Chargers Softball Splits Again with GMC in Thursday Afternoon Match Up

Georgia Highlands College softball faced Georgia Military College for the second time on Thursday in a doubleheader matchup. Game one featured a close game as both teams came out of the gate swinging. 

 Highlands struck first as Izzy Marcotte scored Natalia Herrera on a sacrifice fly. The Bulldogs answered quickly with a run of their own in the top of the second, and four more runs in the top of the third. The Chargers answered with one run in the bottom of the third inning as Natalia Herrera doubled to center field scoring Madison Bennett, and two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Taryn Hitchcock smacked a two-run homerun. No other runs were scored until the bottom of the seventh as the Chargers scored one more run with a RBI single by Natalia Herrera. However, it was not enough to overcome GMC's lead. Final score, 8-5 as Georgia Military takes game one.  

Montana Ledbetter started in the circle for the Chargers throwing three innings of the game. She recorded two strikeouts while allowing 10 hits. Maggie Schandera came in to finish the game throwing 3.2 innings and allowing one hit while striking out two of the bulldogs.  

Natalia Herrera went 3-4 at the plate with two RBIs. Taryn Hitchcock had a homerun in the fourth inning, plating two runs. Maddy Hairston and Allison Daffron also tallied hits in the game.  

Game two featured a different story for the Chargers Offense. Although Georgia Military struck first scoring one in the first inning, that ended up being the only run scored for the Bulldogs in game two. The Chargers started off slow at the plate but broke out in the bottom of the third scoring three runs. The Chargers went on to score four more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and two more in the bottom of the sixth which proved to be enough to put the eight after five run rule into effect. Georgia Highlands took game two with a score of 9-1 in six innings.  

Madison Bennett led the offensive measure for the Chargers as she went 2-3 with two RBIs at the plate with a double and her first collegiate homerun. Lacey Rutledge also smacked a homerun and tallied two RBIs. Hailey Cronic had a double and a single that tallied two RBIs, and Izzy Marcotte had a double that tallied an RBI. Taryn Hitchcock, Annsley Todd, and Natalia Herrera also put hits on the board through game two as well.  

Madalyn Morton pitched all six innings of game two, allowing only two hits and one earned run while striking out three of the Bulldogs offense.