Gibson Leads Lady Canes In PBC Sweep

Gibson Leads Lady Canes In PBC Sweep

AMERICUS, Ga. -- Junior pitcher Shannon Gibson picked up two wins Saturday evening in a double header against Peach Belt Conference foe USC Aiken by scores of 4-2 and 6-2. Gibson pitched a complete game during game 1, giving up four runs and striking out one Pacer to remain undefeated. 

In game 2, she came in to relief Jennifer Jernigan, striking out four Pacers and walking three, while giving up one hit. 

Game 1: GSW 4, USCA 2

A Hayley Tierce single up the middle in the bottom of the first got things started for the Lady Canes, as she pushed Chloe Zoeller across the plate for a 1-0 lead. With bases loaded, USCA's Kathleen St. Peter was hit by a pitch that pushed her teammate across the plate to tie the score in the top of the third at 1-1. A bunt by Briana Bryson sent Haley Griffin in to up the lead as Zoeller followed suit, with a RBI of her own to push Mackenzy McFarland across the plate for a 3-1 score in the bottom of the fourth. 

A McFarland single into left field sent Tierce to home to make the score 4-1 to cap the bottom of the fifth inning as she reached base on one of the two USCA errors Saturday evening. Pacer's Katelyn Powell divided the score in half in the top of the seventh when she grounded out to first base and pushed her teammate across the plate to get an RBI. A line drive to first base ended the game for the Pacers as the Lady Canes picked up the win for the first game. 

Game 2: GSW 6, USCA 2

A single by Kayla Kerr in the bottom of the first put GSW on the board when Zoeller crossed home plate for the 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Zoeller picked up an RBI when she reached base on a bunt and pushed McFarland across the plate. Tanner Robertson hit a sacrifce fly out into right field where she sent Elizabeth Wills across the plate for a 3-0 lead to cap the bottom of the third. 

USCA (14-18, 0-6 PBC) showed up when Peach Belt leader in home runs Hannah Price homered into the left wall to push her teammate across the plate to make the score 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning. GSW (20-12, 6-2 PBC) scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to secure their win, as Tierce singled into the left field and picked up an RBI when Bryson crossed the plate. Kerr followed suit with a single and RBI of her own, as Robertson ran one in to push the score to 5-2. In the bottom of the fifth, Kerr doubled into the left field as Tierce ran in to give Kerr her third RBI of the evening for a 6-2 final score. 

Jernigan started at the mound and gave up three hits and two runs but struck out four players in three innings pitched. Gibson came in at the top of the fourth as she struck out four batters also, giving up one hit while walking three batters for her seventh win of the season. 

Up Next: GSW travels to Macon, Ga. to play Middle Georgia State for a double header on Wednesday, March 27 for a 3 p.m. start.