By: Bailey Clark, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

HARDEEVILLE, S.C.- Georgia College & State University Softball (26-19, 12-12 PBC) put up runs in six of seven innings in the 9-4 win over USC Beaufort (11-41, 3-24 PBC), Sunday. 

The big bats got hot from the start as the Bobcats brought in four runs on six hits in the first inning. Emily Hobbs (Thomasville, Ga.) and Jessica Owens (Social Circle, Ga.) were the first base runners of the contest reaching on two consecutive singles. Mackenzie Martin (Dacula, Ga.) and Stephanie Condland (Hoschton, Ga.) drove in the first three runs of the contest with back to back doubles to the fence. Katelyn Hobbs (Thomasville, Ga.) capped off the first inning scoring barrage with an infield single to score Condland. 

Martin came to the plate in the top of the second inning and launched her second double of the game as well as her second RBI. 

GCSU pushed yet another run around in the top of the third inning to snag the 6-2 lead. Ashley Schell (Cumming, Ga.) poked a single into center field to plate the run. 

The Bobcat bats went quiet in the fourth inning for the first time in the contest but picked back up again in the fifth. Lauren Sommerer (Loganville, Ga.) forced a Sand Shark error to drive around run seven on the day. 

The runs kept coming as Owens lined a ball at the shortstop to cause another costly error resulting in a Georgia College run. 

Yet another double plated the ninth run of the game for GCSU this time off the bat of Sommerer. 

Shelby Jones (Kissimmee, Fla.) nabbed the start and the win in the circle. Jones (10-8) became the second Bobcat pitcher this season to achieve double-digit wins. This is the first time two GCSU pitchers have had double-digit wins in a single season since the 2016 season where Carly Lewis and Marissa Boyette tag teamed a 33 win season. In this win for Jones she only allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out eight. 

The Bobcats are back in action Monday, April 24 at 3:00 p.m. to take on Georgia Southwestern State University at the Peeler Complex. 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.