MOUNT VERNON, Ga. - The Brewton-Parker Christian University (BPCU) Barons softball team traveled to Lawrenceville, Ga., to take on the (RV)Grizzlies of Georgia Gwinnett College on April 15, 2026. The Barons dominated the early game in the doubleheader, winning 4-0 behind a stellar pitching performance from Samantha Mathews. Game two saw the Barons fall behind early but a late comeback bid fell short in the top of the seventh to drop the game 5-3.
The Barons went to work immediately. Tori Wright opened the game with a double down the left-field line, and Destiny Lucas followed with a single that moved Wright to third. Morgan Willingham then brought home the first run on a fielder's choice, and Alyssa Usrey added to the margin with an RBI single. Brewton-Parker pushed across a third run later in the inning on a throwing error, giving Mathews early breathing room before she retired Georgia Gwinnett in order in the bottom of the first.
Mathews dominated in the circle, needing only 78 pitches to get through seven innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and no runs while striking out one. Georgia Gwinnett put only two runners on base all afternoon and left just two on, while the Barons played clean defense behind Mathews and did not commit an error. The Barons added an insurance run in the fifth. Willingham doubled down the left-field line, one of her two doubles on the day, and later moved to third before Usrey drove her in with a groundout to second. That pushed the lead to 4-0 and capped another productive afternoon for the middle of the Barons lineup. Willingham finished with two hits, both doubles, and an RBI, while Usrey also had two hits and drove in two runs.
Game two saw the Barons open the scoring in the first again behind … before giving up two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game at two. The Grizzlies would strike again in the bottom of the second when they added two more runs to push the lead to 4-2. The Grizzlies would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch to push the lead to 5-2. The Barons kicked off their comeback bid at the top of the seventh when Green hit an RBI double to score Lucas and cut the lead to 5-3. Unfortunately, the Barons would be unable to overcome the deficit and drop the game 5-3.
The Barons will turn around and prepare to host the Night Hawks of Thomas University on April 18, 2026, in Mount Vernon in an SSAC clash.
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