Gordon State College Softball Has Grand Slam Season Full of Win, Win, Wins
By Karolina Philmon, GSC Marketing Manager
After a 4-2 victory over Georgia Military College on May 13, 2023, Gordon State College Softball ranked in the accolades and became GCAA Conference Tournament Champions, NJCAA Region 17 Champions, NJCAA Southeast District Champions, and advanced to the NJCAA D1 Softball World Series representing the southeast district on May 23-27, held in Oxford, Alabama.
During the NJCAA Region XVII Tournament game held on May 13, the fourth-seeded GSC Softball Highlanders struck first in the top of the third inning as Aleeya Claridy led off the inning with a single to right field. Rebecca Graham gave a sacrifice bunt to Claridy to second and then Kendall Huelsman drove Claridy with a double to right field. Kelyse Harris added runs for the Highlanders in the fourth inning with a two-run homerun to right field where she scored Sydney Knight. Head coach Ally Hattermann said Knight then sealed the deal in the top of the seventh with a solo shot to left field.
The Highlanders hit .349 for the tournament where they belted nine doubles, ten homeruns and plated 29 runs. Hurler Katelyn Munoz scattered four hits and two runs over seven innings of work while striking out seven GMC Bulldogs. Knight was named the tournament MVP while Raeghan Byrom along with Huelsman and Munoz were named to the all-tournament team.
Hattermann said it was GSC Softball’s second trip to the World Series during her tenure at GSC. The first was in 2012 where the team qualified and traveled to St. George, Utah and finished ninth overall.
“It’s always a great and memorable time when the team gets together to play. I felt that we were tested time and time again throughout the season which allowed us to grow and prepare for the postseason. I am so proud of this team for competing their hearts out,” Hattermann said.
The 2023 NJCAA D1 Softball World Series run came to an end for the GSC Softball Highlanders on May 25, when the team was eliminated by Oklahoma Seminole State Trojans 6-0. The Highlanders finished in ninth place making the national tournament run a tie win with the GSC Softball team’s ninth-place win in 2012.
Hattermann, who completed 24 seasons in softball at GSC, was named the 2023 NJCAA Division 1 Southeast District Coach of the Year. She holds the title of the most wins by a softball coach in GSC history with 580 wins.