DAPHNE, Ala. – The William Carey Softball Team picked up two road wins, defeating United States Sports Academy 5-3 in game one and 7-1 in game two Tuesday afternoon at the Daphne Sports Complex.
 
"Two good road wins," said Head Coach Craig Fletcher. "Played well the first four innings of the first game and held them off late to get the win. Good pitching from Reanna and late inning runs put the game two out of reach. We had some opportunities in both games to put the games away. We got to continue to work to make better adjustments at the plate. Focus now on Mobile!"
 
After two scoreless innings, the Carey offense came to life. After Kinley Houge stole second to put runners on second and third, Lilli Roberston broke the deadlock with a two RBI single to right center.
 
Two batters later, Albanie Fussell drove in Robertson with a single to left and would come around to score on a Julia Shaw double to make it 4-0 WCU. The Eagles threatened in the bottom half of the inning. After getting runners on first and second with one out the Lady Crusaders quickly shut down the threat with starting pitcher Ryanne Hornsby getting a strikeout and center fielder Liz Cross making a sliding catch for the final out.
 
It looked like Carey was going to blow the game wide open in the fourth inning. After a lead off single by Madison Prejean followed by a double by Harper Dupre led to a run. The Lady Crusaders loaded the bases with one out, but the Eagles pitcher induced back-to-back fly balls to limit the damage to just one run.
 
The Eagles cut into the Carey lead in the sixth with two runs on a triple and a sacrifice fly and again cut into the deficit in the seventh. After a home run to lead off the inning, the Eagles put runners on first and second with one out. However, relief pitcher Reanna Nieman worked out of the jam, inducing an infield fly to the first batter she faced with third baseman Madison Gray recording the final out, throwing out the runner trying to advance from second base.
 
Hornsby picked up the win by going 6.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits with Nieman earning the save.
 
The Lady Crusaders again took the early lead in game two, this time with two runs in the first inning. A Laila Clark double drove in the first run with a defensive miscue allowing the second run to cross the plate.
 
Carey threatened in the third loading the bases with one out, but USSA retired the next two batters to keep it a two-run game. WCU threatened again in the fourth with bases loaded and no outs this time but like before the Eagles pitcher retired the next three batters get out of the jam.
 
The Eagles got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a run on back-to-back base hits. For the third straight inning, WCU threatened, with runners on second and third with two outs and this time pinch hitter Hayden Averette came through with the base hit to score Shaw. After Anna Grace Shows stole second to move into scoring position, Cross ripped a double to the center field wall to make it 5-1 Carey.
 
The Lady Crusaders put the game away in seventh on a sac fly by Cross with an error plating the final run. Nieman did the rest, setting the Eagles down in order in the seventh to seal the victory. For the game she worked all seven innings allowing just one run on five hits with six strikeouts.
 
Carey is back in action Friday, February 21, as they head to Mobile Ala. to take on Mobile to open conference play. Play is set to begin at 2:00 pm at the UM Softball Field.