YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Young Harris College swept a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader from Georgia Southwestern State University Saturday (April 15) afternoon at E.D. Rivers Field.
 
The Mountain Lions improved to 40-10 overall and 17-7 in the Peach Belt defeating the Hurricanes 8-4 in eight innings and 6-2 while Georgia Southwestern fell to 22-32 and 7-17. Young Harris returns to action Tuesday (April 18) afternoon as they travel to Belmont, North Carolina,  to play Belmont Abbey College in a non-conference doubleheader.
 
Georgia Southwestern struck first in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead but Young Harris would tie game one in the bottom half of the inning after a leadoff triple by senior Jeanie Perrucci who would come around to score off a RBI ground out by Biz Walters. Murphy Davis scored on a passed ball in the second to give the Mountain Lions a 2-1 lead. Georgia Southwestern would reclaim the lead in the third and add to it in the fifth making the score 4-2.
 
With one on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jill Torres launched a two-run homer over the left field fence, her team leading fifth home run of the season, to tie the game at 4.
 
In the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded,  senior Chandler Stooksbury stepped to the plate and sent a game winning grand slam over the left field fence, her second home run of the season and in as many days. Stooksbury connected on a two-run homer Friday in a 2-0 win in 11 innings over Columbus State University.
 
Davis and Kelsey Nix collected two hits in the win while Perrucci, Torres, Hannah Harrison, and Georgia Webb had one hit apiece.
 
Nikkie Kovalsky (21-5) earned the win for the Mountain Lions after pitching six innings of relief, allowing one run on seven hits and five strikeouts.
 
Shannon Gibson (7-13) took the loss for the Hurricanes giving up eight runs- three unearned - on ten hits over 7 1/3 innings.
 
Young Harris struck first in the first via a sacrifice fly by Harrison that would score Perrucci. Perrucci would add to the lead in second on a RBI single. Young Harris would add three more in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles by Perrucci and Walters and a fielding error would allow Perrucci to come around to score. Davis would draw a bases loaded walk to give the Mountain Lions a 6-2 lead.

Perrucci led the way in game two going 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. Walters collected two hits while Nix, Webb, and Stooksbury collected one hit apiece.
 
Kennedy Kotula (2-0) picked up the win for Young Harris after pitching a complete game allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and four strikeouts.
 
Brittany Childs (9-10) earned the loss for Georgia Southwestern giving up five runs on eight hits over four innings.

Perrucci and Stooksbury along with student assistant Victoria Thomas were honored in pregame ceremonies.