COLUMBIA, Ky. - No. 25 Lindsey Wilson overcame a pair of deficits to sweep No. 21 Georgia Gwinnett on Saturday at Marilyn D. Sparks Park.
Atavya Fowler hit 0.571 on the day with four hits, including two doubles to drive in three runs.
Nora Epley,
Hannah Carter, and
Marissa Frolich combined for seven RBIs as each contributed three hits.
On the rubber,
Kayden Murray earned two victories behind one complete-game effort and a relief appearance. The junior totaled 8 2/3 innings of work and allowed three earned runs on 11 hits while striking out seven Grizzlies.
The Blue Raiders (18-2) run their winning streak up to dozen games and improve to 8-0 in one-run decisions.
Game One | No. 25 Lindsey Wilson 9, No. 21 Georgia Gwinnett 8 (8 Innings)
The visitors opened up a 6-0 lead across their first two plate appearances but scattered their remaining two over the last six innings.
Sam Hartman and Carter led off the bottom of the second frame with walks, then both advanced on a sacrifice groundout by
Aubrey Miller. After a strikeout, Fowler blistered a double to center field, scoring Hartman and Carter. The following at-bat, Epley dropped a single into left field, plating Fowler to trim the Grizzlies' lead to 6-3.
Two innings later, Georgia Gwinnett got one run back to go ahead 7-3. The Blue Raiders came up the next half-inning and answered with a lead-off, solo home run by Carter to the left field corner, her third of the season.
In the fifth, Epley got the ball rolling on a single to the grass. She quickly moved up off a base hit by
Emerson McKinnis and sacrifice from
Kaiden Rodgers.
Natalie Wandrie brought Epley home with help from a Georgia Gwinnett fielding error, and while the Grizzlies did manage to stop a subsequent base-loaded run to score, they could not prevent Frolich from ripping a two-run single to left center field, ultimately tying the game at 7-7.
A scoreless sixth inning set up a dramatic conclusion. The Grizzlies seized momentum on a one-out hit to restore their edge. However, Carter was given a chance to respond and did not disappoint as she put down a two-out RBI-single to knot the score and force extras.
In the eighth, Georgia Gwinnett pushed the go-ahead to third base. A wild pitch appeared to gift the Grizzlies with the lead, but a rapid reaction from Rodgers behind the plate to dish the ball to Murray caught the runner and stalled the threat.
The bottom of the frame started with tiebreaker runner Miller placed at second base, then a successful bunt single by
Summer Ray to position the winning run for Epley. On a 1-1 pitch, the sophomore skied a fly ball to deep center field, which gave Miller more than enough time to trot home and seal the game.
Game Two | No. 25 Lindsey Wilson 4, No. 21 Georgia Gwinnett 3
The road team, again, found itself in front early with one run plated in the first inning. Georgia Gwinnett went on to score two more runs in the top half of the fifth inning and take a 3-0 lead.
Carter and Frolich lit the spark for Lindsey Wilson to start the bottom leg of the fifth inning. The pair singled to similar spots through the short side, brining up Ray. A ball put in play was mishandled by a Grizzly infielder, allowing Carter to score from second base. Following a fielder's choice, Epley singled in Ray to make it a one-run game.
The Blue Raiders' half of the sixth inning opened with a bang as Hartman corked her second home run of the year to the parkway in center field, undoubtedly tying the game.
Frolich kept the rally alive with a double to the right field wall, then Fowler rocked a two-base hit over the Grizzlies' right fielder to send in pinch-runner
Natalie Shaw and bump Lindsey Wilson in front.
Georgia Gwinnett posed a problem in the top of the seventh inning but failed to capitalize.
Lindsey Wilson stays home to host Brescia (Ky.) at 2 and 4 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 17.
