MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia College & State University took both ends of a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader against the University of South Carolina-Aiken Saturday (March 15) afternoon at the Bobcat Softball Field.
The Bobcats scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to take the opener 4-3 before putting together 15 hits in an 8-0 shutout in six innings in the nightcap.
With the weekend sweep of the Pacers, GCSU improved to 13-12 overall and to 7-2 in the PBC, while USC Aiken slipped to 13-16 and 2-7. The Bobcats, who have won five in a row, returns to action Friday (March 21) at 6 p.m. as they open a three-game PBC series at home against Lander University.
Tiffany Caban (6-2) allowed just two hits and struck out a career-high 12, including the first nine hitters.
Emily Hutcheson gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single to center field.
Caban retired the first 11 hitters until Mallory Shaver reached on a walk and Kate Newberry added a single before Lakyn Phillips connected on a three-run homer to left in the fourth inning.
GCSU got a run back in the sixth on a ground out from
Karlie Gutierrez to close the deficit to 3-2. Hutcheson started the seventh-inning rally with a single to center and moved to second on a
Kacie Wiggins sacrifice bunt. After a walk to
Samantha Wilson, Wilson and Hutcheson each stole a base to move up 60 feet before
Kam Caldwell drove both runners home with her double to center field.
Caldwell and Hutcheson each collected two hits for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats broke through the nightcap with a run in the third on a
Sydney Lancaster single to center before scoring two more on a Caldwell triple to left-center field.Â
GCSU took a 4-0 lead after an RBI ground out from Hutcheson in the fifth before the Bobcats ended the game early with four more runs in the sixth. Gutierrez and Lancaster each tallied run-scoring hits before Hutcheson closed out the game with a two-run double to left field.
Annalise Knop (1-2) earned her first win in the circle for the Bobcats with a complete-game effort, allowing just two hits and striking out three.
The Bobcats tied their season high with 15 hits as Caldwell, Gutierrez and Lancaster each had three, while Hutcheson had two. Every starter in the GCSU lineup, but one recorded at least one hit.
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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