TIFTON – A perfect throw to the plate and even better tag Saturday afternoon won the opening game of a softball doubleheader for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College over Gordon State.

ABAC’s Fillies were clinging to a 5-4 lead with two outs in the top of the 7th.

Rebekah Cooper had already scored during the frame and the Lady Highlanders had runners on first and second Alexys Buffington cracked a hard single to right field and Rebecca Graham was making a beeline around third base and straight on to home.

However, Caroline Pollock came up with the ball cleanly and fired a bullet to Maggie Mullis behind the plate. Mullis swept with her glove hand and tagged Graham. The umpire signaled Graham was out and the Fillies preserved the victory.

Later Saturday, they won their second straight against Gordon, 6-1.

The Lady Highlanders scored twice in the first inning, but only held a lead through until the bottom half of the 2nd.

Down 2-1, Chasity Stephens belted a home run over the left field fence. Tristen Blocker came around to score and ABAC went ahead.

Gordon tied it briefly in the 3rd, Kellyn Hartwick doubling in Graham, but the Fillies struck for two more tallies in their half of the frame.

Ashtyn Braddy led off for ABAC with a single off the end of her bat. Following a sacrifice bunt by Graysen Brannen, Pollock doubled to deep left-center for a 4-3 lead.

With two outs, Abby Plymel singled by a diving first baseman, scoring Pollock.

The Fillies were unable to push across any further runs in the opener, but fortunately, neither could Gordon.

Stephens pitched into the 6th, but a leadoff walk to Buffington ended her day. Lindy Lowther was asked to provide relief and did just that.

Lowther immediately struck out two hitters, then ended the 6th by getting a ground ball to Brady at shortstop.

Cooper scored on a Hartwick hit in the 7th, but Lowther’s defense had her back.

Cooper and Graham scored in the 1st for Gordon as the first three hitters reached without making an out. Cayla Bishop singled in Cooper, but Stephens then went to work.

Stephens got a sacrifice fly from Hartwick, then got a fly to left and a strikeout to end Gordon’s charge.

An unusual development propelled ABAC to its first run in the bottom half of the initial inning. Elizabeth Branch reached first on a wild throw, then was thrown out trying to stretch it to second.

Umpires converged, though, and Branch was awarded the bag on interference and then promptly stole third. Braddy delivered a single and the Fillies were on the scoreboard.

Braddy had two hits in the opener and Stephens drove in two runs.

In contrast to the first game, the Fillies mostly scored late in the second one Saturday.

Karli Williams started the party with a solo homer in the 2nd, but they’d have to wait until the 5th for more.

Two runs scored in the 5th, Makayla Pitts coming around on a single by Gabbie Deaton. Deaton made it 3-0 on a passed ball.

One inning later, Williams doubled in Pollock in the 5th. Emily Guerry came in to run for Williams, then scored on Caroline Barrett’s single.

With the bases loaded, Branch was hit by pitch and BreAnna Harper touched home.

Gordon’s lone run was in the 7th, a home run by Bishop.

Madison Strickland won in the circle, striking out 6 in 6+ innings. Lowther finished up.

ABAC is scheduled to play South Georgia State Monday in a doubleheader. The contests were set for Tuesday, but thunderstorms are predicted for that date.