Timely hitting and a pitching shutout led the No. 11-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team to an impressive sweep against Truett-McConnell University (Georgia) by 5-4 and 6-0 scores Thursday evening at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

The Grizzlies (20-5) have won six straight games and now have a 10-2 record for this month.

Senior Sydney Pelaez hit a two-run single up the middle with two outs in the fourth inning to provide the winning edge in the first contest. Sophomore Kailyn Berry then tossed her first shutout of the season and third of her career in the nightcap to complete the midweek sweep.

Senior Lea McFadden gave the hosts a 3-1 lead in the back-and-forth opener with a fielder's choice play that plated junior Josie Haulk in the third inning.

Truett-McConnell (13-5) came back to score three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Grace Folds hit a sacrifice fly to cap the big offensive inning for the visitors. The Bears entered Thursday's contest as winners of 13 of their last 14 games and received votes in the first NAIA Top 25 poll of the 2023 regular season.

However, that advantage was short-lived as Pelaez brought home freshmen Madison Rodgers and Enna Lackey with a single in the bottom of the fourth inning. Pitcher Alexa Good and some strong defensive plays closed out the game. Good was a winner in the pitching circle for the seventh time (7-1) this spring.

In the second game, GGC manufactured two runs in the opening frame as Haulk successfully stole third base and later scored on a throwing error. McFadden followed with an RBI ground out to second base that brought home sophomore Lindzie Owen.

Pelaez hit a two-run double to right-center field to give GGC a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Sophomore Angelica Gallegos lined a two-run single up the middle during the fifth inning to extend the team's lead to the decisive 6-0 victory.

Berry scattered four hits, all singles, to toss the shutout and improve to 4-3 inside the pitching circle. The right hander struck out five batters in the contest.


  "I told Kailyn (Berry) before the season that she was going to be a difference maker for us. Tonight, she held a really good hitting team (above .300 batting average) to just four hits. That was a great job. We were very aggressive offensively, with hits going back up the middle to score runs," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  The Grizzlies always had an answer after Truett-McConnell scored in the top half of an inning of the opener of the doubleheader. The visiting Bears scored in the top of third inning to get within a run, at 2-1, of catching GGC. However, the hosts responded with senior Lea McFadden hitting a fielder's choice ground ball that brought home junior Josie Haulk in the bottom half of the inning to regain a two-run lead. Then, Truett-McConnell scored three times in the top of the fourth inning to overtake GGC, 4-3. But senior Sydney Pelaez came back by hitting a two-run single up the middle with two outs in the fourth inning to put the team back on top 5-4.
  First Game
Bottom of First
Kloey Goins hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Lindzie Owen to give GGC a 2-0 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Lea McFadden hit a fielder's choice to second base that scored Josie Haulk
 
Bottom of Fourth
Sydney Pelaez hit a two-run single up the middle to give the Grizzlies the decisive lead, 5-4
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Sydney Pelaez lined a two-run double with two outs to give GGC a 4-0 lead
 
Bottom of Fifth
Angelica Gallegos delivered another base hit to score two runs with two outs
 

• GGC tallied 13 hits across the doubleheader, with seven hits coming in the second game
• Senior Sydney Pelaez went 3-for-7 and drove in three runs in the doubleheader
• Sophomore pitcher Kailyn Berry tossed her third career shutout and first of the 2023 season
• Five different Grizzlies recorded a stolen base in Thursday's second game

• GGC improves to 20-5 on the season; Truett-McConnell drops to 13-5 in 2023
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the NAIA Top 25 poll; Truett-McConnell received votes in the same poll
• GGC has a 21-9 record against Truett-McConnell
• The team is 10-2 in March

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Reinhardt University (Georgia) for Senior Day on Sunday, March 19, at the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.