By Staff Reports

 

MILLEDGEVILLE – The GSW Lady Hurricane Softball Team came close in both games to getting their first conference win of the season against Georgia College, but the Lady Bobcats swept the two-game doubleheader, beating GSW 11-10 in game 1 and 8-7 in game 2 Friday, March 16, at the Peeler Softball Complex.

GSW all-time home run leader Hayley Tierce added two more home runs, including a grand slam that brought the Lady Hurricanes (10-15, 0-4 PBC) within a run in the first game. Freshman Lauren Kuerzi hit her third and fourth homers of the season to go along with five RBIs.

Freshman pitcher/outfielder Ansley Dean recorded five hits for the day. She went 2-for-3 in game 1 and 3-for-4 in game 2. Dean scored four runs on the day.

Things started out well for the Lady Hurricanes as Mikela Barlow led off the game with a single. Kuerzi then homered to left field give GSW an early 2-0 lead. The Lady Bobcats answered in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs on four hits and an error, knocking out starting pitcher Ansley Dean. Dean was replaced by Brittany Childs.

Dean, who switched positions and stayed in the game, led off the top of the third with a single and scored on Kuerzi’s second home run of the game. Kuerzi’s second two-run blast tied the game at 4-4.

However, Georgia College responded with five more runs on seven hits off of Childs and reliever Madason Messer. At this point, Georgia College led 9-4.

Georgia College added one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Lady Hurricanes responded in the fifth. Trailing 10-4, GSW got a lead-off single by Chloe Zoeller, then the next three batters drew walks, scoring the Lady Canes’ first run of the inning and making the score 10-5 GC.

With the bases loaded, Tierce stepped up to the plate and delivered a grand slam home run to bring GSW to within one run at 10-9. Elizabeth Wills and Shannon Gibson followed with singles. However, two straight fielder’s choices and a ground out ended the rally.

The Lady Bobcats added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single, giving GC an 11-9 lead. Mikel Barlow started off the top of the sixth with a fly-out before the next three GSW batters drew walks. With the bases loaded, the next GSW batter was hit by a pitch, which scored a run. The Lady Hurricanes were within one run at 11-10. However, a fielder’s choice and a line out to shortstop by Cassidy Burton ended the inning.

Zoeller and Dean both singled in the top of the seventh, but Zoeller was picked off at third to end the game. Georgia College escaped with an 11-10 victory.

In game 2, GSW started the scoring when Barlow led off with a walk and Tierce doubled to right center, scoring Barlow. GSW Starting Pitcher Shannon Gibson pitched well until GC scored three runs on four hits in the second to take a 3-1 lead.

Chloe Zoeller drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to make the score 3-2 GC. However, GC got a two-run single from Caroline Snider and an RBI single from Caitlyn Davis to make the score 6-2 Georgia College after four innings.

However, the Lady Hurricanes wouldn’t go away. They got two big hits in the top of the fifth inning. Ansley Dean singled to start the inning and scored on a Lauren Kuerzi double to right center field. Tierce then followed with another two-run homer, making it 6-5 GC.

Neither team scored in the sixth. Then GSW was able to take the lead in the seventh. Gibson and Tierce both drew walks. Then KayLynn Church hit a two-run double to left center, giving the Lady Hurricanes a 7-6 lead. GSW battled fiercely in both games to try to get their first Peach Belt Conference win.

However, as they had done all day, the Lady bobcats answered in the bottom of the seventh. Holland Coursey led off the off the inning with a single. Then Sutton Long hit a triple to right field, tying the game. Hannah Coursey followed with a pinch-hit, walk-off single to win game 2 for the Lady Bobcats.

GSW will step out of conference play on Tuesday, March 20, when they host a doubleheader against Albany State. Game 1 is slated to begin at 4 p.m., followed by game 2 at 6 p.m.