The Georgia Gwinnett College softball team smashed 11 doubles while earning a split of contrasting games in Sunday's doubleheader against the College of Coastal Georgia, winning 10-2 in five innings before dropping a 6-5 contest at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

The Grizzlies (6-6) equaled their season offensive production for doubles during Sunday's doubleheader. The team used a pair of five-run innings in the opener to give the Mariners (10-1) their first loss of the season.

GGC got a pair of two-run doubles with two outs in the second inning to build a 5-0 lead. Sophomore Josie Haulk provided the first run-scoring extra-base hit before junior Sydney Pelaez drove a double to left-center field. The team had four doubles in the inning.

Later, freshman Angelica Gallegos lined a two-run double to left field as part of five-run fifth inning. Haulk added an RBI fielder's choice before freshman Kayla Good ended the contest with an infield single, with the bases loaded, that brought home junior Lea McFadden.

Junior pitcher Alexa Good struck out five batters in the complete-game victory.

In the second game, the Grizzlies rallied from a 5-1 deficit to tie the contest only to see the visitors score a deciding unearned run in the sixth inning.

Haulk began the hosts' comeback with a run-scoring double in the fourth inning that scored sophomore Logan Oller to trim the deficit to 5-2. Back-to-back RBI doubles by sophomore Lani Trent and Gallegos in the next frame brought GGC within a run, 5-4. In fact, Gallegos' extra-base hit nearly tied the game as it landed on top of the left field fence. That tie came later when an RBI ground out from junior Brooke Parker brought home Gallegos.

However, the visiting Mariners took advantage of an opposing throwing error to score an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning. GGC had a possible game-tying run at second base with one out in the seventh inning. A strikeout and ground out ended the threat.


 
"We have to continue to grind throughout this season. We're playing a lot of good teams. This time we played a team that made the final of last year's Opening Round. We're not taking it easy on ourselves. I think we proved today that we have all the tools. We just need to bare down and focus," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
 
First Game
Bottom of Second
Lea McFadden opened the scoring with a run-scoring double to right field
Josie Haulk gave the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead with a two-run double
Sydney Pelaez added a two-run double
 
Bottom of Fifth
Angelica Gallegos drove in a pair of runs with a double to give the Grizzlies an 8-2 lead
Josie Haulk reached on a fielder's choice to bring home Angelica Gallegos
Kayla Good ended the contest with an infield single with the bases loaded
 
Second Game
Bottom of First
Angelica Gallegos hit a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 2-1
 
Bottom of Fourth
Josie Haulk hit an RBI double to right field to bring home Logan Oller
 
Bottom of Fifth
Lani Trent lined a run-scoring double off the wall in left center field
Angelica Gallegos just missed a game-tying home run, but settled for an RBI double
Brooke Parker tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI groundout
 
Top of Sixth
Sarah Thinger reached following a throwing error that allowed the go-ahead run to score
 
Inside The Numbers

• The Grizzlies tallied 10 hits in both games of the doubleheader
• Eleven of GGC's 20 hits were doubles – the team came into Sunday with 11 doubles on the season
• Freshman Angelica Gallegos went 4-for-7 and drove in three runs
• Junior pitcher Alexa Good posted her fifth victory of the season

• GGC stands 6-6 on the season; Coastal Georgia is 10-1 in 2022
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the 2022 NAIA Top 25 preseason poll; Coastal Georgia received votes in the same poll
• GGC opened the season with 12 straight home games

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic from February 25-27 in Columbus, Georgia.