By Martin Methodist Sports Information

PULASKI, Tenn. - Martin Methodist (Tenn.) softball quickly downed Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader (April 12) by a 9-0, five inning win, and then used TNU miscues to guide them to a 3-1 victory in the second game, marking head coach Brandie Paul's 500th career win.

The RedHawks tallied 10 hits in the afternoon opener, as four players had multiple hits and Veronika Fukunishi led with three RBI, including a double and a homerun. Kandace Christopher and Chae Ellis each doubled, as all three players scored twice, while Sam Queen chipped in two hits.

Amber Kinsey led off the game with a walk, and was sacrificed over by Cynthia Takahashi before stealing third. Fukunishi doubled Kinsey home, and Chrissy Darnell was hit by a pitch, as the pair launched a double steal to move to scoring position. With two outs, a passed ball scored Fukunishi to take a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth, Darnell drew a walk, as Christopher singled and Ellis bunted for a base hit to load the bases. A passed ball scored Darnell and a wild throw to third on the scramble play scored Christopher and advanced Ellis to third. Then with Ellis at third, Queen used a squeeze play to bring in the run for a 5-0 advantage.

Kinsey led off the fourth reaching on an error, but then was out on a fielder's choice, as Takahashi reached safely. As Takahashi stole second, Fukunishi laced a line-drive homer over the right field fence, her sixth of the year. Christopher then doubled, scored on Ellis' two-bagger, and Ellis advanced to third on a Megan McKean base hit. As pinch runner Jasmine Crenshaw threatened on the base pathes, Ellis took advantage and stole home for the ninth run.

Darnell collected the win, moving to 12-1 with the shutout, only allowing four hits on the day.
The second moved at a slower pace, as neither team scored for the first two innings. In the top of the third, however, Lauren Baker singled a run home for a 1-0 TNU lead.

In the bottom of the third, the RedHawks answered with a pair of runs, as Kinsey drew a one-out walk. Takahashi then singled and gave way to pinch runner Katlin White, and both runners advanced on a botched force play at third. Darnell then struck out, but on the dropped third strike, Kinsey scored the eventual game-winner and White was right behind her as confusion set in for the Trojans.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ellis drew a leadoff free base, and came around to score on a White RBI single to pad the final score at 3-1.

Chrissy Worth went the distance in the circle, allowing just a single run on four hits, as both Takahashi and White collected two hits each.

The RedHawks improve to 27-15 overall, 11-7 in the conference with the wins, as Paul moves to 500-325 for her career coaching record.

MMC will travel to both Freed-Hardeman and Lyon College over the weekend for more league action.