Pitchers Lead Another Doubleheader Softball Sweep for Gordon

TIFTON, GA – It took seventeen innings of play, but a combination of solid defense, timely hitting and strong pitching allowed the Highlanders to sweep the Fillies in a GCAA match-up on Saturday. 

Game 1:  GSC 3 ABAC 1 (9 innings)

Pitching was strong for both teams in game one.  Maddie Greene (Senior) and Samantha Davis would hold both teams scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Fillies would string together a run on a couple of hits around a Highlander error.  The Highlanders would answer back in the top of the sixth inning when Lauren DeLoach got things started with a lead-off walk.  Morgan Sterrett would reach base and advance pinch-runner Shelby Sims to second on a bunt single and then Mackenzie Barnes would move both runners with a ground out to first base.  With runners on second and third, Cheyanne Mosteller hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Sims to score, but a heads up play by ABAC got Sterrett picked off trying to advance to end the Highlander attack. 

The Highlanders wouldn't score again until the top of the ninth when Barnes was placed on second base to start the inning.  Mosteller would advance Barnes third on a sacrifice bunt and then Hunter Lee singled to left on her first pitch of the at bat to score Barnes.  The hits would follow as Taylor Dykes singled and Addy Allegretti doubled to score Lee before the inning would end.  The Highlanders would then hold the Fillies scoreless in the bottom of the 9^th to secure the victory 4-2. 

Maddie Greene (Senior) got the start for the Highlanders and pitched 4 innings while allowing just two hits, striking out one and not allowing an earned run.  Maddie Green (Junior) relieved "Senior" and went on to pitch 5 innings of scoreless ball and getting the win, allowing just four hits while striking out two. 

Game 2:  GSC 4 ABAC 2 (8 innings)

Much like game one, the Highlanders and the Fillies found themselves in a pitcher's duel between Natalie Hardy and Maddie Green (Junior) of Gordon and Lizzie Massingill and Samantha Davis of ABAC.  The Highlanders would strike first in the top of the fifth inning when Hannah Rae Griffin got things started with a single to left field.  In an attempt to sacrifice Griffin to second base, Lauren DeLoach pushed her bunt between two Fillies' defenders to safely reach base.  Morgan Sterrett would then sacrifice her at bat to move pinch runner Brooke Tyson and DeLoach up sixty feet and Tyson would later score on a McKenzie Barnes' single to left field.  It looked like the Highlanders would threaten to score again on Cheyanne Mosteller's hit down the third base line, but DeLoach would be called out for offensive interference and then the Fillies got the Highlanders to pop out on the very next play to end the inning. 

ABAC would answer back in the bottom of the fifth when the Fillies manufactured a run off of two hit batters by Hardy, a sacrifice bunt and a bloop single to left field. 

With the scored tied again at the end of regulation, Mosteller was placed on second base to start the eighth inning.  Taylor Dykes would move Mosteller to third on a sacrifice bunt and Mosteller would then score on a wild pitch by Massingill.  The Highlanders added more pressure to the Fillies' defense when Hannah Coulter doubled to left-center field and Hunter Lee reaching on a Fillies error.  Addy Allegretti singled to right field, scoring pinch-runner Shelby Sims followed by Lee scoring on Griffin's single to centerfield.  The Fillies then brought in Davis to stop the Highlander attack and close out the inning.  The Fillies answered back with one run of their own in the bottom on the eighth on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out to the infield, but Green would get the next batter to ground out to end the game. 

Natalie Hardy got the start and pitch five complete innings, allowing just three hits, one run and striking out two.  Maddie Green "Junior" would relieve Hardy in the sixth and blank the Fillies to earn her second win of the day. Hannah Rae Griffin was perfect at the plate with her 3 for 3 performance.  

The Highlanders have won four conference games in a row to move to 7-5 in GCAA play.  They will host GCAA leader Georgia Military College at home on Tuesday.  Games are scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM.