Montreat College's softball fell a few runs short of first place in the Appalachian Athletic Conference standings after losing Game Two of a doubleheader at home on Tuesday, March 30 against Milligan College.  After a stirring comeback to claim Game One 7-6, a victory which lifted the Cavaliers' record in league play to 5-0, Head Coach Lee Swanson's crew played a little flatly in the second game, losing 4-2 to the Buffaloes.

The loss lowered Montreat's conference record to 5-1, a full game behind 7-1 Reinhardt College, and left the Cavs with a 17-16 overall record. 

In Game One, the Buffs scored twice in the top of the last inning to stake themselves to a 6-4 lead, needing only three outs to win the opener.  Swanson applauded the Cavaliers' spirit, noting that, "We could have very easily quit, being down two in the bottom of the 7th, but we fought back."

Leading that fight was a potent Montreat attack that began with base hits from the double-play combination of shortstop Priscilla Silva and second baseman Kristine Valdez.  Junior centerfielder Jamie Lokken came to the plate with runners in scoring position, and anyone who follows Montreat softball knows that this season, that has meant only good things for the women in blue. 

Lokken's third double of the contest drove in Silva to tighten the score to 6-5 and put runners on 2nd and 3rd.  Senior Erin Cross made a senior play, producing a sacrifice fly that drove in Valdez to knot the score at 6-6.  Catcher Olivia Huffman's second hit of the afternoon brought Lokken across the plate to cap a great rally and keep the Cavs unbeaten in conference play. 

Rachel Stowe, a junior from Belmont, N.C., cracked two hits and also took the mound for the Cavaliers and collected the win.

Game Two was a challenge to the home team to maintain the momentum and energy from a tense first game, and the Cavaliers "didn't get it done early," according to Swanson, who said the game came down to Montreat leaving "too many runners in scoring position."  Jamie Lokken's bat continued to sizzle as she went 3-4 from the plate, including a home run (her 7th) and another double. 

The Cavaliers have a few days off before travelling to Covenant College to face the Scots in an April 10 twinbill.