LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (May 4, 2024) – Florida National University’s softball team (23-22) came up short against the NAIA’s No. 13-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College Grizzlies (29-15) in the Championship round of the 2024 Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Softball Tournament in Lawrenceville, Ga. FNU took a fragile 1-0 lead past the midway point of the contest, before GGC posted two runs in the bottom of the fifth to eventually survive a battle-tested FNU squad.
Freshman pitcher Emma Edwards got the start for the Conquistadors, striking out the first two Grizzly batters in the first. GGC’s Lindzie Owen reached first on an error by Janessa Esquibel, ending up on second after a stolen base. FNU was able to get out of the inning without conceding a run, and left Makenna Talcott stranded on second in the next frame.
The Conquistadors drew first blood in the fifth thanks to stellar base running from Alexis Lendo. Lendo came into the game as a pinch runner for Thanysha Gil and used her quickness to steal second before stopping at third on an errant throw from GGC’s catcher. Sabrina Castelli’s bat launched a sacrifice fly to left to run in an ecstatic Lendo.
Despite falling behind, the Grizzlies sealed the game in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by Enna Lackey and Kloey Goins. GGC turned a huge double play in the sixth to end the inning, putting out Esquibel and Alyssa Songer. FNU had no answer from the batter’s box in the seventh and GCC ushered in its seventh straight CAC title on a routine fly out to right field.
Up Next: Softball awaits the Opening Round of the NAIA National Tournament beginning May 13.
