Dixie State loses in 10 innings against #1 North Georgia
Hawkins hits 3 run home run
Jeff Cluff, Coordinator of Internal Operations/Media Relations
5/21/2009 3:46:58 PM
(SALEM, VA)---Courtney McGuire’s walk-off two-run homerun in the bottom of the 10th inning propelled top-ranked North Georgia State College & University (49-3) to a 5-3 victory over #19 Dixie State (UT) College (41-12) in Thursday’s second game of the 2009 NCAA Division II Softball Championships at the Moyer Complex in Salem, VA.
McGuire’s blast completed a comeback that saw the Saints score three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to force the extra frames.
In the bottom of the 10th, Laura Voyles walked, and advanced to second on Kasey Knight’s sacrifice bunt. McGuire followed with the two-run game-winning homer to left field.
Dixie State broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the fifth on Jaki Hawkins’ long three-run homerun to left center field. The Red Storm, who was held hitless through the first four innings, opened the fifth with back-to-back singles by Haley Schumers and Kelsey Mendenhall. Breanna Egge’s sacrifice bunt advanced Schumers to third and Mendenhall to second, before Hawkins’ fifth homer of the season.
Down to their final strike in the bottom of the seventh, North Georgia answered with Laura Voyles’ three-run blast to left-center that plated pinch-runners Caroline Bower and Kim Stercay to knot the score 3-3 and force extra innings.
Laura Voyles collected three hits, drove in three and scored a pair of runs for the Saints. Hilary Cox also collected three hits.
Sarah Phillips tossed a complete-game and struck out eight for North Georgia to improve to 38-1. Phillips gave up three earned runs, scattered six hits and walked one.
Mendenhall and Hawkins each had two hits for the Red Storm. Schumers and Katlyn Peters banged out a hit apiece to account for the other two Dixie State hits.
Lauren Folta suffered the loss and slipped to 15-5. Folta gave up five runs on 10 hits. Folta didn’t have a strikeout and walked two.
North Georgia advances in the winner’s bracket to face #4 Angelo State (TX) on Friday at noon. Dixie State will face the University of Indianapolis on Saturday at noon.