CENTRAL, S.C. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Southern Wesleyan Saturday, winning 2-1 in the first game before falling 8-4 in game two.

The Lady Canes improved to 10-9 overall with the split and took three of four games from the Warriors on the season.

Madason Messer threw a complete game while giving up seven hits and just one earned run to lead GSW in game one. Lauren Kuerzi went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and two RBIs in game two.

Game 1: Georgia Southwestern 2 Southern Wesleyan 1

The Warriors scored a run on three hits in the first as Maddie Ward came across the plate on a bases loaded walk, but that was all SWU could manage against the junior right-hander Messer. She allowed just four hits over the next six innings to earn her fourth win of the season.

GSW evened the score in the third when Mikela Barlow led off with a double, advanced to third on a Chloe Zoeller sacrifice bunt and scored on a Hayley Tierce bunt single to make it 1-1. The winning run started with Barlow again in the fifth. She singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on another Zoeller sacrifice bunt and came across the plate when Kuerzi reached on an error by the second baseman.

Barlow went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and freshman Ansley Dean had two hits in three at bats from the designated player spot.

Game 2: Georgia Southwestern 4 Southern Wesleyan 8

GSW jumped on the Warriors early, scoring two runs in the first to take the lead. Barlow and Zoeller both singled to start the game and moved into scoring position via a sac fly and a steal before touching home on a Kuerzi 2-RBI single to left field.

Southern Wesleyan would answer, however, plating five runs in the bottom half of the second. Starter Brittany Childs wasn't able to escape the inning and ended up being charged with five runs on six hits in 1.2 innings pitched. The Warriors tacked on two more runs on three hits in the third off reliever Ansley Dean to make it a 7-2 SWU lead.

The Lady Canes tried to get back in the game in the fourth as Kuerzi started a rally with a double to left field. Payton Singletary followed with a double of her own to plate Kuerzi and she scored on a Cassidy Burton single to cut the deficit to 7-4, but that was as close as GSW would get. Southern Wesleyan added an insurance run in the sixth to make it an 8-4 final.

Up Next: GSW opens Peach Belt Conference play with a doubleheader against Columbus State on March 9. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from Lady Canes Field.