AMERICUS, Ga. | Young Harris College swept a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader from Georgia Southwestern State University Friday (March 25) afternoon at Lady Canes Field.

The 19th-ranked Mountain Lions improved to 23-9 overall and to 9-3 in the league while the Hurricanes fell to 22-20 and 6-8. Young Harris returns to action with a 1 p.m. Peach
Belt doubleheader against Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia.

Darby Stanford (18-1) tossed a three-hit, seven strikeout complete game in the 4-0 win by the Mountain Lions in the opener. YHC scored twice in the top of the seventh inning in game two to rally for a 6-5 decision over the Hurricanes.

The Mountain Lions got a bases-loaded walk by Sarah Beth Marquis in the first inning of game one and got a bases-clearing double by Rachel Benson in the seventh inning to take a 4-0 lead after Georgia Southwestern pitcher Brittany Childs (5-7), who had eight walks, walked the bases loaded. Benson led YHC with two hits in the opener.

After the Hurricanes opened up a 3-0 lead through three innings of game two, Marquis clubbed a two-run homer – her first of the 2016 campaign – in the top of the fourth. After Georgia Southwestern got those two runs back in the bottom of the fifth, it was Georgia Webb's turn to hit a two-run homer – her second of the year – in the top of the sixth to close within a run a 5-4.

Hannah Harrison led off the top of the seventh with a double to center field and was sacrificed over to third on a Jeanie Perrucci bunt. Grace Botti singled down the right field line to tie the game at 5. A double by Marquis put runners at second and third and walk to Webb loaded the bases with two outs. Chandler Stooksbury followed with a walk on a 3-2 count that scored Botti and gave the Mountain Lions a 6-5 lead.

Stanford earned the win in game two with four innings of relief.

The Mountain Lions collected 12 hits in game two with Harrison, Botti, Marquis, Webb and Lindsay Tudor posting two hits apiece.