By: Bailey Clark, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.- Georgia College & State University Softball (5-3) picks up a 9-8 loss and a 3-1 win in a doubleheader split with Francis Marion University (7-1), Wednesday. 

The first game of the doubleheader was offense heavy for both teams as there was a combined 17 runs scored on 25 hits through five innings. The Bobcats were able to plate eight runs on 15 hits and three errors by the Patriots. GCSU had the big 6-1 lead before a seven-run top of the fifth inning for FMU. the Bobcats were able to tie it up in the bottom half but were unable to match the top of the sixth run which put the Patriots on top. 

Those 15 hits for the Georgia College offense came from several hitters having a multi-hit game. Five of the nine starters went 2-for-4 with two others going 2-for-3. Therefore, seven of the nine starters had more than one hit.  Katelyn Hobbs (Thomasville) had the hot stick with a double and a home run with two runs scored and two RBI. K. Hobbs was the lone Bobcat hitter with multiple RBI in game one. She and Madison Todd (Suwanee) were the two GCSU runners to come around to score twice. 

Jana Shellhorse (McDonough) got the start in the circle with four innings of work and four earned runs. Shelby Jones (Kissimmee, Florida) closed the game and picked up the loss by pitching 2.2 innings with no earned runs and three strikeouts. 

The second game of the doubleheader was defense and pitching heavy as only four runs were scored on 10 hits. Emily Hobbs (Thomasville) was the lone Bobcat with a multi-hit game going 2-for-3. She ended the day going 4-for-6. Sydney Lancaster (Woodstock) and K. Hobbs had the only two RBI of the second game. Kam Caldwell (Athens) led the scoring effort coming around to score twice to account for two-thirds of the Bobcat runs. 

Jones picked up right where she left off at the end of game one as she was the game two starters. Jones threw a complete seven-inning one-run ball game while only allowing four hits. She also fanned four batters. 

The Bobcats are back in action Friday, Feb. 17 at 2:00 p.m. to kick off the Bobcat Battle Tournament against Southern Wesleyan University. Live stat and broadcast links for the entire tournament will be available at GCBobcats.com. 

Owning the top Academic Success Rate among public schools in Division II, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won three-straight Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of both the PBC Commissioner's Cup and the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports.