HICKORY, N.C. — Catawba Valley Community College softball won two of three games against Region 10 opponent Richard Bland this past weekend at a series held at Lenoir-Rhyne's Shena Hollar Field.
After dropping the opener Saturday, the Red Hawks responded with back‑to‑back strong performances, powered by dominant pitching from Reagan Garrett and clutch late‑inning offense.
Richard Bland 9, Catawba Valley 1 (game one - Saturday)
CVCC opened the series with momentum, scoring in the first inning when Alexa Moya crossed the plate on a bases‑loaded walk drawn by Finlee Young. Courtney Dean paced the Red Hawks with three hits, while Reagan Garrett and Samantha Gregory added one each.
Despite the early spark, the Statesmen used a big third inning to pull away for the opening game win.
Catawba Valley 8, Richard Bland 2 (game two - Saturday)
The Red Hawks bounced back in the second game Friday, erupting for 12 hits and controlling the contest from start to finish.
Garrett delivered a complete‑game performance in the circle, allowing just two unearned runs and keeping the Statesmen off balance.
Offensively, CVCC capitalized early and often. Finlee Young doubled twice and drove in two runs, Paige Ford blasted a two‑run home run to left field and Samantha Gregory and Genesis Lebron added RBI hits.
Catawba Valley 3, Richard Bland 2 (game three - Sunday)
In Saturday's rubber match, CVCC showcased its resilience. Trailing 2–1 in the sixth inning, the Red Hawks mounted a decisive comeback.
Gionna Merhtens tied the game with an RBI single before Courtney Dean was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing in the go‑ahead run. Dean finished with three hits, while Gregory doubled twice and scored a run.
Andi Stroud added an RBI groundout earlier in the game to keep CVCC within striking distance.
Garrett once again anchored the Red Hawks, throwing her second complete game of the series with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Catawba Valley Community College softball team has a long break before returning to action in 10 days when they host conference opponent Southwest Virginia for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on March 25.