Softball Takes Two from Tennessee Temple

The Brenau softball team used clutch hitting and aggressive baserunning to defeat visiting Tennessee Temple University 4-3 and 5-4 on Tuesday in Gainesville.

In the first inning of game one, Mackenzie Oliver (SO/Martin, Ga.) was hit by a pitch, and then stole second to get into scoring position early. After advancing to third on an Elizabeth Schneider (JR/Smyrna, Ga.) hit, both Oliver and Schneider scored on a Crusaders error to give the home team a 2-0 lead.

Tennessee Temple responded in the top of the third with three unearned runs off of starting pitcher Madison Gossett (FR/Trenton, Ga.), and kept the lead until the bottom of the sixth inning. After a leadoff single from Savannah Moore (FR/Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) in the bottom of the sixth, Sarah Peery (FR/Auburn, Ga.) bunted pinch runner Mason Garland (FR/Hoschton, Ga.) over to second to put the tying runner in scoring position. Pinch hitter Cheyenne Marsh (JR/Richmond Hill, Ga.) drove a single up the middle to score Garland and tie the game at 3-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Schneider singled to open the inning, then scored the game winning run as Katie Cole blasted a walk-off triple to give the Golden Tigers a 4-3 win.

Schneider and Cole both went 2-4, while Oliver went 1-2 with two stolen bases.

Taylor Causey (JR/Covington, Ga.) pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings to capture her third win of the season.

In game two, Oliver again set the tone early as the sophomore walked, then stole second. In the next at bat, Schneider singled Oliver to third, and then Cole grounded out to score Oliver to tie the score 1-1.

Moore and Madison Lacy (FR/Trenton, Ga.) added back-to-back singles in the bottom of the third, while Garland singled to score Moore for a 2-1 lead.

After Tennessee Temple tied the game in the top of the fourth, the Golden Tigers answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, including a two run single from Cole to take a 5-2 lead. Brenau allowed two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4, but were able to escape with the second win of the day.

Cole led the offense with three RBIs, while Lacy and Victoria Fontana (SO/Jackson, GA) added two hits each to the win. Oliver stole three bases on the afternoon to increase her SSAC-leading total to 22.

Jenny Willis (SR/Auburn, Ga.) captured her sixth win of the season as the senior threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits. Gossett pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn her third save of the season.

Brenau (18-6, 4-2 SSAC) returns to SSAC play on Friday when they play a 4 pm doubleheader with the University of Mobile (Ala.) at Lanier Point Park.