ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College wrapped up its home schedule with a doubleheader sweep of Georgia Southwestern State University Saturday afternoon at Flagler Field. The Saints won the opener 3-1 and then rallied to win the second game, 3-2.
Flagler improved to 26-23 overall and 9-9 in the Peach Belt. With the wins, the Saints have clinched a berth in the conference tournament next month. Georgia Southwestern lost its 10
th game in a row and fell to 18-33 overall and 7-13 in conference play.
In the opener, the Lady 'Canes broke up a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when Hayley Tierce's double to right field scored Graysen Sanders, who led off the inning with a walk, from second base.
The Saints answered in the home half of the fifth. With one out,
Garland Evans belted a double to center field.
Genevieve Mangini followed with a single to left to put runners on the corners.
Natalie Murphy followed with an unusual double that scored both runners. She blasted a one hopper toward the hole where Georgia Southwestern third baseman Lauren Kuerzi got a glove on the smash and the ball was deflected into shallow left-center. Evans scored with ease from third while Mangini sprinted around the bases to score and give Flagler a 2-1 lead.
Flagler scored an insurance run in the sixth when
NaJah Gerrald hit a two-run home run, but was called out when she missed first base.
Ally Marcano (10-12) struck out a season-high nine batters in a complete game five-hitter.
Mangini collected two singles and scored a run. She also had a sacrifice hit.
Madason Messer (8-9) took the loss in the circle for the Lady 'Canes. She allowed three runs on seven hits.
In game two, Georgia Southwestern scored two runs in the first inning, but Flagler would rally for the win.
Jaclyn Mijuskovic's RBI single to center scored pinch runner
Kailey Perry in the second inning and then
Tatum Morgan's single to left scored
Morgan Murphy, who hit a double and moved to third on a passed ball, to tie the game.
In the fourth, Mijuskovic led off the inning with an infield single and
Zoe Mooney came in to pinch run. Gerrald sacrificed her over to second and Evans' single to right scored Mooney with the go-ahead run.
Katlyn McCue (16-11) rebounded nicely after a lengthy first inning. She retired 16 of the next 19 batters the remainder of the game. McCue allowed one base hit in the final six innings pitched. She struck out a season-high eight batters and allowed just two runs on four hits. McCue retired 11 batters on fly outs.
Evans finished with a pair of singles and one run batted in.
Morgan Murphy went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored while Morgan and Mijuskovic each collected two singles and drove in a run.
Ansley Dean (3-8) allowed three runs on nine hits to pick up the loss for Georgia Southwestern.
Kuerzi collected two singles and scored a run.
Flagler will travel to No. 2 (NFCA Division II Top 25) University of North Georgia on Saturday (April 27) to make-up a previously scheduled twinbill that was rained out.