>> GEORGIA COLLEGE
Georgia College & State University (GCSU) softball kicks off its 2023 campaign Feb. 4-5, hosting the seasonopening Bobcat Kickoff Tournament at the GCSU Peeler Complex.
The Bobcats will kick off their season with an 11 a.m. first pitch against Emmanuel College. Last season during the Bobcat Invitational, the GCSU women took a pair of losses to the Emmanuel squad, so no doubt retribution will be on every GCSU players’ minds this weekend.
Following the Emmanuel opener, the Bobcats will be back on the diamond Saturday for a 1 p.m. first pitch against Carson-Newman University. CNU did a number on Georgia College last season, picking up a six-inning, 12-4 win.
On Sunday, the Bobcats will continue their season-opening tournament in doubleheader fashion against Fort Valley State University (FVSU), with games beginning at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., again at the Peeler Complex.
GCSU is returning several key players from the 2022 season, including two over .300 hitters. The big player returning to the Bobcats roster is All-Peach Belt Conference Second Team member MacKenzie Hoffman from Rocky Face in her junior year. Last season, Hoffman led the offense with a .350 batting average and 13 stolen bases to lead the team in both categories. She also was among the top five in RBIs, with nine runs batted in.
GCSU also will return the big bat of Jessica Owens out of Social Circle. Owens led the Bobcats lineup last season in on-base percentage at .438 while also leading the team with 25 bases on balls. Owens also showed her prowess in doubles as she hit 11 to top the lineup. On top of leading the team in those categories, Owens was the team’s second-leading hitter with a .322 batting average, as well as tied for second with 18 RBIs.
On the pitching side of the Bobcats’ roster, the team returns leading strikeout pitcher Montana Ledbetter from Hanna City, Ill., who threw an impressive 69 strikeouts last season. She also threw the most innings of all GCSU pitchers last year after 27 appearances with 78.1 innings pitched. Ledbetter also was credited with a team-leading six wins last season in 13 starts, after posting an impressive 6.17 strikeouts per seven innings.
Regular season play begins for the Bobcats at home Feb. 8, when they host a doubleheader (4 p.m., 6 p.m.) against Albany State University.