MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Ranked 8th in all of Division II softball, the Georgia College team (34-4, 11-1 PBC) was in action today, Sunday, March 29, for Military Appreciation Day. The Bobcats would play host to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (18-17, 2-12 PBC) in a conference doubleheader.
The first game was a pitching duel, seeing each team’s ace go the distance. Katie Saunders (9-10) pitched six innings allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits. However, she was just barely outdone by Georgia College starter, Marisa Boyette (18-1). Boyette pitched the complete seven and allowed eight hits but only two runs (one earned), adding three strikeouts. She would pick up the win, her eighteenth of the season and improve her ERA to 1.39.
The GC bats were just hot enough to notch the victory as they broke open the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as Kristen Brooks (1-for-2, RBI, R) came across the plate before Taylor Campbell was caught stealing for the third out. They would score again in the second inning as Holland Coursey (2-for-3, RBI, R) singled to left field, plating catcher Lacey Najafi (1-for-2, R). The Braves would respond with one of their own in the third inning and another in the fourth inning to tie to game at two runs apiece. However, Kristen Brooks would triple off of the wall in the bottom half of the fourth inning, scoring Holland Coursey for what would prove to be the game winning run. After scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth inning, Boyette sealed the top of the seventh and the Bobcats claimed the 3-2 victory.
Game two was a much more offensive display, with each team reaching double digits in the hit column. However, the Bobcats would turn those hits into more runs than the Braves.
Kristen Brooks would once again lead off the scoring in the game, after sliding home on an Abi LeRoy single up the middle in the bottom of the first inning. UNC Pembroke would string together four hits to score three runs and take over the lead in the top of the second inning. But the Bobcats would exceed that with six runs in the second inning and four in the third.
The Bobcats would hit three home runs in the ball game, one each by Danielle Bernstein (3-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 R), Taylor Campbell (2-for-3, 4 RBI, R) and Hannah Coursey (2-for-3, RBI, 2 R). Bernstein would reach home for an inside the park homerun after the centerfielder dove and could not come up with the ball, Campbell blasted a two out grand slam to break the game open, all before Hannah Coursey hit a solo shot to seal the 11-5 victory.
Carly Lewis (14-3) was on the mound again for Georgia College, pitching the complete seven innings, allowing five earned runs on ten hits. Lewis received the winning decision and collected her fourteenth win of the season.
Winning their thirteenth game in a row, the Bobcats improve their record to 34-4 and 11-1 in conference as they will be back in action Friday, April 3, as they travel to the University of Montevallo for a conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
