CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Queens University of Charlotte softball team fell to Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Ga., Thursday night in their 2010 season-opening double header. The Bobcats took the first game 2-0 and the second 6-2. Queens opens its home campaign Friday at 2pm as they host Columbus State University at Park Road Park.
Both Keeya Turner (Fayetteville, N.C., 71st ) and Maria Goode (Charlotte, N.C., Providence) both hit .500 for the day. Turner connected on three of six and Goode was four for eight.
Pitching for Queens was returnee Chantel Dodge (Shalimar, Fla., Choctawhatchee) and newcomer Brandy Jester (Georgetown, Del., Sussex Central). Dodge threw in the first game striking out six batters and giving up six hits. In her Queens debut, Jester allowed six hits and struck out five Bobcats.
Game 1
The Bobcats kept the Royals off base until the third inning when Turner hit a single in her first chance at the plate. Turner was picked off on the next play and Anna Weavil (Kernersville, N.C., Glenn) did get to first after being walked, but the offense couldn't get her around.
Dodge went to work in the circle and picked up four of her six strike outs in the first three innings. Of the four, two went down swinging and two looking.
GCSU scored its first run in the fifth after Kali Carswell singled then advanced to third on a passed ball and wild pitch. A Sabrina Chandler double drove in Carswell for the 1-0 lead.
Queens had a chance to even the score and take the lead in the sixth. Leadoff batter Goode singled through the left side stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. The Royals loaded the bases, but a fly out closed the inning stranding all three.
Carswell would drive in the second run of the game in the next inning giving the Bobcats a 2-0 edge.
The Royals left two on in the seventh to end the game.
Goode recorded two of the three Queens hits. All six of GCSU's hits came from six different players.
Game 2
Jester earned her first RBI in the opening inning of game two. Turner was on first when she doubled to give Queens the 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats scored three unearned runs in the bottom half of the first.
After scoring in the first, Goode did her part by driving in Dodge in the second to cut the Bobcat lead down to one. Amanda Bowman (Kernersville, N.C,, Glenn), the tying run, tried to even the game but was caught stealing at home plate.
Allison Schwimer tripled in the fourth driving in two runs for the home team, extending the lead to three runs (5-2). The final run was added in the sixth by stringing together a walk and a single for the run.
Turner was 2-3 in the game, leading Queens. GCSU's Haley Burnett was 2-4 with one run and two RBIs.
