COLUMBUS, Ga. – A pair of walk-off two-run homers and four complete-game shutouts highlighted an exciting day two at the 2024 NFCA NAIA Leadoff Classic at the South Commons Complex. Heading into the final day, William Carey and Rio Grande are the remaining undefeated teams at 4-0.
The Crusaders eaked out a pair of close wins. They scored two in the bottom of the sixth to defeat No. 3 Cumberlands, 8-6, and scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth in a 7-6 win over Truett McConnell. A two-run walk-off double by Gabby Adams lift the RedStorm to a 5-4 win against Embry-Riddle. They followed with an 11-0 run-rule victory over Johnson in which Madison Ogden registered a shutout with 10 strikeouts in five innings.
Jessup joined the previously-mentioned programs as undefeated day two teams. Kaylee Winn provided the heroics in a 6-5 win over No. 12 Mobile, launching a two-run walk-off homer in the seventh. They capped off the evening with a 6-3 triumph over Louisiana Christian.
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No. 8 Central Methodist and No. 18 Coastal Georgia each went 2-1. The Eagles knocked off Cumberlands, 5-3 and the Mariners, 11-5 before dropping their nightcap to IU Southeast 1-0. The first win of the tournament for the Grenadiers was aided by a complete-game shutout from Maci Warner in her collegiate debut.
The Mariners sandwiched wins over Georgetown, 3-2, and RV Campbellsville, 5-2 around their loss to CMU. The Tigers won their other contest of day over Lawrence Tech, 13-10.
Georgia Gwinnett, which went 3-0 on Friday, posted a 1-1 mark and are now 4-1 overall at the tournament. The Grizzlies edged IU Southeast, 3-1, before a rally fell short in a 5-4 defeat to Lawrence Tech.
Freed-Hardeman’s Brooklyn Jimmerson had the final blow with a two-run walk-off long ball against Blue Mountain Christian. BMCU and Mobile did collect victories in their other contest of the day topping Johnson, 12-3, and Milligan, 2-0, respectively. Mobile’s Emily Butts tossed a one-hit shutout in the Rams’ win against the Buffaloes.
Other programs picking up wins on Saturday were Thomas, Truett McConnell, Embry-Riddle, Louisiana Christian, Kentucky Christian and Calumet. The Night Hawks finished the tournament 3-1. In ERAU’s win, Claire Streeter twirled a two-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts.
The Crimson Wave earned a big 12-2 win over Milligan in five innings in which they homered three times and scored nine of those runs in the second. Kentucky Christian rallied with four runs in the top of the seventh to edge Calumet, 14-13. It marked the first wins of the tournament for both programs.
Freed-Hardeman, Campbellsville and Jessup join Thomas at 3-1 with Coastal Georgia sporting a 3-2 mark.
The final day of the tournament features 11 games with the first six starting at 9:00 a.m. Head over to the tournament central for live stream link and all results.
