VIERA BEACH, Fla. - The College of Coastal Georgia softball team split their Thursday afternoon double header at the Space Coast Games, defeating Goshen College in the opener 3-2 before falling to Grand View by a final of 2-0 in game two. 
 
GAME ONE: CCGA 3, Goshen 2
Both teams wasted no time getting acclimated to the venue as both struck for one run each in the first inning. For the Maple Leafs (2-3), they used a leadoff single and a stolen base from Kates to get an early runner in scoring position on starter Rylee Mills. After Mills settled in and got the next two out, a clean inning was not to be as a single from McDonald scored Kates to make the score 1-0 going into the bottom of the first. 
 
As the Mariners (15-4) have done most of the season, they answered immediately with one of their own. CCGA also used a leadoff single and a stolen base, theirs from Brooke Perdue, for some early traffic on the base paths. A sac bunt from Avery Callaway moved Perdue to third, and Mills drove her home with a single, her team leading 17th RBI of the single, as the Mariners tied the ballgame right back up at one a piece. 
 
Mills worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, and the Mariners went right back to work on offense in the bottom half. A walk put Kaitlyn Carolino on first who advanced to second on a fielder's choice from Emma Jones that saw her reach safely as well. With two on and one out, Perdue moved both runners into scoring position, Callaway loaded the bases, but Mills struck out, a rarity for the sophomore, as CCGA could not cash in and the game went into the third still tied at one. 
 
Both sides went down in order in the third, and in the fourth, the Maple Leafs got to Mills once again. A leadoff double from VanScoter advanced to third on a sac bunt and eventually came around to score on a single from Schmitt. Mills got the next two in order, but after CCGA went down in order in the fourth, Goshen led 2-1 into the fifth. 
 
Goshen once again got a runner to third in the fifth but Mills would not allow the run to score, and while Perdue led the bottom half off with another single and stolen base, that was all CCGA could muster as the game progressed into the sixth with CCGA still trailing 2-1.  
 
Another runner made it to third for the Maple Leafs in the sixth, but once again Mills slammed the door on the scoring opportunity, and this time the Mariners helped their starter out and broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Rily Andrews began the inning with a double and moved to third on a sac bunt from Mackenzie Southerland. The next batter, Carolino singled home Andrews to break the tie and make it 2-1 in favor of CCGA. After a pitching change from Goshen, the Mariners kept the pressure on as Rylie Smith reached on an error, and after both her and Carolino moved up 60 feet on a flyout, Carolino came home to score the third run of the game for the Mariners and break the tie, sending the game to the seventh with CCGA needing just three outs for their seventh straight win. 
 
Mills worked her magic once again in the seventh, retiring the Maple Leafs in order to secure the victory for the Mariners in game one of the Space Coast Games. 
 
Andrews and Perdue both finished with two hits on the afternoon, combining for four of the Mariners six hits in the game. Mills picked up win number seven on the season, allowing seven hits, two runs, no walks, and three strikeouts in just 71 pitches. 
 
GAME TWO: CCGA 0, Grand View 2
 
Game two of the afternoon featured the Mariners and the Vikings (4-5) of Grand View, who were receiving votes in the preseason poll. 
 
The Mariners managed just one hit on the afternoon, a pinch hit single from Ella Romano in the sixth inning as CCGA was dominated by starter Madi Huisman who pitched all seven innings allowing just the one hit, no runs, no walks, and struck out two. Huisman got nine fly outs and 10 groundouts in her second win of the season, holding a high powered Mariners offense to their lowest hit total in a game this season. 
 
Grand View got both of their runs in the game in the second inning, using an error from the Mariners to spark a two run affair. A single from Taber scored the first run followed by a fielder's choice from Kottlowski which scored the second run. 
 
CCGA went down in order in five of the seven innings of play, getting just two base runners on all game. 
 
Emilia Clemons is charged with the loss, her first of the season, after pitching five innings allowing just four hits, two runs, one earned, four walks, and three strikeouts. In her lone inning of work, McKenzie Collins allowed just one walk with no hits or runs. 
 
CCGA will now have a week off before traveling to Ave Maria next Friday and Saturday for their 2025 conference opener. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. on Friday followed by a 12:00 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.