COLUMBUS, Ga. (Feb. 24, 2023) - Georgian Court walked it off in game number two of their doubleheader Friday night winners 3-2 in eight innings over Northern State. The win capped about five hours worth of softball for the Lions who earlier lost to No. 17 Alabama-Huntsville 12-4 in six.

Game 2 - Georgian Court 3, Northern State 2 - 8 innings
How it Happened
• Northern State outhit the Lions 8-6. 
• Both teams made two errors in the field.
• NSU left 12 runners on base while GCU stranded six. 
• Georgian Court scored the first run of the game in the first. Lipkins on the bases made things happen. She drew a leadoff walk, stole second and third then scored on Mungo's groundout.
• After GCU left two on in the third, the Wolves tied things at one the very next inning. With two outs, NSU picked up two hits and two walks, the last one with the bases loaded to tie the game at one.
• It looked like the Wolves might score again in the fifth as two GCU errors put two on with one out. But Janelle Blaszka got out of the inning with a ground out and a fly out to keep the game tied.
• The tie only lasted another inning. In the sixth, NSU led off with a double. As the Wolves tried to push the runner to third with a bunt, noone from the Lions was covering first base so that put runners on the corners with nobody out.
• While Blaszka gave up the lead on a sacrifice fly, she did a good job of limiting the damage and keeping the Lions deficit to just a single run.
• The Wolves lead didn't last long. Alyssa Herrera led off the home half with a ground rule double to left. She came in to score on Kaitlyn Stufft's RBI single that went off the glove of the centerfielder.
• In the top of the seventh, NSU again threatened a two-out rally. Back-to-back singles put the go ahead run in scoring position, but Blaszka got a fly ball to get out of the inning
• International tie-breaker rules started in the eighth. Northern State bunted a runner over to third, but Blazska stranded her there.
• It took just one batter for the Lions to win it in the bottom of the inning. With Camille Dunham pinch running on second to open the inning, Herrera roped a single into left field as Dunham came in to score the winning run.
 
Lion Stat Leaders
• Janelle Blaszka went the distance throwing all eight innings to earn the win. She allowed two runs on eight hits but worked her way out of trouble stranding 12 baserunners.
• Alyssa Herrera finished 2-4 with a run and the game-winning RBI.
• Taylor Lipkins reached base twice, stole four bases and scored a run.
• Kaitlyn Stufft had a single and the game-tying RBI in the sixth. 

For the Wolves
• M. Anderson matched Blazska in the circle. She went seven innings allowing three runs, one earned while striking out 12.
• A. Eagle picked up two hits and scored a run.
• E. Ford drove in both NSU runs with a hit and a walk.

Game 1 - No. 17 Alabama-Huntsville 12, Georgian Court 4
How it Happened
• Alabama-Huntsville scored in four of six innings and collected 15 hits.
• Georgian Court had seven base-knocks but only one extra-base hit. The Lions also drew five walks and had runners on base, but that's where they stayed. Georgian Court left 11 runners on base in six innings.
• Each team committed three errors in the field. Two of the Lions four runs were unearned.
• Georgian Court got down early spotting the Chargers four in the top of the first.
• The Lions nearly got out of it unscathed but a two-out RBI double plated the first two. One batter later, a deep drive to center sent centerfielder Taylor Lipkins crashing through the temporary fencing. The ball nicked off her glove and over the fencing for a home run.
• Georgian Court got on the board with a Kiara Meikle RBI single in the second. 
• After the Chargers made it 5-1, Georgian Court came back with two more in the third. Lipkens walked, stole a base and came in to score on Adriana Mungo's RBI single. The Lions loaded the bases but were only able to get a Kili Makanani RBI walk to draw closer.
• A two-out rally plated two more for Alabama-Huntsville in the fourth. It started innocently enough with an infield single to short. Another single two runners on and they came around to score when Jadalynn Rodriguez's diving attempt in left came up just short and it was back to a four-run lead, 7-3.
• The Lions missed a scoring opportunity an inning later in the home half of the fourth. They loaded the bases with one out, but a strikeout and a flyout ended the inning.
• Georgian Court picked up a run in the fifth as the Chargers defense committing two errors in the inning allowing Meikle to reach base and then later cross the plate.
• Alabama-Huntsville then blew the game open in the sixth. They put the first five batters all on base and all five came in to score. That made the game 12-4 and when GCU failed to score, the game was finished after six innings.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Jadalynn Rodriguez knocked two hits including double.
• Taylor Lipkins walked, stole two bases and scored a run.
• Jayda Jones finished with a hit and a run scored.
• Kiara Meikle had an RBI single and came in to score a run. 
• Sarah Clancy got the start in the circle and went the first five innings giving up nine runs on 12 hits with a walk and three strikeouts.

For the Chargers
• K. Adams picked up three hits and scored three times.
• L. Hayes finished 2-5 with two runs and a stolen base.
• A. Douthitt was 2-3 with a pair of runs scored.
• J. Henderson homered and drove in three runs.
• M. Cartron drove in three runs with a couple of hits.
• G. O'Berry got the win throwing 3.2 innings in relief allowing and unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts. 

News and Notes
• The 12 runs scored by Alabama-Huntsville is the first time this season GCU has given up 10 or more.
• The Lions have now played four straight games that did not end in seven innings. Prior to the Northern State game, the Lions three prevous all ended in six innings. 
• Taylor Lipkins played in her 50th career game. She also picked up her 25th stolen base and already has 12 this season. 
• Brittany Gable also reached the 50 games played mark. 

Up Next
• The Lions play their next two at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. First up tomorrow afternoon is West Chester at approximately 3 p.m. That will be immediately followed by a contest with regional foe Le Moyne.