Terry Leads Softball to Sweep of Ga. Southwestern in Season Openers

MILLEDGEVILLE, GA -- Catawba opened its softball season with a doubleheader sweep of Georgia Southwestern on Saturday night in the Georgia College Invitational at the Peeler Complex.  The Catawba Indians won by the scores of 7-4 and 8-0.  It was the opener for both schools. 

Catawba rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to claim the opener.  Amanda Terry (Cordova, NC/Richmond Senior HS) had the winning hit, clearing the bases with a three-run double with two outs in the top of the seventh. 

The Lady Indians tied the game on a pinch-hit single by Kelsey Burgess (Charlotte, NC/Gaston Christian/N. Greenville).  It came after a one-out error.  Mollie Kovalcin (Latrobe, PA/Greater Latrobe HS) had cut the margin to 4-3 on an RBI single, her third hit of the game.

Following the five-run outburst, Brittany Murray (Asheboro, E. Randolph HS) tossed a perfect seventh to grab the win.  She allowed two earned runs off seven hits in the complete game.  She walked one and struck out five.  Terry finished with a pair of hits.

Georgia Southwestern scored twice in the third to take an early lead.  Casey Baucom (Marshville, NC/Piedmont HS) cut the margin in half with a sacrifice fly in the Catawba fourth.  The Hurricane used a pair of Lady Indian errors in the fourth to add two more runs for a 4-1edge.  Tara Gibbs (Waynesville, NC/Tuscola HS) tripled home a run in the fifth for the Lady Indians to make it 4-2.

Catawba jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after an inning of game two on just one hit.  Sydney Hyder (Asheboro, NC/SW Randolph HS) led off with a single and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Terry after Kayla Myers (Bryson City, NC/Swain Co. HS) walked and Alli Justice (Bishopville, MD/Decatur HS) reached on an error.  A wild pitch forced home a run and the Lady Indians added two more on another error and wild pitch.

Terry continued her onslaught with a solo home run in the third to push the lead to 5-0.  That was plenty of support for Emily Huneycutt (Locust, NC/W. Stanly HS), who shutout the Hurricane on just two hits.

Terry and Gibbs each collected a pair of RBI in the nightcap.  Hyder, Myers and Terry all scored twice.