TIFTON – The ABAC Fillies finished their regular season Saturday with a pair of one-run losses to Thomas University. Although the final margin was the same, the games could not have been more different.
 
In the opener, the teams combined for 35 hits in an 11-10 Night Hawk win that lasted nine inning and nearly three hours. Game Two was a pitcher's duel that Thomas won 1-0.
 
Game One had more than its share of momentum swings. ABAC trailed 2-0 after a half inning but scored three in the bottom of the first to take the lead. The Fillies broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning, aided by four Night Hawk errors. Freshman Emma Humphrey provided the offensive punch with a two-run home run and Carter Gore doubled in another run to give ABAC a 9-2 lead.
 
Thomas got one run back in the fifth but enjoyed a big inning of their own in the sixth. Ava Nunez's two-run homer and Sierra Ussery's two-run double were the biggest blows on Thomas's way to a 10-9. But ABAC responded in the bottom of the inning. With runners at second and third, Ashley Archibald stroked a single to center field. Alli Eidson scored to tie the game but Elli Bryan was called out on a close play at home to keep the game tied.
 
After two scoreless frames, Thomas's Lauren Hicks opened the ninth with a double to center field, got to third on a groundout and scored on Grace Hodges's single. ABAC had one more chance in the bottom of the inning, but after Archibald started the inning with a single, Night Hawk reliever Bailey Herrera shut ABAC down to secure the win.
 
Herrera started Game Two for Thomas and enjoyed a pitching duel with ABAC's Addison Tyre. Both went the distance as Herrera allowed only three hits in the shutout win while Tyre scattered seven hits and allowed only one run. The Night Hawks' lone run came in the third when Hicks singled, stole second, got to third on a groundout, and scored on Ansley Eason's sacrifice fly.
 
On the day, Archibald had five hits for ABAC while Humphrey and Alli Eidson each had three.
 
ABAC moves on the SSAC tournament next week in Decatur, Ala. The Fillies will face Blue Mountain Christian Thursday at 10 a.m. CST. The winner of that game will play Middle Georgia at 2 p.m. CST while the loser will play at 4 p.m. against the loser of the Point-Brewton-Parker in an elimination contest.