LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (May 3, 2024) – Florida National’s softball team (22-21) fell victim to the No. 13 Georgia Gwinnett College Grizzlies (28-15) in its second appearance at the 2024 Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Softball Championship tournament. FNU managed to stay in the winner’s bracket with a 4-3 victory over Crowley’s Ridge College Thursday and GGC cruised to a 12-4 win against Talladega College.
Despite an impressive offensive showing to open the tournament, FNU went cold against GGC’s talented pitcher, Annalise Jarvis. The reigning NAIA Pitcher of the Year holds a 0.62 ERA this season and a 15-5 record from the circle. Her precision and feel for the strike zone proved to be too much for the Conquistadors, as Jarvis struck out the first eight FNU batters that stepped into the box.
FNU recorded its first and only hit of the contest on a base hit from third baseman Janessa Esquibel. The Westminster, Colo., native went 1-for-3 against GGC after posting two hits versus the Pioneers Thursday.
The Grizzlies put themselves in the driver’s seat in the second thanks to an RBI double from Jarvis and a two-run single from centerfielder Kloey Goins. These were the only runs scored on FNU pitcher Sophia White and the freshman righty ended the afternoon conceding two walks and seven hits.
Peyton Knight took pitching duties for the final two innings, where GGC added two more scores in the sixth after Summer Hickson connected on a double down the left field line to run in Makenna Talcott. Logan Oller topped off the afternoon for GGC with a score on a wild pitch thrown by Knight.
GGC calmly ended the seventh with two pop outs and a line out to punch their ticket to the CAC Championship tomorrow at noon and claimed one of two automatic bids from the CAC to the NAIA Opening Round.
Up Next: FNU looks to keep its tournament hopes alive with a 5 p.m. game versus the winner of Crowley’s Ridge and Talladega at 2:30 p.m.
