lawrenceville, Ga.), and Boyer combined to drive in four more innings in the stanza to take a gigantic 12-1 lead. Twelve Scotties came to bat in the inning.

Maryville scored twice in the top half of the fifth, but it was not enough to escape the eight-run rule.

Hutto went five strong innings, surrendering seven hits while striking out two Scots. The first-year is now 2-0 through two appearances.

Maryville's Danielle Abell took the loss, her fifth of the season.

Elizondo finished the game with three hits in three plate appearances with five runs batted in.

Game Two

One could have wondered how Maryville would respond in the series finale after taking one on the chin, but the Scots quickly answered any questions. The Scots made the home side pay for four errors in the opening frame, putting five runs on the board before the Scotties were able to bat for the first time. Deck and Christina White were constant thorns in the side of the Scotties atop the Maryville lineup, including on the base paths.

Morgan Brewer made it a 7-0 game in the second inning before Agnes Scott was able to get one back in the bottom half.

Again, Maryville tacked on two runs in the third to push it to 9-1 only to see Fitzgerald capitalize on a defensive miscue by sending a two-strike pitch clear over the Agnes Scott sign in center field.

After trailing 9-1, Agnes Scott scored five straight runs through the bottom of the sixth, but their rally would be stopped short in the seventh.

Maryville's Hannah Bruce pitched a complete game, giving up 11 hits and sending down two Scotties on strikes. It was Bruce's first start of the season, moving her to 1-0.

Caitlin Weaver (Jacksonville, Fla.) took the loss despite only five of the Scots 10 runs being earned. Weaver also struck out a season-high four batters in the circle.

Up Next:

Agnes Scott (2-2) continues its weekend series schedule next Saturday with Covenant College making the trip down to Decatur for a 1 p.m. start.