AMERICUS, Ga. -- Senior pitcher Jennifer Jernigan finished Game 2 giving up zero hits and zero runs, pitching a perfect game throughout 4.0 innings of work as the Georgia Southwestern softball team swept Fort Valley State in their home opener. GSW won by scores of 13-1 and 13-0 to open up Lady Canes Field Wednesday evening.
Katelyn Wood and Aimee Oglesby both finished with a home run while Chloe Zoeller and Allyson Murdock ended the doubleheader with triples.
Game 1: GSW 13, FVSU 1
Zoeller hit a triple into left field to start the game as she started on a high note in the bottom of the first. With one out, Kimmy Singer successfully bunted down the right field line and pick up a RBI as Zoeller put GSW up 1-0. In the bottom of the second, Murdock singled and stole while advancing on a wild pitch as she ended up on third. One wild pitch later, Murdock went flying across the plate for a run. Jacie Johns followed that with a RBI sac fly into left field as she pushed Zoeller across the plate for a 3-0 lead.
Wood kicked off the bottom of the third with a home run into left field, picking up her second of the season. After reaching first on an error, Mackenzy McFarland was able to advance three bases to get plated for a score. Soon after, Murdock picked up an RBI when she singled into right field. FVSU scored off a wild pitch in the top of the fourth but the Lady Hurricanes showed no mercy in the next inning, scoring seven runs to take the victory. GSW (5-2) ended the bottom fourth with seven runs and seven hits as Kuerzi had a two RBI double. Shannon Gibson picked up her third win of the season in 4.0 innings, giving up two hits, one run while striking out two Wildcats.
Game 2: GSW 13, FVSU 0
What looked like an inside the park home run wasn't the case as Zoeller started the inning with a double into left field in which was an error, as her speed led her across the plate for an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom second, Jenna Hollomon doubled into left field as McFarland put up a run for GSW. Oglesby followed up, as she hit a two-run home run over the center field wall with her first at bat of the evening. Morgan Mullin picked up a two-run double as several other Lady Hurricanes scored and accounted for nine runs in the bottom second.
With two outs, Murdock picked up a RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth for GSW (6-2). Zoeller hit a RBI single and Johns followed with a RBI double as GSW ended Game 2 in five innings also, winning 13-0. Freshman Hannah Holloway relived Jernigan in the fifth as she picked up two strikeouts to end the game.
Up Next: The Lady Hurricanes will compete in the Cougar Classic, Feb. 14-15 in Columbus, Ga.