Softball teams from Georgia Gwinnett College and Lindsey Wilson College (Kentucky) entered Saturday's contest tied at No. 15 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. Saturday's doubleheader did little to possibly separate the duo after splitting a doubleheader with each team scoring nine runs in a pair of 6-3 victories in Columbia, Kentucky.

Lindsey Wilson (33-13) hit a pair of home runs during a five-run fourth inning to win the opener. Then, the Grizzlies (31-17) scored six runs in the fourth inning of the second game to rally from a 2-0 deficit.

GGC has won three of the four meetings this season against Lindsey Wilson, earning a pair of walk-off victories during the Grizzly Open in Lawrenceville on February 11-12.

Senior Piper Wagner connected on a two-run home run to tie the second contest and lead the big offensive inning. Junior Lea McFadden followed with a base hit as the visitors would load the bases with no outs in the frame.

Freshman Jane Hoover drew a walk to give GGC a 3-2 advantage. Sophomore Lani Trent collected a run-scoring single for the team's fourth run. Classmate Josie Haulk also drove in a run on a ball that was misplayed by the Lindsey Wilson first baseman. The error allowed for two runs to score on the play.

Freshman starting pitcher Kailyn Berry picked up her 10th win of the season by tossing four innings. Junior Alexa Good allowed just one hit and struck out three batters in three scoreless innings of relief to record her third save of the season.

Freshman Lindzie Owen tallied three hits in the victory while McFadden went 3-for-4 at the plate.

The Grizzlies held a 1-0 lead in the opener following an RBI double from Wagner in the third inning. However, Lindsey Wilson's Makea-Al Kaluau connected on a two-run home run to ignite a big offensive innings for the hosts. A few batters later, Ellie Derrick hit a three-run home run to give the Blue Raiders a 5-1 lead.

Base hits from sophomore Claire Garney in the sixth inning and Owen in the final frame resulted in runs that brought the Grizzlies within the final 6-3 score in the first contest.

Coach's Corner
"It was good to earn a quality split while playing a tough team on the road. The games had a postseason feel, with teams who have had a history of postseason success. Kailyn (Berry) and Alexa (Good) worked well together in the second game. Piper's home run gave us a boost and then Lea (McFadden) followed with another base hit to produce the big inning (in the second game). It was good to get back-to-back hits when needed to win that important contest," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
 
Turning Point
The Grizzlies used a big fourth inning to pick up a doubleheader split on the road against No. 15 Lindsey Wilson College (Kentucky). Senior Piper Wagner started things with a two-run home run that tied the contest at 2-2. A bases-loaded walk to freshman Jane Hoover gave the visitors their first lead of the contest. Sophomore Lani Trent added an RBI single while classmate Josie Haulk drove in another run later in the frame. GGC turned a two-run deficit into a 6-2 lead in that productive fourth inning.
 
Key Plays
First Game
Top of Third
Piper Wagner opened the scoring with an RBI double to bring home Sydney Pelaez
 
Bottom of Fourth
Makea-Al Kaluau hit a two-run home run for Lindsey Wilson
Ellie Derrick connected on a three-run home run to give the Blue Raiders a 5-1 lead
 
Top of Sixth
Claire Garney hit a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 6-2
 
Top of Seventh
Lindzie Owen collected an RBI double to bring home Sydney Pelaez to make it 6-3
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Kylie Brown hit a solo home run to give the Raiders an earlier lead
 
Bottom of Third
Kylie Brown added a run-scoring single to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage
 
Top of Fourth
Piper Wagner tied the game, 2-2, with a two-run home run
Jane Hoover drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Grizzlies the lead
Lani Trent added a run-scoring single to bring home Lindzie Owen for the fourth of six runs scored in the inning
 
Inside The Numbers

• GGC recorded 20 hits across the doubleheader, led by 11 hits in winning the second contest
• Freshman Lindzie Owen went 5-for-8 and scored a pair of runs in the doubleheader
• Junior pitcher Alexa Good tossed three scoreless innings in relief during the second game to pick up her third save of 2022

News & Notes

• GGC stands 31-17 this spring; Lindsey Wilson is 33-13 on the season
• The Grizzlies and Lindsey Wilson were tied for No. 15 in the latest 2022 NAIA Top 25 poll
• GGC leads the series against the Blue Raiders by a 6-4 margin and has won five of the last six meetings
• The team went 11-10 in road or neutral site games this season

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to conclude the regular season with a home doubleheader against USC Beaufort (South Carolina) on Tuesday, April 26, from the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.