From Staff Reports

 

COLUMBUS, GA – The Georgia Southwestern State University softball team dropped its final two regular-season games at Columbus State by scores of 12-1 and 12-3. Both games took place on Saturday, April 27, and only lasted five innings due to run rules.

In spite of the disappointing finish to the regular season, the Lady Hurricanes (27-25, 10-10 PBC) finished in seventh place in the conference standings and have qualified for the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, which begins on Friday, May 3, in Dahlonega, GA.

The Lady Hurricanes will begin the tournament as the No. 7 seed and will take on the No. 2 seed Columbus State (35-15, 15-5 PBC).

In Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, the game was tied at 1-1 until CSU scored six runs in the third and five in the fourth on their way to the 12-1 win. The Lady Cougars scored 12 runs on 11 hits and committed no errors. GSW could only muster one run on two hits and committed one error. Kayla Kerr and Lauren Kuerzi were the only Lady Hurricanes to garner hits in the game against CSU. Kerr doubled to center field in the top of the first, scoring Chloe Zoeller to give GSW a 1-0 lead. However, that lead was short lived as the Lady Cougars struck back in the bottom of the second. They were able to load the bases before Hannah Rose Corbin drew a walk off of GSW starting pitcher Shannon Gibson. As a result, a run scored to tie the game at 1-1. The Lady Cougars followed that up with six runs in the bottom of the third and five in the fourth to seal the win.

Gibson pitched two innings for the Lady Hurricanes. She gave up five earned runs on five hits, walked three and struck out four in two innings pitched. Gibson ended up taking the loss and is now 10-8 on the season. Hayley Dickerson came on in relief of Gibson. Dickerson gave up seven runs on six hits, including two home runs. Two of those runs were unearned. She walked two batters and struck out two.

CSU’s Madeline Parker belted a three-run home run in the top of the fourth and Corbin hit a two-run home run in the same inning.

Things didn’t go much better for GSW in Game 2 as the Lady Cougars won 12-3.

As in Game 1, the Lady Hurricanes got off to a good start as they took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. With a man on base, Kerr knocked a two-run home run over the left field wall. However, the Lady Cougars responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning. GSW third baseman Brianna Bryson hit a home run in the top of the second inning, but CSU responded with eight runs in the bottom of the third to salt away their 12-3 victory. In total, CSU scored 12 runs on nine hits and committed no errors. GSW scored three runs on six hits and committed no errors. Kerr had the best offensive production for the Lady Hurricanes. She went 3-for-3, scored a run and drove in two RBIs on the home run. Madason Messer took the loss for GSW and is now 4-3 on the season. She gave up seven runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one in two innings pitched. Elyse Ambrose was 2-for-2 at the plate for the Lady Cougars, including a two-run home run in the bottom of the third. Harley Dawson belted a grand slam home run in the third to help the Lady Cougars get the win in Game 2.

CSU starting pitcher Peyton Sorrells got the win and is now 6-3 on the season. Sorrells pitched five innings, giving up three runs on six hits. She walked three and struck out five GSW batters.

GSW will not have to wait long for revenge. They will face the Lady Cougars on Friday, May 3, in their first game of the PBC Tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.