SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The UWG Softball team split day one action at the Wings Etc. Classic on Friday, run-ruling Youngstown State and falling to host USC Upstate.
West Georgia (3-5) never trailed in a 9-1 win over the Penguins before dropping a one-run, 6-5 game to the defending Big South Champions, USC-Upstate on their home field.
GAME ONE
UWG came out swinging early and often in the weekend's opening contest, scoring six runs in the second inning and cruising to a run-rule victory.
The six-run second started with an Olivia Slocumb single and then a Sky Ramos RBI triple started the scoring. Madison Humber, Mickey Coslor, and Megan Waites then each had singles consecutively and it was 3-0, Wolves. Waites then scored on an error as she swiped third, and Ella Oswalt drove in the fifth run with an RBI groundout. The sixth run came on a home run by Jenna Samuel.
A Zekylah Boyd single followed by an Oswalt home run in the fourth made it 8-0 before Youngstown State struck for one in the bottom half.
Ramos slugged a home run in the sixth to give the Wolves an eight-run advantage.
In the circle, Cali Hardison spun a four-hit complete game and earned her first victory of the season. Hardison did not allow a walk and struck out three batters over five innings of work.
Ramos had the only multi-hit game while driving in two runs and Oswalt drove in a team-high three RBIs.
GAME TWO
The Wolves lead early in game two as well as Oswalt slugged another home run in the third inning. It was a short lived lead, however, as the Spartans responded with six runs on six hits in their half of the third.
From there, UWG chipped away, adding a single run in the fourth and fifth before pushing across two in the sixth, but falling short.
In the fourth, it was a Dixiana Sims single followed by a Madison Humber RBI double, and in the fifth Samuel doubled home a run, just missing a four-bagger as it banged off the top of the wall. A trio of errors resulted in the two UWG runs in the sixth.
UWG was retired in order in their final at-bat.
Delaney Hoyle started for UWG, and pitched 2.2 innings and allowed all six runs. Freshman Cacie Cutright pitched 3.1 innings in relief and allowed just two hits and zero runs.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- UWG had nine hits in the game one win, with eight of the nine starters recording a hit.
- Oswalt had a home run in each game and is the team leader with four and is tied with a team-high eight RBIs.
- Samuel is also tied for the team lead in RBIs with eight. She hit her second homer of the season in the win over YSU, and leads the team in doubles with three.
- Megan Waites is five hits away from 100 for her career.
- Hardison's complete game victory in the opener was her 11th career victory and 15th career complete game.
UP NEXT
UWG wraps up the Wings Etc. Classic tomorrow with another pair of matchups with Youngstown State and USC Upstate. Game three of the weekend begins at 11 a.m. as UWG takes on the Penguins and the Wolves' final matchup with the Spartans is set for 4 p.m.
