MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia Southwestern Lady Hurricanes were riding high going into the opening series of conference play. The Lady 'Canes were winners of seven of their last eight non-conference match-ups. The momentum would not carry over as the Blue & Gold were swept by Georgia College 9-5, 3-2.
GAME ONE: Georgia Southwestern-5 Georgia College-9
An error and walked-filled fifth inning would do in the Blue & Gold as the Lady Bobcats would score four runs in the fifth, which proved to be the winning margin of victory. The tumultuous inning also cost GSW the lead after tying the game in their half of the inning.
The Lady Hurricanes came out of the gates strong in the first inning with two runs after loading the bases with two walks and an error. The second run would score on the game's first RBI by right fielder Katie Wooten as she drove in Gabby Buck on a single. However, walks and a wild pitch would fuel the Georgia College run in the first inning. The home team tallied three runs in the inning after back-to-back RBI's by Haley Burnett and Kelsea Martin.
The scoring would cease for both teams for the next two innings before Georgia College upped their 3-2 lead by one run when Lindsey Conway would score on the second of three Georgia Southwestern wild pitches on the day. The two-run lead would disappear in the fifth.
The Lady 'Canes got two runs in the inning after Mason Moreland, Gabby Buck and Rachel McElroy all reached base safely to load them for Avery Purser. Purser and Wooten would hit back-to-back singles with each recording one RBI. It would be the second RBI of the day for Katie Wooten.
It would all be for not after Georgia College would take control in the fifth inning after two walks and a Gabby Buck error loaded the bases. The hit parade for the Lady Bobcats began with two outs and saw three different hitters record RBI's. GC would never look back after taking the commanding four-run lead.
Hayley Knight would drive in a run in the sixth inning to cut the lead to three runs, but Georgia College would answer it with a RBI of their own. While tallying six total hits as a team in game one, not a single Lady 'Cane would record more than one individually. Jessica Martin would record the loss after allowing eight hits and six walks over the course of her four and two thirds innings pitched.
GAME TWO: Georgia Southwestern-2 Georgia College-3
The Lady Hurricanes would again score the opening inning of the game after a Mason Moreland single was followed up by a Gabby Buck triple. It was only the second triple of the season for a Lady Hurricane and the first of the senior's collegiate career.
The mirroring to game one continued as Georgia College would again answer Georgia Southwestern in the first inning. This time it was Kelsea Martin who tripled for the Lady Bobcats to tie the game at one. The score would remain unchaged after both teams would go scoreless in the second and third innings.
GSW catcher Jessica Chewning would drive in Janna Anderson on a single in the top half of the fourth inning, which tied the game at two runs apiece. The tied score would hold up until the seventh and final inning, which saw the game end in dramatic fashion.
Georgia College would win the game in walk-off fashion two batters into the inning. It began with a leadoff triple by Whitney Okvist, the Lady Bobcats' second triple of the game. The home team would waste no time driving her in. Natale Bellantoni would drive Okvist in with the next at-bat with a fly ball to right field for the walk-off win.
The pair of losses sets the GSW record to 12-12 (0-2 PBC) on the season. It will be an immediate turnaround for Coach Ward and company who will play again tomorrow. Their second doubleheader in as many days will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Monday on the campus of Augusta State University.