By: Bailey Clark, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.- Georgia College & State University Softball (23-18, 9-11 PBC) took a doubleheader loss to the University of North Georgia (43-4, 21-2 PBC) including a game-one upset bid on senior day, Saturday. 

The Bobcat offense was electric in the second inning plating seven runs on five hits to take the first lead of the day. Stephanie Condland (Hoschton) nabbed her first hit of the day to bring the first run around to score to cut the Nighthawk lead to 4-1. Senior Lauren Sommerer (Loganville) kept the inning going with an RBI infield single. The Bobcats kept chipping away at the UNG lead as Emily Hobbs (Thomasville) followed suit with an infield single of her own to make it a 4-3 game. The bat of Jessica Owens (Social Circle) made the Nighthawks pay for loading the bases as she blasted a grand slam to put the Bobcats up 7-4 for the first lead of the day. 

GCSU would keep the lead until the top of the seventh inning when North Georgia plated four to give them the 10-7 victory. 

The Bobcats used three pitchers in the circle in game one. Jana Shellhorse (McDonough) got the start going five innings only allowing three earned runs. Shelby Jones (Kissimmee, Florida) was the second reliever of the day allowing one earned run in her one inning of work. 

Game two was offense heavy in favor of the Nighthawks. MacKenzie Hoffman (Rocky Face) was the first base runner of the game for the Bobcats reaching on an error by the third baseman. Hoffman stole second to pick up her 43 career stolen bases to put her at number 10 overall in school history. Condland put an end to Tybee Denton's no-hitter as she singled through the left side in the bottom of the seventh inning. Senior Ashley Schell (Cumming) tacked on another hit on the infield single. 

The Bobcats also used three pitchers in game two with Montana Ledbetter (Hanna City, Illinois) getting the start and the loss. Ledbetter (5-3) allowed zero earned runs on two hits in her two and two-thirds innings pitched. Shellhorse picked up her second outing of the day closing game two pitching two innings allowing zero earned runs. 

The Bobcats and the Nighthawks are set to finish the series Sunday, April 16 at 1:00 p.m. Live stats and broadcast links 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 post-season 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.