AIKEN, S.C.- The Georgia Southwestern softball team rallied late in the second game of their doubleheader against USC Aiken to earn a win and a split on Sunday at JH Satcher Field.
GSW is now 16-20 overall and 4-8 in the Peach Belt Conference while USC Aiken moved to 18-14-1, 6-8 PBC.
Mikela Barlow went a combined 4-for-6 at the plate including a double in each game.
GAME 1: GSW 3, USC AIKEN 5
Joshlyn Martin hit a two-run homer in the first inning to score Hayley Tierce and take a two-run lead. USC Aiken cut the lead in half in the third with a single and took the lead in the fifth off a four-run homer. Tierce singled to score Barlow at the top of the sixth to fall by two runs.
Barlow went 2-for-3 at the plate including a double in the sixth.
Shannon Gibson pitched six innings, faced 29 batters, struck out four, walked one and allowed seven hits and five runs.
GAME 2: GSW 12, USC AIKEN 10
Brittany Davis scored at the top of the first inning off a sacrifice fly after reaching on an error. USC Aiken scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth off a solo home run, two singles and a fielders choice to lead by three.
USC Aiken scored two more in the bottom of the second off a two-run home run and hit another solo homer in the third and fourth to take a seven-run lead.
The Lady 'Canes started their rally in the fifth scoring four runs at stay alive. Sabrina Sieber scored off a single from Rebekah Davis, Ella Hawkins scored off an error, R. Davis scored off a single from Tierce and Barlow scored off a single from Martin.
USC Aiken doubled in the bottom of the fifth to score two more runs and the Lady 'Canes answered with six runs to take a one-run lead.
Gibson started it off with her first home run of the season scoring Sieber along with her. Hawkins scored off an error, Graysen Sanders off a sacrifice fly, B. Davis off a double from Tierce and Tierce off a single from Sieber.
Hawkins scored again in the seventh off a sacrifice fly after hitting a triple to center field to take a two-run lead.
Gibson and GSW's defense held off USC Aiken's offense to complete the comeback and take the split.
It was deja vu with Barlow going 2-for-3 at the plate with another double. Sieber and Hawkins were 3-for-4 and Tierce was 2-for-4. Tierce, Martin and Gibson each got 2 RBIs.
Brittany Childs pitched 1.2 innings, faced 12 batters and scattered seven hits and six runs.
Kaley Sikes pitched 2.2 innings, faced 16 batters, walked five and gave up two hits and four runs.
Gibson pitched 2.2 innings, faced 11 batters, struck out two and only allowed two hits.
The Lady 'Canes are home on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Albany State starting at 2 p.m. at Lady 'Canes Field.
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