Tuesday's top-15 NAIA softball showdown saw Georgia Gwinnett College and University of Mobile (Alabama) use three-run offensive innings to tally victories at the Grizzly Softball Complex.
The No. 9-ranked Grizzlies (22-9) won the opener 3-1 before No. 13 Mobile (20-9) picked up a 5-1 triumph in the nightcap.

GGC collected four hits and took advantage of three defensive miscues from the visiting Rams to plate three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior Makenna Talcott had a two-out RBI single to open the scoring. Junior pitch hitter Annalise Jarvis lined a single through the right side of the infield to score Talcott and give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.

Mobile's third error of the inning allowed the third run to touch home.

Junior starting pitcher Kailynn James struck out five batters and scattered five hits across 5.2 strong innings in the circle.

The Rams threatened in the sixth inning with a pitch hit RBI double from Sydnee Fitzgerald. However, Jarvis emerged for a relief appearance and proceeded to strand that baserunner in scoring position. She then retired Mobile in order in the seventh inning to secure the victory.

James improved to 5-1 on the season while Jarvis recorded her fifth save of the season in the opener.

Mobile jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap by scoring three times in the opening frame. Gracie Vanderford lined a two-run single down the right-field line for the big hit of the inning.

GGC responded with senior Kloey Goins hitting a sacrifice fly to left field that scored junior Lindzie Owen in the bottom of the first inning. Owen led off the contest with her sixth triple of the season. The sacrifice fly trimmed the deficit to 3-1.

However, the visitors pushed across two more runs in the top of the second inning to take a 5-1 advantage. Miah Simmons hit a bases-loaded run-scoring ground out to second base. A wild pitch plated the fifth run of the contest.

Georgia Gwinnett College is 15-3 at home this spring and has played 18 of its 31 games against nationally ranked or teams that were receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll at the time of the contest.
  "We want to continue to put ourselves in a position to win games and learn a lot through that process, while building toward the finishing push of the season. We pushed the pedal to the metal by taking extra bases with two outs (in the fourth inning of the opening game). That's a signature piece of our program. We're going to be aggressive with two outs and it showed up there in that inning," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  The Grizzlies had four hits and took advantage of three opposing defensive miscues to plate three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to win the opener. All three runs were scored with two outs in the frame.
  First Game
Bottom of Fourth
Makenna Talcott hit a run-scoring single up the middle that brought home Haley Robinson
Annalise Jarvis lined an RBI single through the right side of the infield
A fielding error allowed for a third run in the frame to score
 
Top of Sixth
Sydnee Fitzgerald lined a double to left-center field that cut the deficit to 3-1
 
Second Game
Top of First
Sydnee Fitzgerald opened the scoring with an RBI infield single
Gracie Vanderford followed with a two-run single down the right field line that gave the Rams a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of First
Kloey Goins hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Lindzie Owen
 
Top of Second
Miah Simmons hit an RBI ground out to second base with the bases loaded
Caitlin McRee scored following a wild pitch to plate the fifth run of the contest
 

• Seven of the Grizzlies' nine hits in the doubleheader came during the first game
• Junior starting pitcher Kailynn James recorded five strikeouts in 5.2 innings to pick up her fifth win of the season
• Junior pitcher Annalise Jarvis picked up her fifth save of the 2024 campaign
• Junior Haley Robinson had four putouts and two assists from her shortstop position during Tuesday's opener

• GGC stands 22-9 on the season; Mobile is 20-9 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 9 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll; Mobile stood No. 13 in the same poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has a 10-8 record in the all-time series history
• GGC has a 15-3 home record this spring

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host NCAA Division II USC Beaufort for Military and First Responders Appreciation Day on Friday, April 5, at the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at 5 p.m.