The No. 14-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team took different routes to conclude a successful weekend on the diamond by sweeping No. 18 College of Coastal Georgia 4-3 and 4-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

The Grizzlies (8-1) won four of five games during the weekend against opponents ranked in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll.

In Sunday's first game, senior Lea McFadden delivered a walk-off single to cap a two-run seventh inning as the hosts rallied from a 3-0 deficit to post a 4-3 victory.

Then, sophomore Annalise Wood scattered two hits and struck out eight batters in tossing another shutout inside the pitching circle.

After Coastal Georgia (3-4) build a 3-0 lead through the top of the fourth inning of the opener, the Grizzlies responded by scoring a single run in the fourth and fifth innings to get within a run heading into the final frame. Junior Logan Oller hit an RBI single in the fourth inning to score sophomore Angelica Gallegos to begin the comeback.

Senior Sydney Pelaez connected on a solo home run that struck the right field foul pole to trim the deficit to 3-2.

That set up a dramatic seventh inning. Sophomore Lindzie Owen tied the contest, 3-3, with a bases-loaded single that allowed sophomore Emerson Hall to score with one out. McFadden followed with a line drive single up the middle to give the Grizzlies the 4-3 victory.

In the second game, Gallegos hit a two-run double to cap a three-run first inning. Owen drove in Pelaez with a ground ball to the right side of the infield earlier in the frame.

Junior Kloey Goins extended GGC's lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

Wood improved to 4-0 on the season by tossing her third shutout of 2023.

McFadden paced the Grizzlies by going 3-for-3 as the team collected seven hits in the second contest.


  "We have showcased a lot of grit early in the season, being ahead and behind in games. In both of those situations we've done a good job of working together. We're relying on players who have experience and postseason success. They're having the time of their lives in these exciting games," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  The Grizzlies fought back from a 3-0 deficit to win the opener by scoring four unanswered runs in the late innings. Two runs were pushed across in the seventh inning to complete the comeback and score the victory. Junior Josie Haulk opened the frame with an infield single. A fielding error allowed for the game-winning run to reach base. A few batters later, sophomore Lindzie Owen tied the game with an infield single. That was followed by senior Lea McFadden hitting a hard line drive back up the middle to score sophomore Kayla Good from third base with the winning run.
  First Game
Bottom of Fourth
Logan Oller put the Grizzlies on the scoreboard, 3-1, with an RBI single to score Angelica Gallegos
 
Bottom of Fifth
Sydney Pelaez connected on a solo home run off the foul pole in right field to cut the deficit to 3-2
 
Bottom of Seventh
Lindzie Owen tied the game, 3-3, with an infield single to score Emerson Hall
Lea McFadden lined a walk-off single up the middle to score the winning run
 
Second Game
Bottom of First
Lindzie Owen drove in Sydney Pelaez with a ground ball to the right side of the infield
Angelica Gallegos hit a two-run double to left field to give the team a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Kloey Goins added a sacrifice fly to bring home Josie Haulk with an insurance run
 

• The Grizzlies tallied 15 hits across the doubleheader, led by eight hits in the first game
• Senior Sydney Pelaez hit her second home run of the season in the first contest
• Sophomore Annalise Wood struck out eight batters while tossing her third shutout of the season
• Senior Lea McFadden went 3-for-3 and scored a run in the second game

• GGC improves to 8-1 on the season; Coastal Georgia drops to 3-4 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 14 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll; Coastal Georgia stood No. 18 in the same poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has a 13-6 lead in the series, including a 9-3 mark in games played in Lawrenceville
• The Grizzlies won four of their five games across the weekend

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Middle Georgia State University on Tuesday, February 21, at the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at 2 p.m.