BARNESVILLE, Ga. – Gordon State Softball continued its early-season trend of splitting doubleheaders as the Highlanders defeated No. 15 Lake Land College (Ill.) 3-2 in game one while the Lakers rallied in game two to secure a 4-2 victory.
Game one belonged to GSC pitchers Faith Hager (Conyers, Ga. / Heritage HS) and Bailey Odom (Danville, Ga. / Bleckley Co. HS) as the duo combined to hold Lake Land to two runs on two hits to propel the Highlanders to the one-run win.
Hager went five innings and allowed one earned run with striking out four and walking two.
Odom came on for the two-inning save and allowed just one unearned run.
Meanwhile, Jordyn Dobson (McDonough, Ga. / Union Grove HS), Chandler Mitchell (Forsyth, Ga. / Locust Grove HS) and Camden Steele (Jackson, Ga. / Union Grove HS) provided the RBIs for GSC as the Highlanders scored all three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Catherine Barefield (Cataula, Ga. / Harris Co. HS) went 2-for-3 at the plate for GSC (4-3).
Game two went to Lake Land as the Lakers broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the sixth with a run and added two more in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead.
GSC (4-4) plated a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally fell short with the tying runs on base.
Taylor McClendon (McDonough, Ga. / Ola HS) went 3-for-4 while Hailey Hooper (Monticello, Ga. / Piedmont Academy) and Mitchell each had two hits.
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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 (@GordonStateCollege #GSCHighlandersForward), on Twitter (@GordonState) and Instagram (gordon_state).