AMERICUS, Ga. — A weekend that began with frustration turned into a fitting Senior Day celebration as Georgia Southwestern softball used a late surge and a defining swing to secure the series finale over Middle Georgia State University at Lady Canes Field.
After dropping a tight opener Friday night and coming up just short in extra innings in Game 2, the Hurricanes responded in a big way in Saturday's finale, erupting for a five-run fifth inning punctuated by
Lani Dansby's grand slam to earn a 9-4 victory and salvage a game in the Peach Belt Conference series.
Saturday also served as Senior Day for GSW, as
Kendall Huelsman,
Riley Ernst,
Rebecca Hazard,
Madison Griffis,
Peyton Namyslowski and
Madison Banks were honored in a pregame ceremony — and fittingly, the group played a central role in the weekend's defining moments.
Weekend's Top Perfomers
- Kendall Huelsman: 5-for-11, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
- Lani Dansby: 3-for-9, HR (grand slam), 4 RBI
- Rebecca Hazard: 3-for-7, HR, 3 BB, 3 R
- Maggie McDonald: 3-for-10, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Pyper McCard: 12 1/3 IP, 10 K, Game 3 win
Game 1 | Middle Georgia 4, GSW 3
A pair of home runs helped the Hurricanes build momentum early, but Middle Georgia answered late to steal the opener.
Madison Banks and
Kendall Huelsman delivered back-to-back solo shots in the third inning to give GSW a 3-1 lead, while
Rebecca Hazard added a solo homer in the second. It was first home run of the season for Banks and Hazard and the team-leading seventh for Huelsman.
Despite the early power surge, Middle Georgia chipped away, tying the game in the fifth before a seventh-inning home run proved to be the difference in a 4-3 final.
Even in the loss,
Erin Garland continued her consistency at the top of the lineup, extending her streak of reaching base safely to 14 consecutive games.
Game 2 | Middle Georgia 6, GSW 5 (8 inn.)
Game 2 followed a similar script — early offense, late drama, and a narrow margin that went against the Hurricanes.
GSW struck first with two runs in the opening inning, highlighted by Huelsman's RBI double and aggressive baserunning pressure. The Hurricanes stayed within striking distance throughout, and
Maggie McDonald delivered a key moment in the sixth inning, launching a two-run home run to tie the game at 4-4.
Huelsman continued her strong weekend at the plate, collecting three hits and two RBIs, adding to what has been a steady season — including her team-leading 12th multi-RBI performance.
The game ultimately slipped away in extra innings, as Middle Georgia pushed across the go-ahead run in the eighth and held on for the 6-5 win.
Game 3 | GSW 9, Middle Georgia 4
With the series on the line and Senior Day as the backdrop, the Hurricanes delivered their most complete performance of the weekend.
GSW jumped ahead early with a four-run second inning, fueled by timely hitting and pressure on the basepaths. After Middle Georgia battled back to tie the game at 4-4, the Hurricanes responded with the defining moment of the series.
In the fifth inning, GSW loaded the bases and Dansby delivered — crushing a grand slam to left field to break the game open and give the Lady Hurricanes a commanding lead they would not relinquish.
The blast accounted for four RBIs and served as the exclamation point on both the game and the weekend.
Erin Garland contributed again at the top of the order, driving in two runs, while Huelsman reached base and helped set the table for the decisive rally. In the circle,
Pyper McCard (6-8) provided steady relief to earn the win and close out the victory.
Next Up
The Lady Hurricanes close out the season with eight consecutive road games, starting with a trip to Livingston, Ala., on Tuesday for a nonconference doubleheader against the University of West Alabama at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
