Henderson’s bat helps West Georgia get off to 2-0 start

From West Ga. reports GULF SHORES, Ala.

—A 15-0 rout of Miles combined with a decisive 9-3 win over Eckerd in the early game propelled the West Georgia Wolves softball team to a 2-0 start to the season at day one of the Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

GAME ONE

A trio of newcomers in Beatriz Cardoza, Brooke Parker, and Mallory Walker each had a pair of RBI each, while Cardoza was one of six Wolves who collected a multi-hit game in the season opener.

West Georgia wast- ed no time in getting an early lead as Peyton Stallworth got a one-out single, stole second and then scored on an RBI single by Lexie Stohr in the top of the first. Stohr then came around to score on a double down the line by freshman and former Calhoun High standout Cassie Henderson.

In the fourth inning, the Wolves got back-toback hits to start the inning, but it was Mallory Walker who got the big hit, a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 4-0.

Brooke Parker drove in two in the fifth inning with a two-out, pinch hit double that plated two more Wolves.

Freshman Katie Foote made her debut in the circle on opening day and cruised right along after allowing a leadoff double in the first. Foote then went three innings without allowing a hit, but she ran into trouble in the fifth, giving up two runs on three hits, ending her day.

UWG added a seventh run in the sixth inning on a Sydney Smith single that plated Lexie Stohr for the second time on the day, and then Cardoza plated another pair with a double to left center, to make it 9-2.

Danielle Easterly came on in relief of Foote and pitched well, going 2.2 innings with one run allowed.

Eckerd added that run on a two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh.

West Georgia returns to the diamond at 4:45 this afternoon to take on Miles in game two of the Gulf Coast Invitational.

GAME TWO

Lexi Close got the start in game two, going three innings, and allowing just one hit and striking out six in her UWG debut.

The Wolves offense gave Close an early cushion as UWG got five runs and two hits in the first inning thanks to RBI from Lexie Stohr, Cassie Henderson, Sydney Smith, and two from Mallory Walker.

Ashley Ellison got her second hit of the game in the second inning with a triple and then scored on a single from Lexie Stohr. In total, the Wolves got four more runs in the second on two hits and got help from two Golden Bear errors.

Stohr got her third RBI of the game as West Georgia added a run in the third, and went on to add another five runs on three hits in the fourth.

Raya Moncus pitched two innings in relief, allowing no runs or hits and striking out half of the batters she faced.

Ashley Ellison went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Lexie Stohr had three hits and four RBI on the day. Both Mallory Walker and Sydney Smith had three RBI on the day.