LIONS DROP SERIES TO GEORGIA COLLEGE
 
Milledgeville, GA – The Emmanuel Softball team opened the 2024 season up this weekend with a three-game series at Georgia College. The Bobcats took game one of the series on Saturday afternoon 3-1 The Lions responded by wining game two, 6-2 before falling in the rubber match, 7-2 on Sunday morning. 
 
GAME ONE –
 
In game one, Georgia College got things started in the third inning, scoring 2 runs to take a 2-0 lead. Emmanuel responded in the fourth with a home run by Jaryn Gibson to cut the Bobcats lead to 2-1. Emily Hobbs would hit a home run in the 5^th for the Bobcats, to take a 3-1 lead and the win. 
 
Maddie Edwards would take the loss for the Lions, pitching 6 innings and facing 25 batters. She gave up three earned runs on six hits and struck out five batters. 
 
At the plate, Ciara Passmore led the way going 2-3 in the match-up with two singles. The Lions would outhit the Bobcats, 7-6 but had two costly errors.  
 
GAME TWO – 
 
In game two, the Lions got off to a quick start offensively.
 
In the second inning, Gabby Buffington would single to score Isabel Harrison and Mandy Rhinehart, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead. Georgia College would respond with a run of their own in the bottom half of the second, when Shea Zweifel homered to bring the score to 2-1. 
 
In the fifth inning, Emmanuel's Abby Rocco singled to center and advanced to second on a throwing error, scoring Jaryn Gibson and Alyssa Adams, bringing the score to 4-1 in favor of the Lions. Gabby Buffington added to the Lion's lead when she grounded out to second base and scored Isabel Harrison, making it 5-1, Lions. Hannah Wright would add to the Lions lead on a single to shortstop that scored Rocco, giving Emmanuel a 6-1 lead. The Bobcats would get a run in the bottom of the 5^th to make the score 6-2 in favor of Emmanuel, which would be the final score.
 
Kaitlyn Pickens got the win for the Lions, pitching 7.0 innings and facing 27 batters. She gave up 2 earned runs on 3 hits and struck out 4 batters.
 
At the plate, Jayrn Gibson led the way going 3-4 with a double and a stolen base. Elle Varner went 2-3. With the win, the Lions improved to 1-1 on the early season.
 
 
GAME THREE 
The teams closed out the series with a rubber match on Sunday, with Georgia College earning a 7-3 victory, taking the series 2-1. 
 
The Bobcats jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first inning on two walks and a fielder's choice to take a 1-0 lead. They added to the lead in the third inning with two unearned runs, to make the score 3-0 after three.
 
The Lions bats got hot in the fifth inning. Gabby Buffington started with a single. Kyna Cheney followed that up with a single, advancing Buffington. Ellee Varner followed that up with a single, advancing to second on the throw, scoring Buffington to make the score 3-1, Bobcats. In the bottom of the fifth, GCSU added four runs on two hits and an error to bring the score to 7-1. 
 
In the top of the 6^th, Kinsley Goolsby got things started for the Lions with a single to left. Lexi Jordan advanced Rhinehart to second on a single, then Buffington cleared the bases with a 2-RBI double, making the score 7-3, Bobcats. Emmanuel gave up one hit and left two Bobcats on base in the 6^th. 
 
The Lions went down swinging in the 7^th, and the Bobcats won the rubber match 7-3, and took the series 2-1. 
 
Macy Kelley took the loss for the Lions, pitching 3 innings and giving up 3 runs (2 earned), on 3 hits. She struck out 4, walked 2 and faced 18 batters. Isabel Harrison pitched one inning for the Lions, giving up 4 runs (2 earned, 2 unearned) on 2 hits. She walked 4 of the 11 batters she faced. Haley Mullins finished the game on the mound for the Lions, pitching 1.2 innings and giving up just one hit. 

At the plate, the Lions were led by Buffington who went 3-3 on the day with 2 RBI's. Lexi Jordan went 2-3 on the day, scoring 1 run. 
 
With the loss, the Lions fall to 1-2 on the season. Emmanuel will be back on the diamond, ready to bounce back at Columbus State University on February 7 at 2 & 4PM! 
 
For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.