ALBANY, Ga. – Playing in their final non-conference games of the season the Auburn Montgomery softball team split a twin bill with Albany State on Wednesday afternoon, falling in game one 4-1 before taking game two 10-0 in five innings on the campus of the Golden Rams.
 
NOTES
• AUM moves to 24-15 on the year.
• ASU goes to 22-20 this season.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Sophomore Jaycie Walker went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and two runs batted in.
• Junior Pitcher Natalie Johnsey tossed nine innings on the day, picking up a win in game two. She allowed one run on seven hits with six strikeouts in two appearances.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
• ASU took the early advantage in game one when Danielle Turner hit a solo shot to give the Golden Rams a 1-0 advantage in the first. One batter later Lavette Tucker hit a solo homer of her own to put ASU up 2-0. After another out was recorded Aryn McGowan launched the third Ram blast of the inning giving Albany a 3-0 lead after one.
• Megan Shepherd led off the bottom of the second with ASU's fourth solo home run of the contest after AUM made a pitching change to start off the inning.
• AUM got on the board in the top of the third when Michaelyn Foster and Jaycie Walker hit back to back doubles to cut the deficit to 4-1.
• The Warhawks managed only one hit the rest of the contest as they dropped game one of the doubleheader 4-1.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – GAME ONE
• AUM scored one run on three hits with no errors.
• ASU scored four runs on four hits (all home runs) with no errors.
• Chanel Newcomer (12-7) took the loss for the Warhawks after allowing three runs on three hits in 1.0 innings of work. Natalie Johnsey finished the game strong for the Warhawks, allowing only one run on one hits with five K's in five innings of work.
• Aryn McGowan (11-1) was credited with the win for the Golden Rams. McGowan allowed only three hits and three walks over 7.0 innings, striking out seven on the day.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
• Game two saw the Warhawks strike first, scoring on a Kendall Tucker single that plated Jasmine Thompson from second to give AUM a 1-0 advantage in the top of the third.
• AUM plated another run in the fourth inning, this time scoring on an Amy Persinger sacrifice fly to left field that scored Morgan Duschell from third.
• The Warhawks exploded for eight runs in the top of the fifth, beginning with a Walker single that scored pinch-runner Cydney Sizemore to give AUM a 3-0 advantage. Hannah Dailey then singled up the middle to score two more runs and put the Warhawks up by five. Dailey then came around to score on a double steal with runners at first and third to give AUM 6-0 lead. Persinger then drove in her second run of the game on a bunt single that plated Abby Krueger from third as the Warhawks went up by seven runs.
• While still in the top of the fifth sophomore Parker Pinholster hit her first home run of the season and the fifth of her career, driving in three runs to put the Warhawks up by 10 runs.
• Albany State would load the bases in the bottom of the fifth but AUM would record an out on a fielder's choice and then would end the game on a double play, taking game two via the NCAA Eight-Run Rule.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – GAME TWO
• AUM scored 10 runs on 12 hits with no errors.
• ASU was held scoreless on eight hits with one error.
• Johnsey picked up the win for the Warhawks to improve to 5-6 on the season. Johnsey pitched 4.0 shutout innings while giving up six hits.
• Lauren Lowery fell to 7-10 after allowing 10 runs (six earned) on 12 hits.
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will host their final series of the season beginning on Friday when they welcome Gulf South Conference foe Christian Brothers to the AUM Softball Complex for a three game series. Friday's game will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday that will begin at 1 p.m.
 
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