Softball Splits DH with Warriors

BABSON PARK, Fla. - The Coastal Georgia softball team had their 15-game winning streak snapped in game one of their Saturday double-header against Webber International, losing game one 5-4, before bouncing back in game two, winning a thriller 7-5.  

Game One: CCGA 4, Webber 5 

The Mariners (23-4, 4-1 TSC) wasted no time getting the upper hand in the first game of the series, striking for a pair in the very first inning. Sarah Thinger started the game by drawing a four pitch walk, moved to second on a sac bunt from Rori Rhodes, and came around to score thanks to an error from the Warriors (14-16, 2-3 TSC). With Peacock on first, Rylee MIlls was hit by a pitch and Zoe Johnston-Hadaway drew a walk to load the bases with one out. MacKenzie Kagee then drew a walk of her own, scoring the second run of the inning for CCGA, which would be the lead into the bottom of the first.  

Peacock sat down the Warriors in the bottom half of the inning, and the Mariners went right back to work in the second. Julianna Batts reached on another error by Webber, followed once again by a Thinger walk, putting two runners on with no outs. Rhodes sacrificed once again to move the runners, and Peacock drew a walk of her own to load the bases for the second straight inning. One batter later, Mills drew the sixth walk of the game through two innings to score Batts making the score 3-0 going to the bottom of the second.  

The Warriors did crack the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, using a pair of walks and two singles to score their first run of the game, sending us to the third with a 3-1 lead for the Mariners.  

CCGA got the run right back in the top of the third inning, using a single from Kagee who scored  on a single from Thinger to extend the lead to 4-1. Rhodes followed that up with a single, promptly stole second, and Peacock drew another walk to load the bases once again. A lineout by Mills ended the threat, and once again the Mariners stranded three runners as they led 4-1 into the bottom of the third.  

With the Mariners unable to add on, the Warriors added two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Two singles, a hit by pitch, and a walk scored the first run, as Webber got a second on an error by the Mariners, all coming with two outs in the inning. Despite the walks, the Mariners still led the game going to the fourth, holding a slim 4-3 lead.  

Neither side made any noise in the fourth, and in the fifth, the Warriors tied the game thanks to a leadoff double from Romero who moved to third on a passed ball and came around to score on a sac fly, tying the game at four a piece going into the sixth.  

The Mariners threatened in the top of the sixth, getting two runners in scoring position, but could not push a run across, leaving the game tied into the bottom half. The Warriors got their own runner to third, but Peacock stranded the runner to keep the score tied at four going into the seventh.  

The Mariners went down in order in the top of the seventh, and in the bottom half, the Warriors got a leadoff single which moved to third on two straight groundouts. Peacock was unable to get the next batter out as Saylor singled up the middle, scoring the game winning run.  

The Mariners finished with just four hits as a team, and got just one hit after the third inning. CCGA did draw eight walks in the contest, but left 11 runners on base leading to the game one victory for Webber. Peacock went 6.2 innings in the circle, allowing eight hits and four earned runs, losing her first contest since February 17 against Central Methodist.  

Game Two: CCGA 7, Webber 5 

The Mariners came out swinging in game two, getting back-to-back singles from Rhodes and Peacock, but once again could not bring anyone around to score, sending Mills out to the circle with no runs to work with. Mills worked quickly and efficiently in the first, getting the Warriors retired in order in the first to send us to the second with a tie ballgame. 

Rily Andrews started the second off with a single, but was thrown out trying to take second. Kagee drew a one out walk, but two straight groundouts ended the top of the second for the Mariners.  

With two outs in the bottom of the second, the Warriors struck first with a solo home run, taking a 1-0 lead into the third. Webber added another in the bottom of the third on an RBI single from Lamoureaux, extending the lead to 2-0 into the fourth.  

The Mariners finally broke through in the fourth inning. Mills started the inning with a leadoff single, and Courtney Beck, running for Mills, advanced to second, stole third, and scored on a single from Andrews. Andrews would later come around to score thanks to an error by the Webber shortstop, tying the game at two a piece. Thinger added a bunt single, but once again the Mariners stranded the bases loaded and couldn't add on, leaving the score tied 2-2.  

With the bats struggling, the Mariners needed a big inning to extend the lead, and that is exactly what they got. CCGA exploded for five runs in the inning, using four hits and three errors to fuel the massive inning. Zoe Johnston-Hadaway started the inning with a leadoff single, Mills got two RBI's on an error Mackenzie Southerland added a single, Haggerty grounded through the right side for an RBI single, and Southerland scored the fifth and final run of the inning on a throwing error by the catcher. Mills went right back out in the bottom half of the inning, sitting the Warriors down in order, sending us to the seventh with the Mariners leading 7-2.  

The Mariners didn't make it easy on themselves, however, as the Warriors plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh, including four hits and three walks, two of which walked in runs. It was too little too late for the Warriors as the Mariners hung on to split the Saturday double header, winning game two 7-5.  

Andrews finished 3-3 at the plate with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI, while Peacock finished 2-4. Mills finished 1-4 at the plate with a pair of RBI's, while going 6.2 innings in the circle, allowing nine hits and five earned runs, picking up her ninth win of the season. McGovern came in to get the final out in relief, picking up her second save of the season.  

The rubber match between the Mariners and Warriors will be tomorrow, March 24, with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m.