HATTIESBURG – No. 17 William Carey University split a doubleheader against No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett Sunday, taking Game 1 2-1 before dropping Game 2 13-7 in eight innings.
Game 1 saw a pitchers’ duel as both teams combined for six hits. The Lady Crusaders took advantage of defensive miscues by the Grizzlies, scoring a run in the first and another in the fifth to make it 2-0. Georgia Gwinnett threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs, however, starting pitcher Lindsey Johnson (So./Wetumpka, Ala.) worked out the jam. The Grizzlies were able to get on the scoreboard in the seventh, scoring one run but that would be as close as they would get.
Johnson was solid in the circle scattering four hits while giving up one run with seven strikeouts over seven innings of work to pick up the victory.
In Game 2, the Grizzlies came out firing and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Macy Monk (Sr./Denham Springs, La.) led off the inning with a double and then WCU got back to back singles by Caitlyn Castille (Sr./Vaiden) and Hannah Gasaway (So./Niceville, Fla.) to cut the lead to 3-1. Maranda Busby (So./Moss Point) then belted a two-run double to left center field to put Carey up 4-3. Georgia Gwinnett answered with a run in the third and two more runs in the fourth to make it 6-4.
In the sixth inning, the Carey offense put up three runs on four hits to retake the lead 7-6. The Grizzlies responded with a run in the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. In the eighth inning, Georgia Gwinnett put up six runs to put the game away.
WCU is back in action March 1, as it travels to Gulf Shores to take on Williams Baptist University in the Gulf Shores Invitational hosted by the University of Mobile. First pitch is set for 11:30 am.
