DOUGLAS, Ga. – Gordon State Softball ran its winning streak to eight games as the Highlanders took down South Georgia State College 7-2 and 16-1 here Tuesday afternoon in Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) action.
GSC built an early 4-0 lead after two innings in the opener and eventually finished off the five-run win behind the strong starting pitching of Faith Hager (Conyers, Ga. / Heritage HS).
Makenzie English (Williamson, Ga. / Pike Co. HS) and Taylor McClendon (McDonough, Ga. / Ola HS) each went 3-for-4 to lead the 12-hit attack of the Highlanders.
English also drove in a run and scored twice while McClendon had an RBI and a run.
Chandler Mitchell (Forsyth, Ga. / Locust Grove HS) added two hits and Breanna Lee (Concord, Ga. / Pike Co. HS) had a pair of RBI.
Hager (8-4) was solid in the circle again by going five innings with one earned run (a solo homer), three hits, five strikeouts and no walks.
Kaylee Phillips (Dalton, Ga. / Ringgold HS) came on to work the final two innings and didn't allow an earned run while allowing three hits and striking out one.
The nightcap was all GSC as the Highlanders scored in every inning and eventually finished off the game with an eight-run fifth inning.
Single runs in the first and third innings, two runs in the second and four more in the fourth preceding the game-clinching fifth-inning outburst.
Catherine Barefield (Cataula, Ga. / Harris Co. HS) went 4-for-4 with two home runs, six RBI and three runs scored to power the 16-run, 14-hit attack of the Highlanders.
Taylor Corley (Warner Robins, Ga. / Warner Robins HS) also homered during a two-hit performance that produced four RBI for GSC, which improved to 15-8 overall and 4-0 in the GCAA.
Abby Foster (McDonough, Ga. / Ola HS) also had two hits and two RBI as nine different Highlanders had at least one hit.
Bailey Odom (Danville, Ga. / Bleckley Co. HS) improved to 7-0 and went all five innings in the circle while shutting down the SGSC (2-10, 1-5) offense on two hits, no earned runs, struck out four and walked one.
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The Gordon State College Department of Athletics is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA). Gordon State College competes in NJCAA Division I in the sports of Women's Soccer (Fall), Men's Basketball (Fall/Spring), Softball (Spring) and Baseball (Spring). Gordon State College is located in Barnesville, Ga., approximately 60 miles south of Atlanta and 35 miles northwest of Macon. Gordon State College offers both two-year and four-year degree programs and believes that our Athletics program provides student-athletes with the opportunity to be successful academically, athletically and in life after their time as a Highlander. Follow GSC Athletics at www.gscathletics.com, on Facebook (@Gordon State Highlanders) and Twitter (@state_ad / GordonStateAD). You can also follow Gordon State College on Facebook (@GordonStateCollege #GSCHighlandersForward), Twitter (@GordonState) and Instagram (gordon_state).