BRUNSWICK, Ga. - In what was sure to be a low scoring double header, the College of Coastal Georgia softball team dropped both sides of their Sun Conference series opener with the 19th ranked St Thomas Bobcats on Friday afternoon.
For the first time since April 18, 2023, the Mariners dropped both sides of a double header. In 2023, CCGA lost both when they hosted Middle Georgia State. The last time a conference opponent defeated CCGA in both sides of a conference double header was the same St Thomas team back in 2022.
GAME ONE: CCGA 0, St Thomas 2
As expected, game one proved to be an exceptional pitching duel between two of the best pitchers the Sun Conference has to offer in the form of Rylee Mills for the Mariners (18-6, 3-2 SUN) and Anna Toon for the Bobcats (20-3, 5-0 SUN). Both Mills and Toon allowed just six hits combined, with Toon garnering the upper hand, holding CCGA to just one hit on the afternoon.
Through the first four innings, there were just three hits combined between the two offenses, with all three coming off the bats of the visitors. Mills broke up the perfect game in the bottom of the fourth when she was hit by a pitch, and Rily Andrews drew a walk to put two on with two out, but CCGA got no more motion in the inning as the game remained scoreless into the fifth.
St Thomas scored one each in the fifth and sixth innings to take their 2-0 lead, and both came with just one hit in each inning. In the fifth, the Bobcats worked a leadoff double around with a groundout and a sac fly, and in the sixth STU got a solo home run from Martinez.
In the bottom of the sixth, CCGA got two runners in scoring position with an error, a walk, and a sac bunt, but Toon once again got out of a jam and kept the Mariners off the scoreboard.
In the seventh, Toon had another 1-2-3 inning to shut out the Mariners and take game one for her team by a final of 2-0.
Brooke Perdue tallied the lone hit of the game for the Mariners while eight Mariners struck out in the contest. Mills, unfortunately, picked up her second loss of the season allowing two runs, five hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Toon picked up win number 12 on the season allowing just the one hit, two walks, and eight punchouts.
GAME TWO: CCGA 0, St Thomas 1
It was another barn burner in game two for both sides, as once again St Thomas got the timely at bat to put them just ahead of CCGA to clinch the series on the first day.
While still being outhit, the Mariners fared better at the plate in game two getting five hits in the contest off of Navarro.
Avery Callaway shined in the second game of the day, going 2-3 from the plate while McKenzie Collins, Zoe Johnston-Hadaway, and Kaitlyn Carolino tallied the other three hits on the afternoon.
CCGA got a runner in scoring position in four of the seven innings in the game, even having the tying run thrown out at home from left field to end the sixth inning.
Collins picked up the loss, tossing six innings allowing nine hits, one run, one walk, and two strikeouts. Emilia Clemons tossed one complete inning in the seventh allowing no runs or hits with a strikeout.
The Mariners will look to salvage the series in the finale on Saturday. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m.
