COCHRAN – Facing the number one team in the SSAC and one of the top teams in the country, the ABAC Fillies dropped a pair of games to Middle Georgia State University Friday, falling 18-1 and 3-0.
 
The Fillies had their chances in the second game. Down 2-0 in the top of the third, ABAC got singles from Ridleigh Rowell, Ava Maxwell, and Laney McGee to load the bases with one out. But Knights' starter Emily Proctor, who has won Conference Pitcher of the Week honors three times this year, recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. ABAC threatened again in the fifth as Kendall Fowler and McGee singled and moved to second and third on an MGA error before Proctor got another strikeout to get out of the jam.
 
McGee and Rowell each had two hits for ABAC. Pitcher Addison Tyre pitched well against the top offense in the conference, going the distance and scattering six hits.
 
In the opener, which was shortened to five innings, the Fillies had a tougher go against Proctor, who started both games, and Sarah Latham as they combined to allow on three ABAC hits. Middle Georgia's bats got hot early as the Knights scored three runs in the first before exploding for 11 runs in the second. The Knights' cause was helped by four ABAC errors. The Knights are 32-8 overall, 23-1 in conference play, and ranked 20^th in the country in their final year of NAIA competition. Middle Georgia's programs will move to Division II next year.
 
The Fillies return home next week for a doubleheader against Georgia Gwinnett on Wednesday beginning at 3 p.m. ABAC will close out the regular season on Saturday with an SSAC doubleheader against Thomas University at home beginning at 1 p.m.