GC Softball Splits Sunday Doubleheader With Piedmont

The Greensboro College softball team dropped an extra inning opener to Piedmont on Sunday, but bounced back for an 8-7 win in the finale.

After leaving two runners on base in the first and one in the second, The Pride finally found the scoreboard with a single run in the third inning of game one. Kanisha Fogg singled, stole second and scored on an error by the left fielder that allowed Brittany Evans to reach base.

Greensboro’s hitting woes with runners on continued as The Pride left runners in four of the remaining innings, including three in the eighth and two in the ninth. Greensboro moved runners to third in both of the final two frames, but came away empty.

Piedmont, meanwhile, crossed the plate in the sixth and ninth innings to rally for a 2-1 victory.

Both teams finished the game with five hits. Fogg and Hayley Hicks each recorded one apiece. Jackie Nicholson started the game and went 5.0 scoreless innings before being releived by Kesley Sanfilippo and Hannah Pennell. Pennell took the loss, giving up one unearned run in 2.2 innings of work.

In game two, The Pride took advantage of three Panther errors in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Brittany Teer scored after reaching on an error by the shortstop, advancing to second on an error by the left fielder, and scoring on an error at second.

Greensboro again converted multiple Piedmont errors into runs in the second to go on top 3-0. Nicholson scored on an error at third, while Reihle Kash crossed after an error at second.

The Panthers rallied back in the third with three runs on three hits to even the score at 3-3. Piedmont would take the lead, 5-3, in the fourth with two more runs.

The Pride bats exploded in the bottom of the fourth, as Greensboro tallied five runs on four hits with the help of one error. Rebecca Pink singled home Heather Nellis for the first run of the inning. Fogg scored the second on an error by the shortstop. Hicks followed with a two RBI double before Nicholson finished the scoring with an RBI single.

The Panthers would chip away at the gap, with runs in the fifth and seventh but could not come up with the late game heroics as The Pride picked up the 8-7 win.

Piedmont held a slight 7-5 advantage in hits but committed six mistakes compared to two for Greensboro. Nicholson tied for a game high two hits, with Teer, Pink and Hicks contributing one apiece.

Sanfilippo moved to 5-0 on the mound, wrapping up the final 3.1 innings in relief of starter, Hannah Pennell.

The Pride are now 6-4 on the season with a doubleheader scheduled for Tuesday at cross-town rival Guilford. Game times are set for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.