Orangeburg, S.C. – The Georgia Southwestern Softball team is on the road playing in the 2014 Hampton Jordan Classic playing against South Carolina State, St. Augustine's, Fayetteville State, and Newberry College.
GAME 1: GSW 9 SCS 1
The Lady 'Canes were victorious in the first game against South Carolina State finishing the game early with an eight run lead.
Senior Mason Moreland was the first Hurricane to get on base on a fielding error. Moreland was able to steal her bases to reach third. Nellie Moore was the next Hurricane on base with an error by the pitcher. Next on a throwing error, Nellie stole second base and Moreland scored the first run of the tournament. The inning finished with one run, no hits, two errors, and one left on base.
The bottom of the second inning proved to be a productive one for the Lady 'Canes. Rachel McElroy started things off with a single. Lauren Thrasher followed suit by reaching first on a fielding error by the pitcher. Chelsea Hodges hit a sacrifice ball, getting out at first, allowing McElroy and Thrasher to advance. Moreland was the next Hurricane to single, bringing McElroy in to score. Hayley Knight finished things off with another single, bringing in both Thrasher and Moreland. The inning ended with two runs, three hits, one error, and one left on base.
The next inning for South Carolina State was successful when Kelsey Grochow was batted in by Kourtney Paulo. The inning finished with one run, no hits, no errors, and three left on base.
GSW took advantage of South Carolina State's pitching change. McElroy walked, Thrasher and Hodges singled. Then Suzanna Stokes was walked bringing in McElroy in to score. The inning finished with one run, two hits, no errors, and three left on base.
The fourth inning was very productive for the Lady 'Canes after a fast three outs for South Carolina at the top of the inning. GSW continued with Knight singling to first on a bunt, then stealing second. Moore was next up to bat, with a double to bring Knight in. Keri Tompkins singled allowing Moore to advance to third. Moore then scored on a throwing error. Jordan Miller brought in Tompkins with a fly out to right field. Lauren Thrasher was the next up with a home run. The inning finished with four runs, four hits, no errors, and no one left on base.
GSW was able to keep South Carolina State from scoring again, the game finished early in the fifth inning.
Allison Pastor receives the win for Georgia Southwestern after pitching five innings, facing 20 batters, striking out six, and only allowing one hit and run.
South Carolina State's Jareece Sayles receives the loss after pitching two innings facing 12 batters and allowing four runs. Jazmin Robinson also contributed two innings and allowed six hits and five runs.
GAME 2: GSW 17 St. Aug 3
The Lady 'Canes started scoring early. Knight was able to bring home Moreland, who was on third after two steals, with a single. The next on came off a hit from Thrasher, who reached first on an error by the short stop, Knight scored. Miller then singled to bring in Pastor and Moore to score. Chelsea Hodges was the next to reach first on an error, bringing Thrasher in to score. Moreland followed with a single to bring Miller in. Hodges was the last in the first inning to score on an error by the short stop.
Pastor made it home at the top of the second, after McElroy singled to first. Doster singled next allowing Hodges and McElroy to advance and Thrasher to score.
The next point for GSW came from a passed ball on Thrasher allowing Erin Steele to score. Tompkins was the next to single bringing in Thrasher to score. St. Augustine finally was able to make it around the bases when C. Neal had a home run at the bottom on the third. J. Plair was the next to score, after J. White singled. The inning ended with two runs, four hits, no errors, and two left on base.
The Lady 'Canes held the same routine in the fourth inning. Pastor doubled allowing Suzanna Stokes and Doster to score. Thrasher was next to single bringing in both Pastor and Moore. At the bottom of the inning, C. Neal hit a fly out to right field in a sacrifice attempt to allow Shackelford to score.
The Lady 'Canes finished the game strong with two more runs. Stokes was able to score after Pastor reached first on an error by the third basemen. Thrasher followed by grounding out to the short stop, Pastor and Moore advanced and Steele scored the final run of the game. The inning ended with two runs, one hit, one error, and two left on base. Then a quick three outs to finish the game at the bottom of the fifth.
Ashley Cavender took credit for the win after pitching all five innings and only allowing five hits, three runs, and one walk and a homerun.
St. Augustine's K. Hill took the loss of the game after pitching the five innings and allowing 16 hits, 17 runs, and walking eight.
Game 3: GSW 8 FS 0
As shown so far through the tournament, the Lady 'Canes had a great first inning. Moore and Knight were the first to score after getting batted in from a single by McElroy. McElroy then was the next to score after Thrasher reached first on a fielding error and Tompkins and Miller were able to advance a base.
The third inning was a triumph for one Hurricane. Tompkins rocked a ball into homerun territory for the next point. This inning ended with one run, one hit, no errors and none left on base.
GSW was back at it in the fifth inning when Miller reached first after a dropped fly, allowing both McElroy and Pastor to score. Thrasher then hit a double to bring Miller in. Hodges then finished things up with a single to the left field bringing Thrasher in to score.
Ashley Cavender took the win for GSW after pitching all five innings, striking out seven, and allowing two hits and four walks.
Fayetteville State's K. Walker took the loss after pitching 4.1 innings and allowing eight hits, seven runs, and one walk. Z. Howard came in to relieve Walker pitching .2 innings facing five batters, allowing three hits and one run.
GAME 4: Newberry College 13 GSW 5
Newberry started things off after H. Drawe singled up the middle bringing in G. Bedard in to score an unearned run.
GSW answered when Miller also singled up the middle to bring McElroy in to score. Stokes was next to reach first on a throwing error allowing Miller to score.
Newberry was able to get around the bases again at the top of the fourth, when L. Hosking doubled permitting Drawe to score. K. Capobianco sent a triple to left center bringing in L. Hosking and M. Tepfenhart.
Cavender answered by doubling to left field, advancing Moreland and bringing Doster in to score. McElroy then singled to bring Moreland in to score.
Newberry took advantage of the top of the sixth with several runs. A. Ayres was able to reach first on a fielding error by the first basemen, bringing Tepfenhart in to score. Hosking was then able to score on a wild pitch. Then G. Bedard singled to center field, bringing Ayres and Capobianco in. D. Jamison singled next so Bedard could make it home.
Thrasher was the next 'Cane to score after Stokes was able to reach first on a fielding error by the short stop. The inning ended with one run, one hit, one error, and none left on base.
Newberry was able to finish the game with the last say. Hosking made a homerun into left center, also bringing A. Putnam home. Capobianco and Ayres were the last two to score for Newberry.
Newberry College's Brittany Middleton is credited with the win after pitching three innings allowing four hits, three runs, and was able to strike out one. H. Blakley and M. Burnett also made appearances to help the efforts playing in two innings a piece.
Pastor took the loss for GSW after pitching in all seven innings and allowing 13 hits, 13 runs, and one homerun.
The Lady 'Canes are opening at home on Saturday, February 15th with a double header that starts at 1:00 p.m. against Nova Southeastern.