The No. 9-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team registered a pair of victories over in-state Thomas University by 5-0 and 2-1 scores on Friday evening at the Grizzly Softball Complex. The Grizzlies extended their winning streak to nine games – a stretch in which they have allowed just six runs, with five shutouts.

Junior Savannah Jenkins hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to left field in the eighth inning to bring home sophomore Sophie Sisk for the winning run during the nightcap.

Senior Annalise Jarvis tied the program's single-game school record with 17 strikeouts in the contest. She got back-to-back strikeouts to strand runners in threatening positions at second and third bases to end the top of the eighth inning.

In the bottom of that extra frame, senior Makenna Talcott advanced Sisk to third base with a sacrifice bunt. A fielding error on her bunt allowed Talcott to move to second base. Then, Jenkins hit the first pitch she faced just deep enough to left field to bring home Sisk with the game-winning run.

Earlier, Jenkins scored following a throwing error in the bottom of the second inning to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage. She led off the frame with a double.

Thomas (25-18) squared the contest, at 1-1, following an RBI double by Alexis Adams in the top of the fourth inning.

In the first game, GGC (36-8) scored four times during the middle innings to pull away from the Night Hawks.

Sisk led the team's 12-hit offensive charge by going 2-for-2 and driving in a pair of runs. She legged out an RBI triple to start a three-run fifth inning. Talcott followed with an infield single to plate Sisk. Freshman Samantha Fadely lined a pinch-hit RBI single to left-center field to score junior Summer Hickson.

Sophomore Morgan McQuagge hit a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to give GGC a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Sisk earlier hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home freshman Casey Beaver for the first run of the contest.

Senior pitcher Kailynn James matched her career high with 10 strikeouts in tossing the shutout – her second of the week – to improve her record to 14-3 on the season. Jarvis recorded her 17th win of the season during the nightcap.

GGC's pitching staff leads the NAIA with a 1.27 earned run average as Jarvis (0.77) and James (0.88) both stand in the top five for individual players.


 
Coach's Corner
"Thomas has gotten better throughout the season (after GGC swept a doubleheader at Thomas on February 22) so I am happy to pick up two huge wins heading into the last week of the regular season. The hitters did a really good job of passing the bat in key offensive situations," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
 
Turning Point
Senior Annalise Jarvis recorded a pair of strikeouts to strand opposing baserunners at second and third bases in the top of the top of the eighth inning of Friday's nightcap. Conversely, the hosts were able to execute with runners in the same situation in the bottom half of the inning as junior Savannah Jenkins hit a sacrifice fly just deep enough in left field to score sophomore Sophie Sisk for the game-winning run and complete the four-game season sweep of the Night Hawks.
 
Key Plays
First Game
Bottom of First
Sophie Sisk hit a sacrifice fly to score Casey Beaver
 
Bottom of Fourth
Morgan McQuagge added an RBI on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 2-0
 
Bottom of Fifth
Sophie Sisk collected a triple to left-center field that scored Sara Roussel
Makenna Talcott added an RBI infield single
Samantha Fadely hit a run-scoring single to give the Grizzlies a 5-0 lead
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Savannah Jenkins scored following a throwing error to give GGC a 1-0 lead
 
Top of Fourth
Alexis Adams lined an RBI double to right-center field, tying the game at 1-1
 
Bottom of Eighth
Savannah Jenkins hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Sophie Sisk for the game-winning run
 
Inside The Numbers

• The Grizzlies tallied 19 hits across Friday's doubleheader sweep, with 12 hits being collected in the opener
• Senior pitcher Annalise Jarvis tied the program's single-game record with 17 strikeouts in the second game
• Sophomore Sophie Sisk had two triples as part of a 4-for-6 performance at the plate
• GGC lowered its NAIA-leading earned run average to 1.26 with Friday's strong outings in the pitching circle

News & Notes

• GGC improves to 36-8 on the season; Thomas drops to 25-18 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 9 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll; Thomas received votes in the same poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College won all four meetings this season against Thomas; now leads the series by a 14-10 margin
• Georgia Gwinnett College has won nine straight games, with five shutouts during this streak

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to the College of Coastal Georgia for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 22, in Brunswick, Georgia, starting at 2 p.m.