Skyhawks Face Setback in Day One at Gulf Shores Invitational

GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Point University Skyhawks fell in their first pair of games at the Gulf Shore Invitational on Friday, falling 8-2 against Central Baptist and 9-0 against Southeastern.

Game One (vs. Central Baptist)

A late offensive attack by the Central Baptist College Mustangs spoiled a strong start from Point University on Friday morning, as the Skyhawks dropped an 8-2 final.

The game was deadlocked 2-2 through five innings before Central Baptist broke it open in the top of the seventh. The Mustangs produced a series of quality plate appearances, using singles, a bases-loaded walk, a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly and a defensive miscue to push across six runs and turn a tight game into an 8-2 final. Central Baptist finished with eight runs on eight hits and did not commit an error, while Point collected seven hits but left seven runners on base.

Point answered Central's early moves through the middle innings to keep the contest even heading into the late frames. After Central took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, the Skyhawks responded in the bottom half. Point loaded the bases and drew even when Sarah Hinely worked a bases-loaded walk, forcing in the tying run and capitalizing on patient at-bats to make it 1-1.

Central briefly moved back in front in the fifth at 2-1, but once again, Point answered immediately. In the bottom of the fifth, Anna McMahan delivered a key swing, singling to center to drive in the tying run and knot the game at 2-2. McMahan finished with a two-hit day and an RBI, providing a steady presence in the middle of the Skyhawks' lineup.

The decisive inning came in the seventh. Central opened the frame with a string of base runners that finally broke through against Point's pitching duo of Alyssa Burrows and Taylor Gajdik that had limited damage for most of the morning.

Despite the final line, Point received a competitive effort in the circle from starter Burrows. She worked 6.1 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, but only four were earned. She struck out eight while walking just one and needed only 53 pitches to navigate Central's order before the late rally. The Skyhawks' defense committed just one error, but it came at the costliest of times.

Game Two (vs. Southeastern):

In a 9-0 outcome, the Skyhawks scattered their five hits between individual players. Chelsey Hogsed, Alexa McCoy, Avery Lee, Aubryn Sward and Taylor Gajdik were able to bat themselves on board. McMahan got on base a team-best three times on two at bats.

 Skyhawks pitching was split up between Kendall Holbrook, Gajdik and Chloe Mitcham. Holbrook was in the circle for the first three innings, allowing two hits and three runs. Gajdik earned both strikeouts that the pitching staff saw as the tossed the next two frames.

Southeastern tallied seven hits with six of their nine runs happening in the fifth inning, leading to the early finish. Southeastern advanced to a record of 18-2 while the Skyhawks moved to 6-8.

Point will try to avenge their losses during their pair of games tomorrow in Gulf Shores. They will meet Lindsey Wilson at 10:00am and then compete at 12:15pm EST with Williams Baptist.