GHC softball drops doubleheader to conference leaders

Georgia Highlands softball dropped both games of a home doubleheader Wednesday night with conference-leading Gordon State. The Chargers lost 8-0 in the opener and 8-6 in the nightcap.

In the opener, Gordon State pitcher Faith Hager struck out eight and limited the Chargers to only two hits. Madison Bennett and Izzy Marcotte finished with one hit apiece in the shutout loss.

Montana Ledbetter (5 IP, 8R, 6ER, 8H, 4BB, 5K) took the pitching loss for GHC.

The second game went to extra innings tied 5-5 with the visiting Highlanders pulling out the win in the tenth inning.

Izzy Marcotte homered for the Chargers in the third inning to narrow Gordon State’s lead to 4-3.

In the fifth inning, Natalia Herrera singled and Marcotte walked to set up a pair of GHC runs. After Alexis Poole entered to run for Herrera, the two baserunners moved into scoring position on a groundout before both scored on the same wild pitch.

Gordon State took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth inning, but Georgia Highlands tied the game again with a groundout RBI by Lacey Rutledge.

Following a scoreless ninth inning, the Highlanders posted two runs taking advantage of two hit batsmen, a walk, a groundout, and an infield error.

Madalyn Morton (9 IP, 2R, 0ER, 6H, 3BB, 9K) suffered the pitching loss in Game 2 in relief of starter Maggie Schandera (1 IP, 4ER, 5H, 2BB, 1K).

Bennett, Herrera, Bradey Tharp, Halie Walther, and Marcotte (home run) accounted for the Chargers’ five hits.

Georgia Highlands (8-15, 3-5 GCAA) and Gordon State (23-8, 12-0) will continue their conference series with a doubleheader Saturday in Barnesville.