Two freshmen pitchers combined to shutout Avila University (Missouri) as the Georgia Gwinnett College softball team earned a 4-0 victory in the nightcap of Friday's action at the Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

The Grizzlies (12-9) split the two games in the first day of the invitational, falling to Texas A&M University-Texarkana 4-3 in nine innings during the afternoon.

Freshman Kailyn Berry tossed six scoreless innings before classmate Kayla Good registered a scoreless seventh inning to shutout Avila (5-6). Berry scattered four hits to pick up her second straight victory inside the pitching circle.

GGC pushed across a pair of runs in the second inning and built a 4-0 lead through four innings.

Junior Lea McFadden opened the scoring with an RBI double that scored freshman Angelica Gallegos from first base. McFadden later scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Jane Hoover for the 2-0 advantage.

One inning later, Gallegos hit a run-scoring double to bring home GGC's third run of the game. Junior Sydney Pelaez got into the extra-base hit party with an RBI double that brought home sophomore Josie Haulk from first base for the 4-0 lead.

The Grizzlies recorded seven hits in the victory, led by Pelaez's 2-for-3 performance.

In Friday's opener, GGC had a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning when senior Piper Wagner connected on a two-run home run. It was her sixth home run of the season. However, the Eagles responded by getting the run back in the bottom half of the frame.

McFadden then gave the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead with an RBI single in the eighth inning.

Texas A&M-Texarkana (14-1) once again answered the challenge as Macie Reeves delivered a game-tying base hit with two outs to send the game into the ninth inning.

The Grizzlies left the bases loaded when a pop out and a ground out to the pitcher ended the threat in the top half of the frame. Then, the Eagles' Molly Harrison led off the bottom half with an RBI double that scored the game-winning run.
 
Georgia Gwinnett College was involved in a back-and-forth affair against Texas A&M-Texarkana in Friday's opening game. After taking a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning, following a base hit from junior Lea McFadden, the Eagles got a two-out base hit to tie the contest. The Grizzlies loaded the bases with one out, but the middle of the lineup was unable to bring home a run. That allowed the momentum to shift to Texas A&M-Texarkana. The Eagles won the contest when Molly Harrison, the leadoff batter of the ninth inning, hit an RBI double.
 
Texas A&M Texarkana Game
Top of Fifth
Piper Wagner connected on a two-run homer to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead
 
Top of Eighth
Lea McFadden gave the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead with an RBI single
 
Bottom of Eighth
Macie Reeves hit a two-out RBI double to tie the contest at 3-3
 
Bottom of Ninth
Molly Harrison led off the frame with a double to bring home the runner at second in the international tiebreaker situation
 
Avila Game
Bottom of Second
Lea McFadden opened the scoring with an RBI single
Jane Hoover hit a sacrifice fly to score Lea McFadden and give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Angelica Gallegos connected on a run-scoring double that brought home Kloey Goins
 
Bottom of Fourth
Sydney Pelaez lined an RBI double to extend GGC's lead to 4-0
 

• The Grizzlies tallied 15 hits across Friday's games, led by eight hits against Avila
• Senior Piper Wagner connected on her sixth home run of the season, matching her home run total from the 2021 season
• Junior Alexa Good recorded a season-high 13 strikeouts against Texas A&M-Texarkana

• GGC stands 12-9 on the season; Texas A&M Texarkana is 14-1 this spring; Avila is 5-6 in 2022
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the 2022 NAIA Top 25 preseason poll; Texas A&M Texarkana received votes in the same poll
• GGC is 4-3 in neutral site games this season

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play No. 6 Columbia College (Missouri) at 2:30 p.m. and then No. 13 Central Methodist University (Missouri) to conclude play in the Gulf Coast Invitational on Saturday, March 5, in Gulf Shores, Alabama.