The No. 3-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team picked up its first wins of the season on an opposing diamond with a midweek sweep against No. 25 Reinhardt University (Georgia) by 1-0 and 3-1 scores on Tuesday afternoon. Along the way, the Grizzlies picked up their 20th win of the season.

GGC (20-7) had previously suffered five losses against nationally ranked opposition and played six games on neutral fields this season.

The team needed just two perfectly placed plate performances to account for the lone run of the opening game of the day. Junior Lindzie Owen legged out a leadoff triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly from senior Kloey Goins.

Junior pitcher Kailynn James scattered six hits in tossing her first shutout of the season to improve to 4-1 inside the pitching circle this spring. She recorded four defensive assists among her nine ground-ball outs.

In the second game, the visitors once again struck in the opening frame as junior Jane Hoover hit an infield RBI single that scored Owen. GGC added another run in the third inning on Owen's second triple of the day. This extra-base effort scored freshman Sophie Sisk from first base.

Reinhardt (18-6) got a run back in the bottom half of the third inning on an infield single.

However, the Grizzlies plated an insurance run in the top of the fifth inning on Owen's sacrifice fly that brought home sophomore Enna Lackey. GGC outhit Reinhardt by a 5-3 margin in the contest and got another strong pitching performance from junior Annalise Jarvis. The All-American picked up her 10th win of the season.

Owen led GGC's offensive attack by going 2-for-3, with a pair of runs scored, and had two RBI during the doubleheader.
  "Kailyn (James) delivered a commanding performance. She was due for that, and our defense was locked in behind her. Lindzie has stayed about her process, and it has reinvigorated her for the second half of the season. We've shown in the last four games that we're back and are a quality team," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  The Grizzlies received two strong pitching performances Tuesday to sweep a road doubleheader against a Top 25 opponent. First, junior Kailynn James scattered six hits and kept the Eagles off the scoreboard during the opener, with lots of help from her defensive teammates. Then, classmate Annalise Jarvis struck out six batters in a complete-game pitching performance in the nightcap.
  First Game
Top of First
Kloey Goins hit a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home Lindzie Owen
 
Second Game
Top of First
Jane Hoover opened the scoring with an infield single that scored Lindzie Owen
 
Top of Third
Lindzie Owen legged out an RBI triple that gave the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead
 
Top of Fifth
Lindzie Owen hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Enna Lackey and extended the lead to two runs, at 3-1
 

• The Grizzlies tallied eight hits across the doubleheader sweep
• Junior Lindzie Owen went 3-for-4 at the plate across the doubleheader, including having a triple in each contest
• Junior pitcher Kailyn James tossed her first shutout of the 2024 season
• GGC successfully stole four bases on Tuesday

• GGC improves to 20-7 in 2024; Reinhardt drops to 18-6 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 3 in the first NAIA Top 25 poll of the regular season; Reinhardt stood No. 25 in the same poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has a 17-9-1 record in the series history
• The team picked up its first two road wins of the season on Tuesday

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host No. 25 Reinhardt University (Georgia) on Tuesday, March 26, at the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at 4 p.m.