Brenau Softball Splits with Shorter

April 19, 2012

GAINESVILLE, GA - The Brenau University softball team split their double header against Shorter University. The Golden Tigers came into the Southern States Athletic Conference game with a record of 33-9 and 18-5 in the SSAC. Brenau, rallied for a 4-2 win in the opener, but were defeated by the NAIA No. 8 Shorter in the second game 4-1.

The first game was a close contest with neither team able to score until the fourth inning when Shorter picked up two runs. Brenau replied in the bottom of the fifth, when their bats started to come alive. The Golden Tigers picked up 4 runs in the inning and kept their defense tight for the remainder of the game. Brenau had a total of 9 hits to Shorter's 8. Ellen Black went 2 for 3 with 1 RBI; Sally Duggan went 1 for 3 with 1 RBI; and Taylor Kelly went 1 for 2 with 1 RBI. Katie Bolin, Brooke Bryant, and Morgan Smith all went 1 for 2. Anna Maness pitched for Brenau and had a total of 5 strikeouts. The game also included a stellar catch during the early part of the game by Sally Duggan.

In the second game, things were just as tight as the first with neither team able to score again until the fourth inning. Shorter put 3 runs on the board and followed those up with a fourth run in the fifth inning. Brenau picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth when Brook Bryant (1-3) scored an RBI, but it turned out to be a consolation run as the Lady Hawks closed out the seventh and eighth innings with the score still standing at 4-1 in their favor. Brenau had a total 7 hits to Shorter's 6. Jenny Shepherd pitched for Brenau in the beginning of game, but was replaced by Anna Maness who came in to close out the pitching. Shepherd had a total of 4 strikeouts and Maness had 2.
Next up for Brenau is a home game with conference foe Lee University. The first game of the double-header is scheduled for Friday afternoon at 4pm. This will also serve as the team's Senior Day and special recognition given to the six graduating seniors from this year's team.