LAWRENCEVILLE — Brenau University came up short in its first game of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics women’s softball national championships qualifiers, losing 6-0 to Georgia Gwinnett College on Monday.
The Grizzlies recorded 11 hits against pitcher Jessica Rathjje, a freshman from Glencoe, Ala. Shortstop Lexi Cash (a freshman from Toccoa), first baseman Elizabeth Schneider (a senior from Smyrna), second baseman Cheyenne Marsh (a senior from Richmond Hill), third baseman Mason Garland (a sophomore from Hoschton) and catcher Savannah Moore (a sophomore from Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) each recorded hits. Combined, the team had a .208 batting average.
Brenau faces Milligan College (Tennessee) at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in an elimination game. If the Golden Tigers are triumphant, they will face the loser of the noon game between Georgia Gwinnett College and Saint Xavier University (Illinois) in a 5 p.m. contest.
The two remaining squads with the best records in the four-team tournament will meet at noon Wednesday. The winner of that game will then move on to the 10-team NAIA finals, which wrap up June 2 in Sioux City, Iowa.
“We’re going to have to hit the ball a little better and we’re going to have to execute a little bit better at the plate,” said Golden Tigers Head Coach Devon Thomas. “We’ve got to get back into the swing of things.Tomorrow, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to get back.”
