CARROLLTON, Ga. - Katie Morris struck out 11 and the top of the order did enough damage to lead the UWG softball team past the Union Bulldogs, 3-0, in game three of their weekend conference series.
West Georgia (3-15, 2-7 GSC) got a complete game shutout from Morris, who recorded a career-high in strikeouts and allowed just five hits as the Wolves snapped a seven-game losing streak. The Wolves got RBIs from Madison Vandergriff and R.J. Janke to hand Union (11-8, 6-2 GSC) their first loss in their last five games.
Janke gave Morris and the Wolves a first inning lead as she singled home Isabella Pinto who reached with a one-out single, stole second, and took third on a groundout.
The Wolves clung to the 1-0 lead as Morris mowed through the Union lineup and put up zero after zero until thrifty when UWG got two insurance runs.
Nicole Couvertiere reached via walk in her pinch hit appearance and then stole second and later scored on a throwing error to make it 2-0. Pinto then scored from first on an RBI double from Madison Vandergriff who just missed her third home run of the weekend as she banged the double off the right field fence.
Union had baserunners in the sixth and seventh, including a runner on third in the sixth, but Morris was able to pitch around the damage and preserve the shutout and earn her second win.
Emma Nixon was 2-for-2 for the Wolves while Pinto, Janke, and Vandergriff had the other three hits for UWG.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- Morris' 11 strikeouts is a career-high for the Valley, Alabama native and the most by a UWG pitcher since Morgan Goree struck out 12 against Mississippi College in May of 2021.
- Nixon now has two multi-hit games on the year, has raised her batting average to .357 and is five for her last seven dating back to last Sunday's game at Lee.
- Janke and Vandergriff now lead UWG in RBI's with nine each.
- Vandergriff went 5-for-9 with a double, two home runs, and five RBIs for the series.
The Wolves return to midweek action on Wednesday, hosting Auburn Montgomery for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.
