Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BRUNSWICK, Ga. – After a rough first game, the Thomas University softball team bounced back in the second game to split the doubleheader against the College of Coastal Georgia, falling in Game One 11-2 before shutting out the Mariners 9-0 in Game Two Wednesday afternoon at the Brunswick High School Softball Field.
 
In each game, one team displayed superior hitting ability over the other in lopsided contests.  While Thomas outhit The Sun Conference's best hitting team in both games, the Mariners maximized its hitting efforts in the first game, as five of their six hits resulted in runs scored.
 
Game One Recap (CCGA 11, TU 2 – 5 inn.)
Thomas (15-15, 6-10 TSC) outhit Coastal Georgia eight to six, but the Marines (19-9, 7-7 TSC) did not need much to take control of the game from the start.  CCGA took advantage of starting pitcher Senior Rebecca Boesen (6-8), jumping out to a 5-0 lead highlighted by a 3RBI double from Melani Jones.  Junior Larran Carter took over immediately after Jones' hit.
 
Freshman Jaelynn Vialpando's return began with a literal "bang," leading off the second inning with a solo home run to put TU on the board (5-1).  The Mariners matched Vialpando's moon blast with one of their own in the inning's bottom half with a two-run home run from Cevana Wood that extended CCGA's lead to six (7-1).
 
The Hunter Green & White's other run was scored in the third inning, as a hit from Junior Corryne Diaz set up Sophomore Addyson Mauldin's RBI hit allowed Freshman Averie Sheppard to round third and score to cut the lead down 7-2.
 
The Mariners would go on to add three runs, 10-2, in the bottom of the third before Freshman Adreanna Killingsworth relieved Carter from the circle.  Killingsworth faced a total of seven batters and allowed one hit, a home run by Bryce Peacock that brought the score to 11-2.
 
Game Two Recap (TU 9, CCGA 0 – 5 inn.)
TU's profound win breaks a three-game skid.  For the second time in her career at Thomas, Junior Shaela Brown (4-3) pitched a complete game shutout, allowing four hits and recording three strikeouts.  The shutout marks Brown's 18th career win.
 
The Lady Night Hawks began the second game hot, producing two leadoff hits that set up Junior Corryne Diaz's sacrifice bunt that brought home the first run.  Vialpando's grounder brought home another run (2-0).  Killingsworth extended the lead 3-0 on the next at-bat, capitalizing on a RBI double.
 
Coastal Georgia threatened to add runs in the bottom of the third after a Juliana Bellflower single and Mary Waldron double put runners on second and third, but a flyout followed by a strikeout from Brown denied the Mariners a scoring opportunity to keep the score line at 3-0 in favor of Thomas.
 
The hold paid off in the top of the fourth, as Freshman Jada Bolar added to the lead (4-0) with a solo blast.  The Plumas Lake, Ca. product's hit was the last pitch thrown by starter Ansley Bowen (6-3), as Bryce Peacock stepped in to do some damage control.
 
After CCGA went three-up three-down in the bottom of the fourth, the Lady Night Hawks were set to put the game out of reach for the Mariners in the fifth.  Once again, Sheppard led the inning with a leadoff hit, but this time the Chattanooga, Tn. native's hit paved the way for a two-run homer by Senior Holly Campbell to give TU a 6-0 lead. 
 
Three batters later, Vialpando continued a productive first-game back, singling up the middle towards centerfield, in which a rare Mary Waldron fielding error allowed a run to score to push the Hunter Green & White's lead to seven runs.
 
Even with a third pitcher entering the circle for Coastal Georgia, errors continued to haunt the Mariners, as Killingsworth's hit broke down CCGA's outfield.  An erred throw allowed Freshman pinch runner Cheyann Blackmon to score, giving the Hunter Green & White a commanding 8-0 lead.  Bolar would follow suit, picking up her second RBI for the game's final run to preserve a 9-0 win that gave the Lady Night Hawks the team's sixth conference win of the season.
 
TU by the Numbers
3:         Years since TU's last win(s) in Brunswick
5:         Consecutive contests with Averie Sheppard starting the batting lineup with a leadoff hit
6:         The Sun Conference wins
10:       Total Hits allowed to the conference's highest hitting average
11:       Total Runs Scored on the day
15:       Season Wins
19:       Different Lady Night Hawks that played in either game
23:       Total Hits on the day
 
With the split, Thomas officially won the regular season series against the Mariners 3-1, giving the Lady Night Hawks the head-to-head tiebreaker.
 
The Hunter Green & White will look to build off its momentum Friday as the team hosts #27 Southeastern Friday.  First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
 
For up-to-date information on these games and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU softball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksSoftb.