February 6, 2010

Game 1 | Game 2

DAHLONEGA, GA – The 2nd-ranked North Georgia softball team picked up right where they left off last season, picking up a pair of victories over Mount Olive College and Erskine College on the opening day of the Aiken Early Bird Tournament.

North Georgia opened the day against Mount Olive, taking down the Trojans 9-1 in five innings, before coming back in the nightcap and polishing off Erskine College 3-0.

In game one, the Saints used a pair of hits from Courtney McGuire and Natasha Willemse who led the way at the plate, while Laura Voyles recorded a triple in three plate appearance to drive in three runs.

Sarah Phillips tossed four innings of one-hit ball, allowing one earned run while striking out six and walking one before Lauren Dykes came on in relief for her collegiate debut. Dykes threw one inning and recorded one strike out while walking one.

In game two, a pitchers duel broke out as the game went to the bottom of the fifth still scoreless until North Georgia finally broke the tie as Katherine Martin led off the inning with a triple and Dykes came on to run and later scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 1-0. Callie Fernandez provided the fireworks later in the inning with an RBI single for the second run of the game before coming around to score and cap a three-run inning, which proved to be enough for the Saints in the 3-0 shutout.

Phillips (2-0) stayed undefeated as she went the distance, allowing four hits in all seven innings of work as the junior recorded nine strikeouts and allowed just one walk.

The Saints return to action on Sunday afternoon, starting off at 10:00 a.m. against Barton College, before coming back with two games against Chowen and Seton Hill to cap off play at the Aiken Early Bird Tournament.