Georgia College & State University (GCSU, 4-2) went 1-1 Feb. 8, in a softball doubleheader at home against Albany State University (ASU). The home team took a tough 2-1 loss in the opening game against the Golden Rams, but rebounded with a big five-inning, 9-1 win in the second contest.
Bobcat run production in the first contest was limited, as they faced a solid Golden Rams pitcher in Romona McLeod, who lasted through all seven innings and gave up only six hits.
GCSU was able to plate only a single run, which came in the bottom of the third inning when Lauren Sommerer nailed her first hit and stolen base of the day to get into scoring position. Sommerer moved to third on a ground out and came across to score on a good piece of hitting by MacKenzie Hoffman.
Montana Ledbetter got her first start for the Bobcats this season and threw a lights-out five innings. Ledbetter allowed zero runs and nabbed seven strikeouts, five of which were looking. Jana Shellhorse came in for the final two innings of relief and was credited with three strikeouts, but also took the loss.
For game two, Georgia College picked up with heavy offense to plate nine runs on seven hits against ASU.
Four different Bobcats players recorded RBIs, with the GCSU offense doing most of its damage in the third and fourth innings, scoring three and six runs, respectively.
Haydn Bendall picked up her first start of the season and kicked off the run production. Bendall reached second base by forcing an error by the third baseman that pushed Sommerer and Hoffman across. Emily Hobbs then knocked her first hit of the season into center field to score Bendall from second.
Glory Seay scored for ASU in the top half of the fourth inning, but GCSU put the game away once they took over the plate.
The first run for GCSU came on a squeeze bunt from Sommerer, who also would score on an error by the shortstop. Then, Bendall again used her speed to force an error and pushed two more runs by Hoffman and Madison Todd across. Kam Caldwell knocked in the final two runs of the ball game with a solid single to left field that sent Emily Hobbs home, along with Bendall for her second run of the game.
Shelby Jones got the start for GCSU and the win in the circle. She picked up six strikeouts, allowing zero earned runs in five innings of work.
The Bobcats had a doubleheader scheduled for Feb. 12, at Coker postponed, then were scheduled to play Francis Martin twice at home Feb. 15, before hosting Southern Wesleyan University this weekend, Feb. 17-18, in the Bobcat Battle Tournament.
They will play Southern Wesleyan at 2 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday at the Peeler Complex, with live stats and broadcast links available at GCBobcats.com.