Blackburn Softball split their last doubleheader of the 2023 season on Thursday afternoon. The Beavers hosted Westminster College, and lost game one 8-5, and won game two 10-2.

In game one, Westminster jumped out to an early lead in the first inning from consecutive hits. Haylee Chandler singled to left field, driving in a run and giving the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.

Grace Mackey quickly tied things up for the Beavers, singling to left field in the bottom of the first to score Chelsea Ashlock from second. 

Westminster took advantage of two passed balls in the top of the second, which gave them a 3-1 lead.

Three consecutive singles allowed the Blue Jays to extend their lead to 4-1 in the top of the third.

Although the Beavers got runners to first and second in the bottom of the third, they were unable to generate any runs in the inning.

A leadoff single with a follow up double gave the Blue Jays another run in the top of the fifth. A string of errors by the Beavers allowed Westminster to further their lead to 7-1.

Holly Heuerman led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, and Taylor Girth scored her from second. After Miley Kwiatkowski pinch ran for Girth, Chelsea Terranova eventually hit a sacrifice fly to score Kwiatkowski from third, closing the scoring gap to 7-3. After Chelsea Ashlock walked for the third time in the game, Breana Allen singled, and a passed ball allowed Ashlock to score and Allen to reach second. McKenzie Smith then singled up the middle, scoring Allen and bringing the Beavers back into the game. They trailed 7-5 heading to the top of the fifth.

The Blue Jays threatened with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, but the Beaves held their ground and did not allow a single run to score. 

Westminster manufactured a run in the top of the sixth that gave them an 8-5 lead.

Unfortunately, the Beavers couldn't complete the comeback and lost. Haylee Miller took the win on the mound for Westminster, while Taylor Girth suffered the loss for Blackburn.

In game two, the Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off an RBI double from Eva Gannon.

After a leadoff walk from Chelsea Ashlock, Grace Mackey had a lengthy at bat that had more than seven foul balls with two strikes. However, Mackey was able to win the fight and doubled to the left field wall, tying the game at one in the bottom of the first.

An error led to Westminster regaining the lead in the top of the second, 2-1.

In the bottom of the second, Natalie Keith doubled to left center to score Chelsea Terranova from first base, tying the game 2-2.

The Blue Jays threatened to break the tie in the top of the third, but a perfect relay from Natalie Keith to Zoe Mitchell to McKenzie Smith from left field cut down the runner at the plate, and left the game tied at two.

Blackburn took the lead in the bottom of the third, as Natalie Keith singled to score Zoe Mitchell. Lexi Shaw followed this up with a rocket passed the shortstop that scored Holly Heuerman from second. The Beavers led 4-2 heading to the fourth inning.

Blackburn scored another two runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to RBIs from Lexi Shaw and Chelsea Ashlock. This forced a pitching change from Westminster, as Payton Dudenhoeffer took the mound for the Blue Jays and recorded the next two outs. Blackburn led 6-2 at the end of the fifth.

The Beavers piled it on in the bottom of the sixth with a few insurance runs. With the bases loaded, Lexi Shaw singled up the middle to score Holly Heuerman and Chelsea Terranova. Breana Allen ended the game with a single into right field, scoring Natalie Keith and Lexi Shaw. The Beavers won by the run rule, with a final score of 10-2.

Jesse Tomson recorded the win on the mound for Blackburn, while Caroline Bentley took the loss on the bump for Westminster.

Blackburn Softball finishes their 2023 season with an overall record of 11-25.