YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Georgia College & State University and Young Harris College split a softball doubleheader to open the 2025 season Saturday (Feb. 1) afternoon at the YHC Softball Field.
Young Harris took the opener 5-4, while the Bobcats returned the favor, winning the nightcap 5-4.
The Bobcats improved to 1-1, while the Mountain Lions fell to 1-1. GCSU will open its home schedule at the Bobcat Softball Field Wednesday (Feb. 5) with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against former Peach Belt Conference-foe Francis Marion University, which is ranked No. 14 in the preseason National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
The Bobcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead in game two as they pushed across three runs in the third and two more in the fourth inning.
Kam Caldwell drove in the first run on a double to left-center field before coming round on a
Karlie Gutierrez's homer disappeared behind the trees in center field.
Eliza Kuhne added a two-run single to center in the fifth inning.
Jess Jaruszewski kept the Mountain Lions in the game with her grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull Younh Harris within a run at 5-4; however, that would be as close as they would get as GCSU's
Brittany Johnson secured her first win as head coach.
Tiffany Caban (1-0) earned the win for GCSU as she struck out six in five innings, while
Elora Wilmot earned her first save with two scoreless innings.
Caldwell had two of the eight GCSU hits with both going for doubles, while Madison Todd and
Reina Checo each posted a double.
In the opener, the Mountain Lions jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth, before the Bobcats battled back to a run in the fifth on Caroline Pollack's homer to right-center field and added three more in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead.
Sydney Lancaster had a two-run single in the sixth and Pollock drove in another run on a single.
Young Harris reclaimed the lead at 5-4 in the bottom of the inning on RBI doubles from Gracie Hughes and Addie Heal.
Annalise Knop (0-1) absorbed the loss in relief for the Bobcats.
Pollock accounted for two of the five Bobcat hits.
About GCSU AthleticsÂ
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of 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 or subscribe to theÂ
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