The top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett College softball team scored nine unanswered runs in winning Thursday's opening game of the 2024 Continental Athletic Conference Softball Championship Tournament 12-4 over No. 4 seed Talladega College (Alabama) at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

Junior Jane Hoover put the Grizzlies (27-15) ahead for good with a two-run home run in the third inning. The team plated six runs to pull away from the Tornadoes (11-22) in the five-inning contest.

GGC advances to play No. 2 seed Florida National University in the winner's bracket on Friday, May 3, starting at noon. The Conquistadors earned a 4-3 victory against No. 3 seed Crowley's Ridge College (Arkansas) in Thursday's other first-round contest.

Junior Makenna Talcott went 3-for-3 at the plate, drove in four runs and scored twice to lead GGC's 10-hit offensive attack. She lined a two-run single to left field in the first inning to give the tournament hosts a 3-1 lead.

Talladega bounced back to take a 4-3 lead on a run-scoring single by Marianna Perez in the top of the second inning. The visitors had tied the game following a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt that allowed two runs to score.

Hoover's first round tripper of the season gave the Grizzlies a 5-4 lead and sparked a three-run third inning.

The team put the game away an inning later. Junior Haley Robinson hit a sacrifice fly before freshman Morgan McQuagge hit an RBI single to extend the lead to 9-4. Talcott then drove in a pair of runs with a double to center field. Junior Kayla Good followed with a run-scoring double for the sixth run of the contest.

Junior reliever Mollie Peacock struck out four batters and scattered three hits across 3.2 scoreless innings to pick up the pitching victory. The right hander has won three games out of the bullpen this season.
  "We started to hit the top of the ball and used our speed to our advantage today. We've seen a lot of growth out of Mollie (Peacock) this season. She came in and did her job. We have now put ourselves in a good position by being in the winner's bracket," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  Junior Jane Hoover provided a couple of big plate appearances early in the contest. First, she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to open a three-run first inning as GGC built an early 3-1 lead. Later, she connected on a go-ahead two-run home run to left field that started another three-run frame during the third inning. Hoover's round tripper gave the Grizzlies the lead for good, at 5-4.
  Bottom of First
Makenna Talcott hit a two-run single to left field that gave GGC a 3-1 lead
 
Top of Second
Two runs scored following a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt
Marianna Perez hit an RBI single to give the Tornadoes a 4-3 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Jane Hoover connected on a two-run home run to left field
Alex Shores added a run-scoring single to left-center field that once again gave the Grizzlies a two-run lead, at 6-4
 
Bottom of Fourth
Haley Robinson hit a sacrifice fly to center field that brought home Enna Lackey
Morgan McQuagge followed with an RBI single
Makenna Talcott lined a two-run double to extend the lead to 11-4
Kayla Good hit a double to center field that plated the team's 12th run of the contest
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Talladega by a 10-8 margin on Thursday
• Junior Makenna Talcott went 3-for-3, had four RBI and scored twice in the victory
• Junior reliever Mollie Peacock struck out four batters in 3.2 scoreless innings of relief
• GGC stole seven bases in Thursday's contest

• GGC improves to 27-15 this spring; Talladega falls to 11-22 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 13 in the final NAIA Top 25 poll of the 2024 regular season
• Georgia Gwinnett College is the top seed in the tournament; Talladega is the No. 4 seed
• GGC has won six straight conference tournament titles

Georgia Gwinnett College advances to play No. 2 seed Florida National University in the winner's bracket game of the 2024 Continental Athletic Conference Softball Championship Tournament on Friday, May 3, at the Grizzly Softball Complex, starting at noon.