NCAA Division II Softball Regional Rankings | April 13

CARROLLTON, Ga. | The University of West Georgia swept a non-conference softball doubleheader from Young Harris College Wednesday (April 13) afternoon at University Field.
 
West Georgia picked up a 5-3 win in game one and a 9-2 decision in the nightcap.

West Georgia improved to 30-20 while the Mountain Lions fell to 31-17. Young Harris will return to action April 22 at the Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament in Milledgeville, Georgia.
 
The Mountain Lions were ranked No. 6 in the first NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Rankings earlier in the day. The ranking was the highest in the program's history, topping last year when Young Harris finished the season at No. 8.  Softball is the fourth Young Harris program to be listed in the NCAA regional rankings this year in their respective sport, joining men's soccer, men's basketball and men's golf.
 
There will be two more regional rankings before the final selection by the NCAA for regional play May 2.
 
Young Harris is one of six Peach Belt teams listing in the rankings. University of North Georgia is No. 1 followed by Armstrong State University (No. 2), Georgia College (No. 5), Young Harris, University of South Carolina Aiken (No. 7) and Francis Marion University (No. 8).
 
Eight teams will be selected in each region for the national tournament. In the Southeast Region, the winners from the Peach Belt, South Atlantic Conference and Conference Carolinas tournaments earn automatic berths while the other five will be at-large selections based on the regional rankings.
 
In the doubleheader against West Georgia, the Mountain Lions were limited to five hits in the opener and four more in game two.
 
Toni Perrucci led Young Harris with two hits, including an RBI double in the second inning, in the opener. Sarah Magill added an RBI single in the fifth while Hannah Harrison added a sacrifice fly in the same inning. Sarah Beth Marquis and Rachel Benson added hits for the Mountain Lions. Darby Stanford (24-5) took the loss.
 
Young Harris got a run-scoring single by Benson, who had two hits in the nightcap, in the second inning and added a bases-loaded walk by Harrison. The Mountain Lions also got hits from Marquis and Grace Botti. Jeanie Perrucci (5-9) absorbed the loss.