ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – After dropping the first two games of their Peach Belt Conference road trip, the Georgia Southwestern Lady Hurricanes were looking to capture their first win of the trip. The Flagler College Lady Saints stood in the way of the Lady 'Canes and that goal. The Lady Hurricanes split the double header, which saw both games turn into one-run affairs. The GSW win in game two saw them defeat the PBC's leading pitcher Donna Munafo.
GAME ONE: Georgia Southwestern-0 Flagler College-1
It was a dangerous beginning to the game as Katie Maddox would walk the first three Flagler batters she faced. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Katie Wooten would catch a fly ball in right field. Her throw home would skip by Jessica Chewning. Maddox, backing the play up, flipped the ball back to Chewning in time to get the runner at home. The escape from danger would be completed in the next at-bat as Torry Jolley would fly out to Avery Purser in foul territory.
Maddox would again walk the lead-off hitter in the second inning, but she would be unable to keep the runner from scoring as Brittney Little would drive in the game's first run. The damage would be limited to just the one run.
Katie Enright would be dominant on the mound for Flagler. She would retire the GSW side in order in the first three innings. The no-hit bid for Enright would be broken up by a lead-off single by Mason Moreland in the top of the fourth inning. The Blue & Gold would get another lead-off single by Rachel McElroy in the fifth inning. The freshman outfielder would reach third, but she would not come around to score.
The 1-0 Flagler lead would carry into the seventh inning. However, Enright would finish what she started as she retired the GSW side in order in the seventh inning to preserve the two-hit shutout.
Three GSW pitchers (Maddox, Dennison and Burns) would all take the mound for the Lady Hurricanes in the loss.
GAME TWO: Georgia Southwestern-2 Flagler College-1
After being shutout in game one, the task wasn't any easier going into game two. The Lady Hurricanes faced Flagler's Donna Munafo who was 16-1 with a 0.81 earned run average going into the game.
It wasn't too tall of an order for GSW as they scored two runs in the first inning, which snapped Munafo's 26 and two thirds innings streak of scoreless innings pitched. Mason Moreland would kick off game two with a single in the game's first at-bat. That would be followed up by Hayley Knight beating out a throw from third for a bunt single. After a wild pitch moved the two into scoring position, Avery Purser would drive in Moreland on a sacrifice fly. Knight would score on a fielding error by Lauren Roundabush in left field.
It would be GSW starter Jessica Martin who would baffle her opponent's hitters. Martin wouldn't give up her first hit until Whitney Little beat a Gabby Buck throw on her bunt in the third inning. Martin would recover from the hit to keep the shutout intact.
Martin would cruise her way through the first four innings. She would only concede one hit with six strikeouts. Her trouble would begin in the fifth when she opened the inning by hitting Kristen Chapman. A sacrifice and then a wild pitch would move Chapman to third. Sarah Albino would hit a single and drive in Chapman ending the shutout bid for Martin. She would limit the damage to just the one run after striking out back-to-back Flagler hitters to end the inning.
Jessica Martin would only surrender two hits while striking out nine hitters going into the final inning. The Georgia Southwestern coaching staff would give her the opportunity to finish what she started. After getting a lead-off ground out to Buck at third, Martin would answer giving up a single by forcing a groundout right back to her. The last out would come on the last exact play as Martin forced Little to ground out to her.
Martin would get the win in the decision pitching all seven innings. Her finishing line was three hits over seven innings while striking out nine Flagler hitters.
The split decision on Monday pushes the GSW record to 17-25 (2-12 PBC). The Lady Hurricanes will be back in action on Saturday, April 7th at Lady Canes Field. First pitch against Columbus State is scheduled for 2 p.m.