Sophomore Day Sweep: GSC Downs ABAC in Final Home Stand
BARNESVILLE, GA – The Gordon State College softball team won two hard fought battles in a doubleheader sweep of ABAC on Saturday. Prior to game one, the Highlanders honored Lauren DeLoach, Morgan Sterrett, Montana Schug, McKenzie Barnes, Maddie Greene and Shelby Sims for their time spent in a Gordon State College uniform. "Each sophomore contributed to our successful outcomes today and I'm glad they were able to make a lasting memory with their teammates for many years to come," said Gordon State Head Coach Ally Hattermann.
Gordon jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning of game one when Hannah Rae Griffin doubled to centerfield scoring Hunter Lee, who led off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Addy Allegretti doubled to rightfield scoring Griffin. The Highlanders would strike again the bottom of the second inning when Griffin squeeze bunted to score Lee. Heads up base running by Griffin drew a throw to second base while advancing which allowed Schug to score before Griffin was picked off by the Fillies' defense. With momentum on the Highlander's side, Hannah Coulter stepped to the plate and belted a solo home run over the centerfield wall on a 3-2 count to put the Highlanders up by five runs. The Highlander offense would then be halted and the Fillies would attempt to chip away at the lead by scoring three runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth, but Maddie Green proved to be too much for the Fillies as she entered the game out of the bullpen in the sixth inning and recorded the final six outs to get her first save on the season in the 5-4 victory.
The Fillies' out hit the Highlanders in game two scoring their four runs in the first three frames, but Gordon was able to put together a complete game of pitching, hitting and defense in the final four innings to come from behind and win 5-4. McKenzie Barnes had two clutch doubles in the game for the Highlanders, her first coming in the bottom of the fourth inning on two outs when she doubled to centerfield scoring Brooke Tyson and Griffin. With the score 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Shelby Sims led off the inning with a walk and a stolen base. The Fillies ace Samantha Davis entered the game and on her second pitch of the inning Lee blasted a home run over the centerfield wall to tie the game at four a piece. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Hannah Coulter led things off with a double to left field and Barnes then blasted her third hit of the day on her second double scoring pinch runner Katie Reed. Maddie Green would hold the Fillies scoreless in the top of the seventh to go on to get her eighth conference win on the mound and secure the Highlanders 5-4 victory.
The Highlanders are now 24-21 overall, 16-10 in GCAA play. They currently stand in third place with two games to go at league leader Georgia Military on Thursday.