Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team was unable to upset nationally ninth-ranked North Georgia on Thursday afternoon at Haines and Carolyn Hill Softball Stadium.
North Georgia (23-6, 3-1 PBC) picked up a 5-2 win in game one before acquiring a 9-1 five-inning win in game two.
USC Aiken (16-10-1, 4-4 PBC) will now have eight days off before next returning to action on Friday, March 22 at home against Peach Belt Conference foe Georgia Southwestern (4/6 p.m.). The doubleheader is one of two on the weekend at USC Aiken's home facility as they will also welcome non-conference foe Shaw to J.H. Satcher Field for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 24 (1/3 p.m.)
Game One: #9 North Georgia 5, USC Aiken 2
The Pacers opened the first game by plating the inaugural run of the game in the top of the first inning. Sarah Montei (Summerville, S.C./Summerville HS), who had walked to kick off the inning, scored the run for the Pacers.
The Pacers would hold on to the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the third when North Georgia scored twice to take a narrow 2-1 lead. The Saints would score again in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 3-1.
In the top of the sixth, USC Aiken cut the lead to just one at 3-2, but the Saints would then plate two in the bottom of the inning to take the 5-2 victory.
North Georgia closed out its win out-hitting the Pacers, 10-3.
Brittney Williamson (Lexington, S.C./White Knoll HS), Hillary Stewart (Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood HS) and Brandy Bossle (North East, Md./Rising Sun HS) all had hits for the Pacers in game one.
North Georgia had four players record two hits in game one.
India Kornegay (Eufaula, Ala./Eufaula HS) suffered the loss in the circle in game one for the Pacers. Kornegay (8-5) fanned six in her 5.2 innings in the circle.
North Georgia's Melissa Dickie moved to 6-2 on the year with her game one win in the circle. She fanned four Pacers.
Game Two: #9 North Georgia 9, USC Aiken 1
USC Aiken once again acquired an early 1-0 lead in the second game.
The Pacers started off the inning with Shannon Traylor (Prosperity, S.C./Mid-Carolina HS) obtaining an infield single. She was then able to move to second on a passed ball. Montei then singled Traylor in to garner the Pacers the 1-0 advantage.
The run would prove to be all that the Pacers would be able to claim in the game with North Georgia scoring nine unanswered runs to pick up a 9-1 victory in five innings.
North Georgia narrowly out-hit USC Aiken, 8-5, in game two.
Five different Pacers claimed a hit in the game with Montei, Williamson, Stewart, Traylor and
Cortney Sadler (Bradenton, Fla./State College of Fla., Manatee-Sarasota) each acquiring a hit.
Callie Fernandez and Megan May each had two hits for North Georgia in the second game.
USC Aiken pitcher
Taylor Morgan (Chapin, S.C./Chapin HS) dropped to 8-5 on the season with her loss in the circle. She struck out three.
North Georgia's Courtney Poole improved her record to 14-4 in the circle in the game two win over the Pacers. She fanned three in the contest.
