The fifth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett softball team improved to 31-5-1 on Tuesday afternoon as the Grizzlies swept their doubleheader road series against Faulkner (Ala.), winning game one's pitchers' duel 1-0 while defeating the Lady Eagles in the twin bill's nightcap 6-2.
With Tuesday's wins, the Grizzlies have not lost in 17 consecutive contests, dating back to March 4's 9-6 result to then ranked No. 12 and now No. 6 Campbellsville (Ky.).
"We played well against a talented Faulkner program," said GGC head coach Kat Ihlenburg. "They have a strong pitching staff, and it took our team working together and having quality at-bats to come out with the victories. Nikki [Miller] had a quality at-bat that pushed our run across in game one while Sydney [Willhite] and Brashante [Dareus] came up clutch with home runs in game two. We have a lot more work to do before the A.I.I. tournament in May."
In game one, the Grizzlies defeated Faulkner in a pitchers' duel between GGC's Taylor Hansis and FU's Hayden Strickland. Hansis, the game's eventual victor, pitched seven shutout innings for the Grizzlies in their 1-0 win. The right-hander struck out three Lady Eagles while surrendering just three hits and three walks in the contest.
GGC scored game one's only run in the top of the sixth when sophomore Nikki Miller lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right field to score freshman Kaitlyn Howell from third. Howell entered the game as a pinch runner after first baseman Hailey Burnham led the inning off with a single to center.
Faulkner (12-19) led Georgia Gwinnett 2-0 in game two after two innings of play, but the Grizzlies stormed back with a five-run rally in the third to take a 5-2 advantage over the Lady Eagles. Center fielder Niki Cook drove in GGC's first run of the inning with an RBI-double to left. Two batters later, Brashante Dareus tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI-single to shallow left.
A Faulkner error later in the fifth inning gave GGC the 3-2 advantage while a two-run home run by catcher Sydney Willhite propelled the Grizzlies to the 5-2 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Dareus provided Georgia Gwinnett with its final run of the contest as the shortstop launched a solo home run over the center field fence.
GGC's Chelsi Palazzo (8-2) picked up the victory while Katie Jo Goodwin received the save. Faulkner's Emma Cornell was credited with the loss, surrendering six runs, four earned, on seven hits in four innings of work.
Next, Georgia Gwinnett will return to the Grizzly Softball Complex on Saturday, April 1 when the Grizzlies host Bryan (Tenn.) in doubleheader action on Senior Day. During a pregame ceremony, the Grizzlies will honor its five seniors, including Burnham, Dareus, Goodwin, Palazzo, and Mary Burk.
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