Barons Bats on Fire to Start the Season

MOUNT VERNON, Ga. - The Lady Barons kicked off the 2025 campaign with a doubleheader against the Ave Maria University Gyrenes on January 31, 2025, in Mount Vernon. The Barons jumped out to an early lead in the second inning, putting up seven runs on the board at the bottom of the second inning. The Barons bats were on fire throughout the game and carried the Barons to a 12-3 victory to start the season. The Baron's success at the dish was highlighted by the mercy rule walk-off Grand Slam in the bottom of the 6th inning from Haley Gabrich to end the first game in dramatic fashion. The Barons bats were aided by a 2-2 performance from Tori Wright. Morgan Willingham and Alyssa Usrey went 2-3 at the plate. The Barons tallied 15 hits and nine RBIs in the first game. On the pitching side, Kaylee Odum was the starting pitcher, setting the pace for the game, and Maeleigh Burns came in as a reliever, securing the victory with a solid performance that closed the game effectively. The Barons were smooth sailing on the mound and the field, with both pitchers managing to work themselves out of any jams they found themselves in. Kaylee Odum took home the win for the Barons in the opener. Head Coach Madison Herrin commented on the team's performance, " I'm Proud of the team today! They competed well in a lot of areas. I thought we swung the bat well in both games! We are still needing to fix a few things, but all in all, it was a good start to the year!" This statement encapsulates the positive sentiments surrounding the team's debut. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Barons saw some struggles at the plate, and after Annabelle Phillips came on the mound in relief during the fourth inning. The Barons tallied four runs in the first three innings. Both team's starters struggled, giving up four earned runs each. Makayla Croft took the circle in the fifth inning and shut down the Gyrenes for the next three innings. The Barons were led at the plate by Tori Wright, who went 4-6 on the day and scored in both games. Morgan Willingham went 3-5 at the plate over both games and scored twice in game one and once in game two. The Barons look to carry their momentum into their next doubleheader. The Barons will face Columbia College in their next regular season game on February 12, 2025, at Mount Vernon. They aim to carry forward the momentum from this thunderous start. With a record of 1-0-1, the Barons have set high expectations for a promising season ahead.