COLUMBUS, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University softball team delivered two remarkable upset wins to open the 2024 Peach Belt Conference Tournament as the No. 7 seed, but narrowly missed clinching a berth in the championship series over the weekend.
Friday
Starting off the weekend against the No. 2 seed Columbus State, the Lady Hurricanes came out strong. Ashlyn Rogers set the tone in the top of the first inning with a two-run homer to left center, giving Georgia Southwestern an early lead. Izzy Marcotte and Hailey Pinette followed in the top of the 4th inning with impressive homers, extending the Hurricanes' lead to 4-0. Columbus State fought back in the bottom of the 4th inning with a three-run homer, tightening the score to 4-3. The game remained tense as Columbus State tied it up 4-4 in the bottom of the 5th inning with a single up the middle. The Lady Hurricanes didn't back down, as Hailey Pinnette broke the tie with a solo shot in the top of the 6th inning, putting Georgia Southwestern ahead 5-4. Graceanne Spears sealed the victory for the Lady Hurricanes pitching a complete game and striking out an impressive 9 batters, securing the upset win against Columbus State.
Saturday
Following their thrilling upset win , the Georgia Southwestern State University Lady Hurricanes continued their impressive streak with a dominant performance in the Winners Bracket Game against the #6 seed Georgia College on Saturday. The Lady Hurricanes wasted no time as they faced off against Georgia College, with Natalia Herrera starting the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI double. Jacie Johns extended the lead to 3-0 in the top of the 4th inning with a 2 RBI double. Rutledge added another run with an RBI single up the middle before Rogers capped off the inning with a two-run homer, putting the Hurricanes ahead 6-0. In the top of the fifth inning, both Pinette and Rutledge delivered hits, pushing the Hurricanes further ahead 9-0. Graceanne Spears once again showcased her pitching prowess, closing the game early in the bottom of the 5th inning and shutting out the Bobcats. Spears allowed only one hit and struck out four in 5 innings on the mound.
Sunday
In a highly anticipated matchup, the Georgia Southwestern State University Lady Hurricanes softball team faced off against Columbus State in a nail-biting game that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The back-and-forth battle showcased the talent and determination of both teams as they fought for a spot in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Softball Championship Series.
The game started with Columbus State taking an early lead in the 1st inning with an RBI single up the middle. However, Georgia Southwestern wasted no time responding in the 2nd inning as Lacey Rutledge crushed a homer to right center, bringing in three runs and putting the Hurricanes ahead 3-1. The Lady Hurricanes continued to extend their lead in the 3rd inning with Kendall Huelsman reaching first on a dropped fly ball, resulting in an RBI. Hailey Pinette then doubled down the right field line, notching two more RBIs and further solidifying Georgia Southwestern's lead. Columbus State fought back in the 3rd inning with a two rbi singles, closing the gap to 8-4. The game continued to see-saw as both teams exchanged runs, with Isabel Marcotte hitting a crucial homer in the 6th inning for Georgia Southwestern. The tension mounted in the final innings as the score was tied 10-10 in the 6th inning. Columbus state would go on to win from a walk off single in the 7th inning.
The Hurricanes continued to fight in the second game. Ansley Duffey made an impact in the 1st inning doubling to left center, bringing Jacie Johns home to score and giving Georgia Southwestern the early lead. Natalia Herrera followed up with a bunt single that brought in another run, extending the Hurricanes' lead to 2-0. Columbus State quickly bounced back, scoring seven runs in the 1st inning, putting the Cougars up 7-2. Despite the Cougars' strong start, the Hurricanes fought back in the top of the 2nd inning with RBIs from Johns and Rutledge, as well as a home run from Herrera, cutting the deficit to 7-6. The back-and-forth action continued with a homerun from the Cougars and a homerun from Duffey in the top of the 4th inning, bringing the score to 8-7 in favor of Columbus State. Lacey Rutledge then tied the game at 8-8 with an RBI single in the top of the 5th inning, Columbus State broke the tie and pulled away with a strong performance in the 5th and 6th innings, adding 7 more runs to their lead. The Cougars went on to win with a final score of 15-8.