>> GEORGIA COLLEGE
Georgia College & State University softball (20-12, 7-8 PBC) hosted Lander University (18-11, 9-6 PBC) March 24-25, beginning with a doubleheader at the Peeler Complex in Milledgeville.
The visitors won both Friday games, but the Bobcats rebounded with a victory on Saturday.
The Bobcats scored first in game one, plating a pair in the very first inning as Kam Caldwell singled home the first run by MacKenzie Hoffmann, then Caldwell scored on a double by Mackenzie Martin.
The Bearcats held GCSU scoreless for the remainder of the game, however, while tying the game in the fourth and adding one run in the fifth and three more in the seventh to reach the 6-2 final. The LU pitching staff held the Bobcats to just four hits, with all but one coming in the first inning.
GCSU’s Jana Shellhorse threw well in the loss (7-6), striking out six Lander batters.
Game two featured a late rally for GCSU that fell short. Lander scored early with a single run across in the first inning before adding three insurance runs in the sixth.
GCSU came alive in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases on a hit-bypitch and two singles. The Bearcats then committed a throwing error that advanced Golden Thrower and Divina Checo to the plate. The Bobcats had tying runs on base in both the sixth and seventh innings but couldn't bring them around to tie or win the contest.
Sydney Lancaster hit 3-for-3 in game two for the Bobcats with a steal. Jessica Owens went 2-for-4. The Bobcats had 10 hits in the second game but couldn't string them together.
Shelby Jones took the loss (8-5) on the mound after going all seven innings with four earned runs and three strikeouts.
In the third game of the series, on Saturday, the Bobcats picked up win number 20 of the season, the first 20-win season since spring 2019.
A big seven-run third inning for GCSU was all it took, as the Bobcats went on to post a 7-2 win.
Lancaster was the first to score for GCSU after Owens reached base on a bases-loaded error, and then a walk for Shea Zweifel pushed Hoffman home. Martin then picked up a pair of RBIs with a bases-loaded double rifled into the right-center field gap to score Caldwell and Owens.
Continuing the offense, Checo muscled a 2-for-3 performance on the afternoon, including an RBI infield single that advanced Zweifel to score and put GCSU in front 5-0. Next, Checo and Martin would advance on a wild pitch that brought Martin in to score.
Jaycee Haycraft pushed the final run of the inning through when she grounded out to the Lander shortstop, but Checo made it home to reach a 7-0 advantage for GCSU as the inning came to an end.
A bases-loaded double from Lander in the top of the seventh broke the GSCU shutout with two runs, but the 7-2 win marked the first time in five contests against the Bearcats that GCSU came out on top.
Shellhorse (8-6) got the start for the Bobcats and the complete game win.
She nabbed nine strikeouts through her seven innings pitched and had a no-hitter going until the seventh inning. The Bobcats are back in action this Friday and Saturday as they visit Augusta University for another threegame series. Live stats and broadcast links will be available at GCBobcats. com.