The Georgia Gwinnett College softball team is one win away from a return trip to the NAIA World Series after defeating LSU Alexandria 8-6 on Tuesday afternoon in the Lawrenceville Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round at the Grizzly Softball Complex.
The Grizzlies (41-14), the tournament's top seed, will play in the championship round against No. 4-seed University of Rio Grande (Ohio) on Wednesday, May 15, with a game starting at noon. Another game may be necessary at 2:30 p.m. to determine the winner of the double-elimination tournament.
In Tuesday's action, GGC scored in its first three offensive innings, including four runs in the third frame, to grab an early 7-1 lead.
The No. 3-seeded LSU Alexandria (34-15) made things interesting during the middle innings. Lauren Rachal's two-run double opened the way for the Generals to score four runs in the top of the fifth inning, trimming the deficit to 7-5.
However, GGC answered with a run-scoring single from junior
RaeQuinn Rossetti in the bottom of the fifth inning. Her second hit of the game provided an important insurance run.
Sophomore
Piper Wagner tossed two scoreless innings in relief to register the save after senior
Taylor Hansis scattered five hits across the first five innings to pick up her 24th victory of the season.
Sophomore
Holly Janco scored three runs and collected two hits to spark Georgia Gwinnett College's eight-hit offensive attack. Senior
Aubree Cox added a pair of sacrifice fly outs as the bottom two positions in the team's batting order combined for two hits, three runs and two RBI.
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Coach's Corner
"We showed the composure and experience that we have as a team. We had a lot of quality at bats and moved runners over. Then, we got big hits and sacrifice flies when we needed them. It is those little things that win at this time of the year. Holly (Janco) and Aubree (Cox) have been big contributors for us at this stage in their careers," said Head Coach
Kat Ihlenburg.
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Turning Point
The Grizzlies used a big third inning to build a 7-1 lead. Senior
Elyssa Melton hit a perfectly placed single down the right-field line to score a pair of runs. The base hit gave the tournament hosts a 5-1 lead with two of its four runs in the third inning.
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Key Plays
Bottom of First
Piper Wagner's RBI single scored
Crystal Busbee to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead
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Bottom of Second
Aubree Cox connected on a sacrifice fly to bring home
Holly Janco
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Bottom of Third
Elyssa Melton drove in a pair of runs with a single to right field
Aubree Cox hit her second sacrifice fly of the contest to bring home the third of four runs in the frame
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Top of Fifth
Lauren Rachal connected on a two-run double for LSU Alexandria, trimming the deficit to 7-3
Haylee Tidwell hit a RBI single to score the third run of the inning
Jayden Dukes capped the big inning with a run-scoring double
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Bottom of Fifth
RaeQuinn Rossetti gave GGC an 8-5 lead with a RBI single
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Inside The Numbers
- The Grizzlies tallied eight hits in the victory
- LSU Alexandria committed four defensive errors
- Three GGC players recorded two hits in the contest
- GGC scored at least one run in four of its six offensive innings
- The team had seven stolen bases
News & Notes
- GGC improves to 41-14 on the season; LSU Alexandria drops to 34-15
- Georgia Gwinnett College was the top seed in the double-elimination Lawrenceville Bracket; LSU Alexandria stood as the No. 3 seed
- Tuesday's victory evened the series history between the two programs; both games have come in postseason play
- The Grizzlies were ranked No. 8 in the final regular-season NAIA Top 25 poll
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College plays in the championship round of the Lawrenceville Bracket in the NAIA Opening Round on Wednesday, May 15, starting at noon against No. 4-seed University of Rio Grande (Ohio) at the Grizzly Softball Complex.
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