steve.carter@gaflnews.com



TIFTON — It is not often when a pitcher is overshadowed after going the distance, striking out 10, allowing no earned runs and walking no one.

But that is what happened Tuesday to Abraham Baldwin Fillie Jackie Moore. After she pitched ABAC to a 7-1 win over the Andrew College Lady Tigers in the first game, Molly Busbee came back with an even more impressive performance in the second game.

Taking the pitching win in ABAC’s 5-0 game two victory, Busbee set down the first 17 batters she faced. The only two base runners she allowed were on an error and a single up the middle in the sixth inning.

The sophomore went the distance, allowing the one hit. She also struck out nine and walked no one.

“You have to have good pitching and today our pitching was great,” ABAC head coach Donna Campbell said. “Jackie was tremendous and Molly was great out there.”

“We are going to need our pitching to remain solid. Our hitting will be the last thing to show up, so we need our pitching to carry us.”

ABAC scored all the runs Busbee would need in the second inning of game two. The Fillies sent up nine batters as they scored all five of their runs in that frame.

Candace Keel had two RBIs in that frame, while Kathy Watkins, Melissa Stanley and Jamie Hunnicutt knocked in one run each.

Jamie Sorrow and Hunnicutt each went 2-for-2 to lead the Fillies. Adding one hit each were Watkins, Keel and Stanley.

ABAC also scored five runs in the second inning of game one for Moore.

That was all the sophomore would need in that contest as she lowered 1.05 ERA with the complete game performance.

Watkins led ABAC with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Christy Taylor went 2-for-3 and Amy Davenport added a hit.

Taylor and Davenport also had a hand in the last two runs for ABAC. Taylor scored in the third on a sacrifice fly by Hunnicutt. Davenport then came home in the sixth on a wild pitch.

With the two wins ABAC is now 16-21 overall, but 4-0 in the conference.

“That was the most important thing about today. We got two good conference wins. Doing well in the conference is our goal right now. We are going to keep taking them one doubleheader at a time,” said Campbell.

ABAC’s next doubleheader will be Thursday at 2 p.m. against Georgia Perimeter College in Atlanta.

The Fillies will be home again on April 11 against Gordon College for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.