#11 Saints Rally to Take Two from Tusculum

Game 1 | Game 2

GREENEVILLE, TN – The 11th-ranked North Georgia softball team swept a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Tusculum College, taking game one 2-0, before using a seventh inning rally to come away with a 7-6 victory in game two at Red Edmonds Field.

With the doubleheader sweep, North Georgia improves to 10-2 on the season, while Tusculum falls to 6-9 overall.

In game one, the Saints plated a pair of runs early, which proved to be enough as Sarah Phillips (5-1) went the distance, striking out 10 and allowing just three hits as she faced three batters over the minimum.

North Georgia scored their first run in the second inning courtesy of Pilar Harden who tripled to right center and came home on a passed ball to make it 1-0. The Saints added one more run in the third inning on a Kasey Knight double to left center, bringing Laura Voyles racing home and providing all the offense the Saints would need in a 2-0 game one victory.

In game two, the Saints jumped on top again, this time scoring a single run in the third inning before exploding for four runs in the fourth to make it 5-0. Voyles brought home the lone run in the third with a single, while the Saints took advantage of two fourth-inning errors and tallied three hits to plate four more runs. Hilary Cox drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, and Kim Stercay singled to bring home another run.

After Tusculum battled back with a run in the fourth, the Saints had a lapse on defense, committing three fifth-inning errors, accompanied by four Pioneer hits as the home team took a 6-5 lead. Jessica McKee’s two-out double to centerfield was the big blow, plating two runs and giving Tusculum a one-run lead heading to the seventh inning.

The Saints took a never-die approach to their last at-bat as Knight started the inning with a single, and Courtney McGuire followed and coaxed a walk. After a flyout to right field, Harden stepped to the plate and delivered the heroics again, sending a double to left center to bring two runs home to score and giving the Saints a 7-6 come-from-behind victory.

Phillips (6-1) picked up the win again in the nightcap, this time coming on in relief and tossing two scoreless innings while striking out a pair.

The Saints will have a full week off before hosting Catawba and #4 Berry for the 2009 Captain D’s Classic on March 6-7 at the brand new Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium. North Georgia will play each team twice as the inaugural games will be played at the new facility.