Softball picks up win No. 20 with sweep over Johnson

WEST POINT, Ga. (March 20, 2022) - The Point University softball team hosted Johnson University (Tenn.) Sunday afternoon in an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader and defeated the Royals 10-2 in game one and 9-1 in game two. 

Game 1: Point 10, Johnson: 2

The Skyhawks would trail early in game one, as Johnson scored one run in the top of the first inning, but Point would answer by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead. Haley Lyner would get the Skyhawks their first run of the day with an RBI double to left field, scoring Devin Foster. Lyner would then score on a single up the middle from Asia Jones. Gabrielle Riley would earn Point its third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to score Jones.

The Royals would cut Point's lead down to one in the top of the third, but Taylor Knight quickly answered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run home run that extended the Skyhawks' lead to 5-2. Point's next two runs would come off solo home runs from Lyner and Chelsea Parker in the fifth and sixth innings, and Point would tack on three more runs in the sixth to put the run-rule into effect and win game one.

Point was led by Lyner, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Jones, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Knight went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Ashlynn Hamm earned the win as she pitched three and two-thirds of an inning, giving up just two hits and striking out one. The Skyhawks' ten runs came off 13 hits. 

Game 2: Point: 9, Johnson: 1

After giving up one run in the top of the first inning, the Skyhawks were able to even the score in the bottom of the inning, after Devin Foster scored on an RBI groundout from Haley Lyner. The Skyhawks would not allow the Royals to score past the first inning, as the Skyhawks went on to score in every inning to put the run-rule into effect into the bottom of the sixth. The Skyhawks would continue their hot day at the plate with two runs in the second, following a wild pitch and a passed ball that allowed Gabrielle Riley and Taylor Knight to score. In the third, an RBI single down the left field line from Riley would bring Lyner home to make the score 4-1. Point would extend its lead out by three in the bottom of the fourth, following a 2-RBI single to right field from Brianna Plocharczyk that scored Foster and Alexus Griffin and Riley followed with an RBI-double to score Asia Jones. Point would add a run in the bottom of the fifth off a solo home run from Chelsea Parker, her second of the day, and a single up the middle from Jones would score Lyner in the sixth to put the Skyhawks ahead by eight and earn the win in six innings.

Katelyn Jiles took the circle for the Skyhawks and pitched six innings, giving up six hits, one run, and striking out two. Point was led offensively by Riley, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Foster went 2-for-2 with two hits and two walks and Lyner and Jones each went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Point's nine runs came off 12 hits.

Up Next 

Point advances to 20-10 (10-2 AAC) with Sunday's wins.

Point will return to action on Wednesday, March 23, in West Point, as they host AAC foe Brenau at 3 & 5 p.m.