Photo Gallery
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Young Harris College swept a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader from the University of South Carolina Aiken Sunday (April 2) afternoon at E.D. Rivers Field.
The Mountain Lions improved to 33-7 overall and 13-5 in the conference after defeating the Pacers 3-2 and 8-0 (five innings) while USC Aiken fell to 19-19-1 and 6-12. The 33 wins by YHC set a new NCAA era record for wins in a season, surpassing last year's 32 victories. It was also their 14th consecutive win for Young Harris, matching its 14-0 start at the beginning of the season.
Young Harris returns to action Wednesday (April 5) as they host the University of West Georgia in a 3 p.m. non-conference softball doubleheader.
Young Harris struck first in the bottom of the third in the opener with a RBI groundout by
Hannah Harrison. The Pacers would tie the game in the top of the fifth, but the Mountain Lions took the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Murphy Davis gave Young Harris a 2-1 lead on her sacrifice fly before Harrison singled up the middle to add an insurance run.
Jeanie Perrucci led the way with two hits while
Jill Torres, Harrison, and
Chandler Stooksbury collected one apiece. Harrison drove in two runs and Davis drove in one.
Perrucci (15-3) earned the win for Young Harris pitching 5 1/3 innings, scattering four hits and allowing one run.
Nikkie Kovalsky picked up her fifth save for the Mountain Lions after pitching 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Lyndie Dorgan (4-5) took the loss for USC Aiken in relief after allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Young Harris scored in four out of the five innings played in game two starting with a two-run single by
Grace Botti in the bottom of the first.
Georgia Webb hit a RBI double to score Stooksbury in the bottom of the second, while Torres singled up the middle to score two more runs and give the Mountain Lions a 5-0.
Biz Walters added to the lead with a run scoring ground out in the third before Young Harris scored twice in the fifth to end the contest early. to first base. Walters scored on a throwing error by the Pacers' first basemen in the bottom of the fifth and Perrucci ended the game on a RBI double to score Stooksbury.
Stooksbury and Perrucci led the Mountain Lions with three hits apiece in game two. Stooksbury collected two doubles in the nightcap. Davis, Botti,
Amber Winters, and Webb each collected one hit. Botti and Torres each drove in two runs, while Perrucci, Walters, and Webb each drove in one.
Kovalsky (17-4) earned the win for the Mountain Lions after pitching five shutout innings, scattering three hits and striking out two.
Chandler Terrapin (7-7) took the loss for the Pacers as she allowed five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings.
