Lady Railsplitters Drop Double-Header To #23 GC&SU

HARROGATE, TN – On the heels of the best start in the Dan Burns era following Friday’s sweep of Ohio Valley University, the Lady Railsplitter softball team was swept on Saturday by non-conference opponent Georgia College & State University 3-0 and 4-1, dropping LMU’s record to 9-3 on the year.

Lincoln Memorial seemed poised to carry the momentum of Friday’s wins into the Saturday double-header with Peach Belt Conference opponent Georgia College & State University.  In the opening game of the afternoon, the Lady Railsplitter bats that had been so loud a day earlier were nearly silenced as the Bobcats held LMU to only four hits for the game.  Senior Amanda Wampler (Powell, TN) led the charge, recording two of the four hits for the game but the Lady Railsplitters couldn’t generate a run.

In contrast, GC&SU pounded out eight hits in the opening game of the series and cross the plate three times on the way to the Bobcats third win of the season.  GC&SU’s Tonya Medders and Allison Schwimer had the strongest performances at the plate, each going 2-3 for the game, while Mandy Chandler picked up the victory inside the circle.

Lincoln Memorial’s Jessica Locker (Tipp City, OH) fell to 4-2 on the year in the loss.  Locker pitched six and a third innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and three earned runs with three walks and two strikeouts.  Teammate Sarah Henn (Kettering, OH) then took over for Lincoln Memorial, tossing the final third of an inning and allowing no damage.

In the second game of the afternoon, it was the Lady Railsplitters that scored first in the bottom of the second inning on RBI single by freshman Mira McPeek (Westerville, OH).  LMU held the lead until the top of the sixth inning when the Bobcats got two runs on a two RBI single by shortstop Kayla Smith.  The strong inning gave GC&SU a 2-1 lead and the Bobcats tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh for insurance before closing the door on the Lady Railsplitters in the bottom of the inning.

Sara Henn got the loss in Saturday’s second game, falling to 1-1 on the season.  Henn pitched the full seven innings, allowing five hits, four runs and one earned run with two walks and four strikeouts.

The 9-1 start to the season coming into Saturday's games was the best of the Dan Burns era and the fourth best in LMU history.  The all-time best start was in 1990, which was LMU's last season as a member of the NAIA.  That squad started out the year 22-0 en route to a 29-7 record.

Now 9-3 on the season, the Lady Railsplitters will play next when they host Virginia Intermont College on February 23 on the Dorothy Neely Field.  The Lady Railsplitters and the Cobras will throw the first pitch at 1:00 p.m. to begin the double-header.