CARY, N.C. - The Hood College softball team split a pair of games on the first day of the Triangle Classic. The Blazers defeated Methodist 9-0 in five innings before falling 6-5 against North Carolina Wesleyan. 

Kayli Paugh one-hit the Monarchs in the opener and had a pair of hits. She added a homer and three hits against the Battling Bishops.

Game One

• Paugh struck out four in the shutout and matched Sophia Leaman's 2 for 3 effort at the plate. Paugh went five innings for the complete game. It was her 23rd career victory, moving her into third all-time at Hood. 

Game Two 

• Hood scored in the first on a run-scoring single by Jasmine Webster and a two-run double off the bat of Kaitlin Barron for a 3-0 lead. 
• North Carolina Wesleyan rebounded with six unanswered runs over the next three innings to take a 6-3 lead. 
• The Blazers started a comeback in the seventh. Paugh hit a solo shot with one out to cut the deficit to two. Webster and Katelyn Long singled around Barron getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. NCWC forced a pair of groundouts to end the inning with Hood scoring a run on a Banks grounder to bring the Blazers within a run. 
• The home run was Paugh's 20th of her career, extending her school record. 
• Barron had two hits and Kristen Scott walked twice. 
• Leaman took the loss but pitched a complete game. 

Up Next

Hood wraps up play at the Triangle Classic against Averett and William Peace on Sunday, February 25.