Friday, March 21, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, Sports Information Director

SAINTS BLANK PACERS IN DOUBLE HEADER SWEEP
North Georgia moves to a perfect 10-0 at home

Game 1 | Game 2 | Gameday

DAHLONEGA, GA – North Georgia College & State University used a pair of complete game shutouts on the mound to get by USC Aiken 4-0 and 2-0 in Peach Belt Conference action Friday night at the softball complex.

The two losses move USC Aiken to 16-23 on the season and 4-8 in the Peach Belt Conference, while North Georgia improves to 19-5 on the year and 4-2 in the league as they sweep their first conference series of the season.

In the opener, with a scoreless game in the fourth inning, North Georgia loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, but USC Aiken starting pitcher Kristin Cochran forced Meigan Grimm to groundout right back to the mound where the Pacers promptly turned a double play. Natasha Willemse came to the plate looking to salvage something out of a bases loaded no-out situation and sent a fly ball to short left field, sending three Pacers converged on the fly ball as it dropped to bring Jessica Skeels and Courtney McGuire racing home for a 2-0 Saints lead.

The Saints got right back on the scoreboard in the fifth inning, adding another two spot to take a 4-0 lead. Laura Voyles brought a run home on a groundout, and Stephanie Farmakis singled up the middle to plate Krista Bess and open up the four-run lead which would prove to be enough for a the series opening win.

Sarah Phillips improved to 9-3 with the win, tossing her ninth complete game of the year and allowing just five hits while striking out a career high 13 batters. Cochran (5-11) was tagged with the loss for the Pacers, allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out two.

In game two, North Georgia picked up right where they left off in the opener and pushed two runs home in the first inning on a McGuire two-run blast to straight away center to plate Laura Voyles for the early 2-0 lead.

After a pair of runs in the opening inning, neither team would manage to score over the final six frames. The Saints were out-hit six to three in the nightcap but still came away with the 2-0 victory and double header sweep.

Ansley Anderson (2-0) picked up the win with her second complete game of the year, allowing six hits while striking out eight. Toni Flessate (6-8) was the tough luck loser, lasting six innings and allowing just three hits and two first inning runs.

North Georgia (19-5, 4-2 PBC) will return to action at home, hosting 2nd-ranked GCSU Saturday afternoon with a double header set to start at 3:00 p.m.

-NGCSU-

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