CARROLLTON, Ga. – The UWG softball team split Friday's season-opening action at home, winning the opener before falling in a light night contest.
West Georgia (1-1) run-ruled Bellarmine (0-2) to start the season before falling to Austin Peay (1-1) in game two.
Both games on Friday were non-conference contests even though the opponents were Atlantic Sun Conference foes.
Game One
UWG broke the season opener in the fifth, scoring seven runs to pull ahead and run rule the Knights.
A walk, two hit batters, and a single played one Bellarmine in the first inning, but UWG struck for two after an error and an RBI single from Sky Ramos to score two runs and take the lead.
Bellarmine used a two-run home run in the third to take a lead, but it was short lived as Jenna Samuel and Madison McDonald had back-to-back doubles to produce a run and tie it up at 3-3.
The seven-run fifth started with a single, error and walk, and Madison McDonald hit a grand slam to make it 7-3, and Kristen Fowler hit a three-run home run to make it a 10-3 advantage.
A fielder's choice RBI by Dixiana Sims drove in the Wolves' 11th run and ended the game in the sixth.
Delaney Hoyle picked up the victory in the circle in her UWG debut, scattering five hits over five innings and allowing two runs and striking out two.
McDonald led the offense with a 3-for-4 debut, driving in five. Jenna Samuel and Sky Ramos each had two hits in the win while Kristen Fowler's pitch hit single provided three RBIs.
GAME TWO
Austin Peay struck for three runs on a Brie Howard home run in the first inning and then added four more in the second inning.
West Georgia was held hitless until the fourth inning, and didn't score until the sixth.
The Govs didn't score again until their half of the sixth as freshman Cacie Cutright held the APSU offense at bay for over three innings of relief in her debut until the Govs tagged her for two in the sixth and two in the seventh.
All of West Georgia's runs came in the sixth inning on a three-run home run by Jenna Samuel.
Samuel had two hits on the day, accounting for half of the Wolves total hits in the nightcap.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- McDonald's home run was the first of her UWG career as she hit a grand slam in her debut in a UWG uniform. It was the first grand slam by a UWG player since April 28, 2024 and the first of the Division I era.
- Kristen Fowler also slugged the first home run of her UWG career in the win over Bellarmine.
- Samuel's home run was the second of her career.
NEXT UP
UWG is back in action tomorrow with a 12 p.m. game against Bellarmine before a 5:00 p.m. game against in-state foe Georgia State.
