LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Lindsey Wilson softball team dropped a two-run decision to No. 9 Georgia Gwinnett on a rain-shortened day at the Grizzly Open.
Nora Epley continued her solid weekend from the lead-off spot with two hits, and
Sam Hartman drove in one run on a double.
The Blue Raiders went to work in the opening inning when Epley singled to right-center field. The Grizzlies managed to retire the freshman the following at-bat off a fielder's choice, but Lindsey Wilson kept the pressure on as Hartman drew a walk to put herself on first base and
Brooklynn Becker at second. A Georgia Gwinnett fielding error off the bat of
Natalie Wandrie gifted Becker an open path to the plate and gave the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead.
After the Grizzlies answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first, Lindsey Wilson regained its lead in the top of the second. Base-hits by
McKenna Ingram and Epley set up Becker at the plate with two runners aboard and another Georgia Gwinnett throwing miscue did the rest, allowing Ingram and Epley to score.
Still, the hosts responded in their half of the inning to knot the game at 3-3, then went on to take their first lead with three more runs in the same at-bat.
Trailing 6-3, Lindsey Wilson began chipping away with one run in both the third and fourth innings. The first scored by Wandrie on a passed ball and the second plated by Tucker off an RBI-double from Hartman.
The Grizzlies, however, kept the Blue Raiders off the board the rest of the way and held them to one hit across the final three innings.
Four different pitchers saw the circle for Lindsey Wilson, including
Hallie Roberts who was credited with the loss after starting and going 1.1 innings while allowing four earned runs on six hits and striking out one.
The Blue Raiders were originally scheduled to play No. 25 Coastal Georgia on Saturday afternoon. That match-up was ultimately cancelled due to inclement weather in Lawrenceville.
Lindsey Wilson is due to play Coastal Georgia and Georgia Gwinnett at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. CST, respectively, on Sunday, February 16.
