LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University softball team struggled at the plate on Saturday, boasting eleven total hits across two games, as the Night Hawks went 0-2 in day two of the Grizzly Open.
Both the Night Hawks (1-3) and the Grizzlies (3-1) entered the 10 a.m. contest 1-1 on the weekend, as TU beat GGC on Friday morning 3-1 before falling later in the afternoon to Reinhard. In game one of the weekend against GGC, Senior Pitcher Larran Carter (1-1) found success, only allowing one hit and one run in the win. Saturday was a different story though, with TU's Leanne Lain getting the pitching nod with a Grizzly team armed for revenge.
The Night Hawks did, however, create an initial 1-0 lead in the first, as junior Adreanna Killingsworth earned her second RBI of the weekend bringing home Corryne Diaz with a double to center field. After that, the Night Hawks allowed two runs in the bottom half of that inning before the bats for both teams came roaring back in the second.
In the top of the second, the Night Hawks utilized a strategic substitution, as junior Kennedy Hardy turned her lone at bat of the day into an RBI single pinch hitting for DeeAurah Bradshaw. TU then took advantage of an error by the second baseman allowing an additional run to come home from third.
A final sacrifice fly by Killingsworth brought another runner home before the Grizzlies found the final two outs to escape the top half of the second.
Then, from the bottom of that inning on, the Night Hawks could not keep up with Georgia Gwinnett, as the Grizzlies turned nine unanswered on TU solidifying the comeback and making an 11-4 statement win.
Next up for the Night Hawks, the Ladies took the diamond to face another nationally recognized opponent, as the Patriots from the University of Cumberlands readied up to face TU in their first game of the 2022 season.
Thomas batted first for the second straight neutral game of the weekend, registering one hit in the opening frame with Makana Pember leading off with a single to left field. Next in the lineup, Corryne Diaz hit a sacrifice bunt advancing Pember to second before two additional Night Hawks failed to advance the junior further around the bases.
Then, in the bottom of the first, TU swiftly found three outs allowing zero hits and holding the #22 Patriots.
The second inning saw TU fail to register a hit before the Patriots got on base with a leadoff single before an error opened the floodgates as four additional runners made it home for the Patriots. Entering the third, UC led 4-0.
The third, fourth, and fifth innings saw UC pitcher Kaita Whitebats continue to find her rhythm, as the sophomore allowed only three hits, striking out four, and forcing an additional seven fly outs.
In the circle for TU, Larran Carter played her second entire game of the weekend, recording three strikes outs in the five innings played. In the end, the Night Hawks fell 8-0 to the Patriots.
The Night Hawks will take the field one last time at the Grizzly Softball Complex Sunday morning, with a first pitch slated at 10 a.m. against RV Reinhardt.
Live video is not provided for the contest, but fans can tune in by accessing the live stats link below.
Live Stats (XML)
For up-to-date information on Thomas University Softball 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.
