The No. 11-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team tallied 29 hits to score 25 runs in sweeping a doubleheader from Bacone College (Oklahoma) by 16-0 and 9-0 scores on Friday afternoon at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

The Grizzlies (16-5) plated 11 runs in the third inning of the first game to open the scoring barrage for the day. Senior Sydney Pelaez had a pair of hits to drive in runs during the frame. She opened the scoring with an RBI single. Junior Josie Haulk added a run-scoring double to bring home freshman Enna Lackey.

Sophomore Lindzie Owen followed with an RBI single to center field before juniors Logan Oller and Claire Garney enjoyed back-to-back run-scoring singles to left field that extended GGC's lead to 6-0.

Freshman Summer Hickson tallied an RBI single to right field before Pelaez brought home a pair of runs with a single later in the third inning.

The hosts added four runs in the fourth inning with Hickson and freshman Madison Rodgers providing run-scoring base hits.

In the second game, Rodgers paced the Grizzlies' 15-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-3 and scoring three runs in the start at third base. Hickson scored twice and collected a hit as she started both games at shortstop on Friday.

GGC scored four runs with two outs in the second inning to build a 5-0 lead. The hosts plated four more runs in the fourth inning to secure the victory.

Haulk and Owen also collected two hits for the Grizzlies, while junior Kendall Parks and Garney each went 2-for-3 at the plate in the nightcap.

The team's pitching performances matched the productive offensive efforts in the doubleheader. Sophomore pitcher Annalise Wood tossed her second perfect of the season, striking out 11 batters in the five-inning performance. Classmate Kailyn Berry scattered two hits across four scoreless innings in the opener to collect the victory and improve to 3-3 on the season. Freshman reliever Bri Deleon tossed a scoreless fifth inning while making her collegiate debut.

Georgia Gwinnett College will host Bacone in another doubleheader on Saturday, March 11, starting at noon as part of Military and First Responders Appreciation Day.

"It is one of the pillars of our program that we want to be people who uplift the community through our love of the game. This is a really great opportunity to put that on display, not just for young athletes but also for people who work in our community who we are so closely tied to," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg on the special day on the home diamond.


  "This was a midseason reset for us, with the opportunity to give a well-deserved break to some players who have played a lot of innings already this season. It was exciting to see the new players come in and take advantage of the time in the lineup. When we work together and our energy is focused together, we can do great things. It was good to see us bounce back after some tough contests yesterday (splitting a doubleheader against Saint Xavier)," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  The first eight batters reached safely during an 11-run third inning in the first game. Senior Sydney Pelaez hit a run-scoring single to bring home the first run during the productive frame. Junior Josie Haulk followed with an RBI double to left field. Sophomore Lindzie Owen added a run-scoring single to increase the lead to 3-0. A wild pitch allowed for another run to touch home plate before RBI singles from juniors Logan Oller and Claire Garney extended the Grizzlies' lead to 6-0. Freshman Summer Hickson followed with an RBI single before Pelaez brought home a pair of runs with a single to end the big offensive inning.
  First Game
Bottom of Third
Sydney Pelaez opened the scoring with an RBI single
Josie Haulk added a run-scoring double that brought home Enna Lackey
Lindzie Owen added an RBI single to center field
Logan Oller lined a run-scoring single to left field to provide a 5-0 lead
Claire Garney hit a run-scoring single to left field
Summer Hickson tallied an RBI single to right field to score Logan Oller
Sydney Pelaez brought home a pair of runs with a single
 
Bottom of Fourth
Summer Hickson opened a five-run frame with an RBI single to right field
Alexa Good hit a sacrifice fly to score Jane Hoover
Madison Rodgers connected on a run-scoring double
Lindzie Owen added an RBI double to left-center field
 
Second Game
Bottom of First
Lindzie Owen hit a run-scoring single to second base to bring home Madison Rodgers
 
Bottom of Second
Sydney Pelaez lined an RBI single to right field with two outs
Madison Rodgers legged out a triple to give the Grizzlies a 4-0 advantage
Josie Haulk added a run-scoring single
 
Bottom of Fourth
Summer Hickson hit an RBI single to left field that scored Lindzie Owen
Claire Garney lined a run-scoring single up the middle to score Kloey Goins
Kendall Parks lined an RBI double to bring home Summer Hickson and cap a four-run inning
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Bacone by a 29-2 margin in the doubleheader sweep
• GGC recorded 12 stolen bases across the two games
• Sophomore Annalise Wood tossed her second perfect game of the 2023 season
• GGC scored 11 runs during the third inning in the first game

 

• GGC improves to 16-5 on the season; Bacone drops to 3-9 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the NAIA Top 25 poll
• GGC is 12-5 at the Grizzly Softball Complex so far in 2023

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Bacone College (Oklahoma) during the program's Military and First Responders Appreciation Day on Saturday, March 11, at the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at noon.