Columbus, Ga. - The Central Methodist Softball program saw its season come to an end in its third game of the NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Ga., Saturday morning.
No. 8 seeded Central fell to No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett in an elimination game, 9-7.
Central started out the game hot, as junior second basemen Madison White put the Eagles on the board with a three-run home run to centerfield in the top of the first inning. The Grizzlies plated a run on a double to left center in the second.
Leading 3-1, sophomore catcher Lauren Hill homered to left field in the fourth to score two, pushing Central's lead to 5-1.
Georgia Gwinnett responded in the bottom half of the frame, plating three runs on a solo home run and two RBI singles, trimming the Eagles' lead to 5-4. Central prevented the tying run from scoring, recording back-to-back put outs including tagging the runner out at home to preserve their lead.
In the top of the fifth, freshman third basemen Joely Crider hit a leadoff double to put herself in scoring position with no outs. The Grizzlies would retire the next two batters which would bring Madison Roberts to the dish.
Roberts hit a ball through the right side that was deep enough to score Crider from second, pushing Central's lead to 6-4.
The big inning for Georgia Gwinnett came in the bottom half of the fifth, as GGC scored three runs on three hits while capitilzing on one Eagle error to take their first lead of the game.
Trailing 7-6 in the sixth, leadoff hitter Kaysie Jolley doubled down the right field line, followed by an RBI single from Hill to left to score Jolley and tie the game at 7-7.
The bottom of the sixth started out in Central's favor, as they retired the leadoff batter. However, back-to-back hits from the Grizzlies put runners at second and third with no outs. A wild pitch in the next at bat brought the runner home from third for GGC. On the same play, a miscue by Central's defense allowed the runner from second to score, giving Georgia Gwinnet a 9-7 lead.
The Eagles were unable to respond in the top half of the seventh, as GGC held on for the two-run victory.
Four different Eagles picked up at least two hits, including Crider, White, Jolley, and Hill. White finished the day batting two-for-three highlighted by the three run home run in the opening inning.
Hill hit only her second home run of the year in the fourth. Freshman Jordyn Ball got the start in the circle, tossing 3.1 innings and giving up four earned runs on six hits with two walks. She also struck out three batters.
Fellow freshman Haley Cotter pitched the final two and two thirds innings.
The Eagles finish the season with a final record to 42-12, which included a conference regular season championship, a conference tournament championship, an opening round championship, and just their fourth-ever appearance at the NAIA World Series.
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