Georgia Gwinnett College Captures Dramatic CAC Softball Championship
When the going got tough, the top-seed Georgia Gwinnett College softball team put together one of this season's strongest performances to capture the 2023 Continental Athletic Conference Softball championship with a 6-1 victory over USC Beaufort on Saturday afternoon at the Grizzly Softball Complex.
The Grizzlies (40-10; ranked No. 8 nationally) were playing their third game in the tournament against the No. 4-seeded Sand Sharks, and seventh meeting between the teams since April 4. The final showdown was necessary after the South Carolina visitors opened Saturday with an 8-6 extra-winning win.
Second Championship Round Game
Georgia Gwinnett College 6, USC Beaufort 1
The championship triumph – GGC's sixth straight conference tournament title – was a typical total-team performance as GGC senior pitcher Alexa Good and USC Beaufort senior pitcher Caitlin Toole were locked in a pitchers' duel over the first four innings.
Madison Rodgers led off the top of the fifth inning with her first collegiate home run, a blast over the left field fence, to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. That ignited the team's offense in the pivotal frame.
A few batters later, Lindzie Owen hit a single to center field that allowed Josie Haulk to score after an umpire's obstruction call as the throw came to home plate. Lea McFadden followed with an RBI single to right-center field to cap a decisive three-run fifth inning.
USC Beaufort (14-43) would get a run back in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI ground out by Mackenzie Freeman.
However, GGC had an answer of its own with a two-run sixth inning to pull away for the victory. Rodgers lined a run-scoring double to right field before an infield single by Sydney Pelaez brought home Rodgers.
GGC capped its strong finish with Kloey Goins' run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning.
Meanwhile, Good struck out four batters and scattered five hits across five strong innings to pick up the victory – her second of the tournament. The right hander earned the CAC Softball Championship Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive season.
Annalise Wood retired all six batters she faced in her second standout relief effort that secured a GGC victory. She was named to the all-tournament team, along with Pelaez, Rogers and Good.
First Championship Round Game
USC Beaufort 8, Georgia Gwinnett College 6 (8 Innings)
The Sand Sharks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening frame. Addie Reynolds drew a bases-loaded walk before Amber Locasto hit a sacrifice fly to center field to produce the Sand Sharks' early scoring.
The Grizzlies chipped away at the deficit as McFadden led off the second inning with her first home run of the 2023 season. Pelaez then lined a two-run double to start a four-run third inning and Logan Oller hit an infield RBI single to score Emerson Hall for a 5-4 lead.
That advantage was short-lived as Chloe Turner's RBI single tied the game, 5-5, in the fifth inning. The team then took the lead, 6-5, on Daryn Miller's sacrifice fly to right field.
The back-and-forth game continued when GGC tied the game in the sixth frame on Rodgers' successful steal of home after Enna Lackey swiped second base.
In extra innings, Miller and Ashlyn Alte tallied back-to-back run-scoring singles to give the Sand Sharks the victory.
2023 CAC Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player: Alexa Good, Georgia Gwinnett College
Sydney Pelaez, Georgia Gwinnett College
Madison Rodgers, Georgia Gwinnett College
Annalise Wood, Georgia Gwinnett College
Daryn Miller, USC Beaufort
Chloe Turner, USC Beaufort
Tamiyah Whitlock, USC Beaufort
Bailey Cupples, Crowley's Ridge College
Shelby Elrod, Crowley's Ridge College
Megen Johnson, Florida National University
Dakota Kulis, Florida National University