AMERICUS, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University softball dropped a pair of Peach Belt Conference games to Young Harris Monday, losing 17-2 in five innings in the first game and 8-2 to finish the day at Lady Canes Field.
GSW fell to 18-29 and 7-11 in Peach Belt play this spring while the Mountain Lions improved to 30-14 overall and 13-5 in conference.
How It Happened:
Game 1: Georgia Southwestern 2 Young Harris 17
The Young Harris bats were hot right from the start Monday, scoring four runs on five hits in the first inning as all the damage came with two outs. The big hit was a Jill Torres 3-run single off the fence in right that knocked out starter Madason Messer after just ⅔ of an inning and a 4-0 deficit.
Dean went the next 2 ⅓ innings, but the Mountain Lions touched her for nine runs on six hits as they scored four in the second, four in the third and one in the fourth. She was replaced by Brittany Childs who went the final two innings in the circle for and gave up four runs on five hits.
GSW scored a run in the first on a Lauren Kuerzi sacrifice bunt and a run in the second when Cassidy Burton singled through the left side to score Elizabeth Wills who started the inning with a base hit.
Messer took the loss and fell to 8-7 on the season while Dharma Rosbrugh took the win for YHC after throwing 4 ⅓ innings in relief for her 19th victory. Senior Allee Denney went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Lady Canes while Hannah Harrison had four hits in five at bats to go along with four RBIs for the Mountain Lions.
Game 2: Georgia Southwestern 2 Young Harris 8
Shannon Gibson got the start for the Lady Canes and made it through the first unscathed before Young Harris got to her for three runs in the second. Grace Botti hit a solo homer and Sara Alderman roped a two-run shot to left center that gave the Mountain Lions another early lead.
GSW would fight back to make it a game, however, getting a run back in both the third and fourth innings. Graysen Sanders singled in the third off Rosbrugh, moved to second on a groundout and scored on a Chloe Zoeller double to left center to make it 3-1. Wills made it a one-run game in the fourth with her ninth home run of the season, a line drive solo shot at the scoreboard in left field.
After giving up the runs in the third Gibson put up four straight scoreless frames before Young Harris got insurance in the seventh. The Mountain Lions scored five runs on four hits and an error to put the game away as GSW couldn't get anything else going off Rosbrugh. She notched her 20th win of the season by giving up two earned runs on six hits. Hannah Harrison and Emily Harris each recorded three hits for YHC.
Gibson took the loss for GSW, falling to 4-6 after giving up five earned runs on 16 hits in seven innings. Mikela Barlow, Allee Denney and Cassidy Burton each recorded a hit for the Lady Canes.
Up Next: The Lady Canes play their home finale in a non-conference doubleheader against Montevallo on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. with the second game to follow 25 minutes after completion.