AMERICUS, Ga. – The Georgia Southwestern Lady Hurricanes were supposed to take on the Fort Valley State Lady Wildcats on Friday but were postponed due to inclement weather. While the double header may have had to wait 24 hours, Rachel McElroy didn't wait as she had a career day batting four of six with six RBI's en route to the sweep of FVSU 9-0, 4-2 on Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE: Georgia Southwestern-9 Fort Valley State-0 (5 Innings)
Katie Maddox would have it going as she recorded her second win in as many starts. Her five-inning shutout of the Lady Wildcats saw her allow only one hit while striking out five FVSU batters. Including Saturday's outing, Maddox has given up only one earned run in her last twelve innings pitched while scattering three hits over those two starts.
Mason Moreland would score the game's first run on a wild pitch after she walked to lead the game off. The one-run second inning would be followed by a three-run second as Katie Wooten would score on an error. Rachel McElroy would then hit a two-run single past first base. It would be two of the freshman's career-high five RBI's in the game.
Senior third baseman Gabby Buck lined a two-run RBI double in the bottom of the fourth. McElroy would drive Buck in with a RBI double of her own in the next at-bat for her third RBI of the game and GSW's seventh run of the game.
McElroy would finish what she started in the fifth inning. Her fourth and fifth RBI's of the game on a double down the leftfield line would score Mason Moreland and Hayley Knight and end the game via the eight-run mercy rule in the fifth inning.
GAME TWO: Georgia Southwestern-4 Fort Valley State-2
Coach Eddie Ward and company would again ride quality starting pitching to victory. Starter Casey Burns, like her counterpart Katie Maddox in game one, would not be charged with an earned run over five innings while recording two strikeouts.
After FVSU's Kenya Shakoor would score on a fielding error in the outfield in the first inning, the Lady 'Canes would tie the game courtesy of freshman outfielder Rachel McElroy's sixth RBI of the day. Mason Moreland would score on McElroy's single to even the score, but she wasn't done.
The sophomore second baseman would open up the bottom of the third inning with GSW's first triple of the year (second of her career). Gabby Buck would drive Moreland in two batters later with a deep fly ball to right field.
The Fort Valley State half of the fourth inning would open with an error by shortstop Janna Anderson. FVSU's Michelle Thompson would come around to score on a single four batters later as the Lady Wildcats would tie the game again.
The tie wouldn't last for more than a half of an inning as freshman Kiley Doster would drive in her first career run, scoring Katie Wooten in the home half of the fourth inning. Leading three to two, the Blue & Gold would tack on an insurance run as Ashley Cavender would score on a Lady Wildcat throwing error in the sixth inning to secure the victory.
Sophomore Erin Vick would come out of the GSW bullpen to pitch a scoreless sixth and seventh inning to earn her first career save.
The pair of wins pushes the Georgia Southwestern record to 7-9 for the 2012 season. Next in line for the Lady Hurricanes is West Georgia. The two teams will make-up their rain out from earlier in the week on Tuesday, February 28th. The two teams will play two at Lady Canes Field with first pitch scheduled at 2p.m.