Union/Cove pitcher Amanda Lawyer pitched two full games and added two home runs in a doubleheader split with 3A Vale on March 27, 2024.

VALE — On the road and facing a cold, windy day in Vale to take on the 3A Vikings, the Union/Cove softball team split two games and picked up the team’s first win of the year on Tuesday, March 26.

Head coach Madison Barr had flashbacks to the first game of the season as the Bobcats took the field for the opener. In the team’s opener against Nyssa on March 19, Union/Cove built a lead only to see the Bulldogs fight back and win in extra innings. Facing the Vikings, the Bobcats again had the lead early after Amanda Lawyer punched a two-run home run over the fence in the top of the third inning.

Vale fought back in the later innings and in the bottom of the seventh inning, took the nonleague league, 5-4, with the Union/Cove defense putting up errors to let the game slide away.

Game two was a completely different story. The Bobcats came out offensively early and claimed the team’s first win with a 12-2 five inning blowout over the Vikings.

“What a day of softball. I could not be more proud of the girls coming back to win in rule fashion after getting walked off in game one,” Barr said. “We had a lot of positives today.”

Lawyer pitched both games, throwing to all but two Vale hitters. Offensively, Lawyer added to her first game home run with a second ball over the fence in the second game.

Union/Cove (1-2 overall) will have double duty this upcoming weekend, both playing on the field and hosting the Union Spring Bash starting March 29.

“We look forward to a great tournament this weekend with some really good teams,” Barr said of the busy schedule.