WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. - The Coastal Georgia softball team lost a 2-1 pitchers duel in their first game of the opening round of the NAIA tournament to the Benedictine Ravens on Monday afternoon.
Both teams got a runner on in the first inning, with Sarah Thinger starting the game with a walk for the Mariners (36-13) compared to a single from Knorr for the Ravens (40-14), but neither side could bring their runners home as the game went to the second still tied.
Both sides were retired in order in the second, and in the third, the Mariners put the pressure on the Ravens for the first time. With two outs in the inning, Thinger singled to left and Rori Rhodes followed with a walk to send Bryce Peacock to the plate. The pitcher could not help herself out as she grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning and the threat. She did, however, pitch another clean inning in the circle to keep the game tied into the fourth.
In the fourth, the Mariners once again put some two out pressure on the Ravens, as Mackenzie Southerland and Alyssa Haggerty singled back-to-back to put another runner in scoring position. The inning would end once again on a popout, with CCGA stranding another pair of runners. Peacock continued to deal in the circle, working around a two out error to keep the game tied.
In the fifth, Rhodes drew a two out walk and stole second, but Peacock flew out to deep left field to end the top half. The failure to cash in finally came back and hurt the Mariners in the bottom half as the Ravens struck for the game's first runs. With two outs in the inning, Forsman singled on a pop up into shallow left field, and scored from first on a double off the wall from Cooper. One batter later, James singled right up the middle to score Cooper and give the Ravens a 2-0 lead going into the sixth.
In the sixth, the Mariners were once again held off the scoreboard after stranding another pair of runners in scoring position. Rylee Mills started the inning with a walk, and Rylee Maxwell, pinch running for Mills, advanced to second on a single from Rily Andrews. Both runners moved up after a successful sac bunt from Southerland, giving CCGA second and third with just one out. Haggerty grounded out to end the inning but Maxwell stayed put at third, and Morgan Coleman struck out to end the threat.
Elizabeth McGovern relieved Peacock in the bottom of the sixth and pitched a clean inning to send the game into the seventh.
In the final frame, the Mariners did not go down without a fight and continued to fight. MacKenzie Kagee started the inning with a walk and was pinch ran for by Zoe Johnston-Hadaway. Thinger grounded out to third to move Hadaway to second, and Rhodes followed with an RBI single to put the Mariners on the board. Peacock followed her with a four pitch walk to put runners at first and second with just one out. That was as far as the Mariners went, however, as Mills struck out and Andrews popped out in foul territory to end the game.
The Mariners finished with five hits on the game coming from five different players, and Rhodes finished with the lone RBI of the game, her 23rd of the year. Peacock was given the loss going five innings allowing just four hits and two earned runs with no walks and two strikeouts.
The Mariners will now turn their attention to Tennessee Wesleyan in an elimination game. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14 from the UC Softball Complex.
