By: Bailey Clark, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.- Georgia College & State University Softball (8-3) skates through day two of the Bobcat Battle Tournament with a 9-1 win over Southern Wesleyan (2-8) and a 7-1 win over Converse University (5-7), Saturday. 

GCSU kicked off day two with the first game of the day against Southern Wesleyan. The Bobcats scored early knocking in the first run in the first inning. The bats went quiet for a few innings then came alive in the fifth inning on a big five-run inning. The win was solidified with a three-run sixth inning to pick up the 9-1 run-rule win. 

Mackenzie Martin (Dacula) got the run production started on a monstrous triple driven to deep center field to score Sydney Lancaster (Woodstock) in the first inning. The offense picked back up starting with a Lancaster stolen base which led to a throwing error that scored Emily Hobbs (Thomasville) from third. Martin followed blasting yet another triple this time to right field to score Lancaster. Martin went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead the offense. Lauren Sommerer (Loganville) picked up her first hit of the game with an RBI single to center field. She came around to score on the big two-RBI double from Madison Todd (Suwanee) to bring a close to the big fifth inning. Ashley Schell (Cumming) got the pinch hit and was hit by a pitch to score the first run of the sixth inning as the bases were loaded. Sommerer came to the plate yet again and nabbed a sacrifice fly to plate the eighth run of the game for GCSU. Todd ended the game on a solid single to score the final run of the game. 

Hobbs went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Todd and Kam Caldwell (Athens) both went 2-for-4 with a double and a single for Todd and two singles for Caldwell. 

Lancaster picked up her first outing in the circle today for the Bobcats. She only allowed one earned run in her lone inning of work. Shelby Jones (Kissimmee, Florida) got the relief effort and the win in the circle. She came in and picked up five strikeouts and allowed zero earned runs in five innings of work. 

The Bobcats took on Converse in game two of the day picking up the 7-1 win. GCSU had a big three-run second inning to kick off their run production. Jessica Owens (Social Circle) got the offense going with a double rifled down the left field line. She then came around to score on a Sommerer single to right field. Divina Checo (Marietta) had her best hit of the season with a deep RBI double to center field to drive in Sommerer. E. Hobbs followed suit with a double of her own to bring Checo around to round out the inning. The Bobcats plated a single run in the third as Caldwell came around to score after reaching on a single. Nothing came across for the Bobcats in the fourth but Owens picked up where she left off in the second with an RBI single to center field. Lancaster wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI single to center field. 

Montana Ledbetter (Hana City, Illinois) got the start in the circle as well as her first win of the season. Ledbetter went the distance picking up seven strikeouts and only allowing one earned run in six innings of work. 

The Bobcats are back in action Sunday, Feb. 20 for day three of the Bobcat Battle Tournament for a 1:30 p.m. game with Mars Hill University and a 4:00 p.m. game with Converse. Live stats and broadcast links are 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.