Eagles Split with Georgia State in Home Opener

STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Softball earned a split against Georgia State in the 2012 home opener at Eagle Field. The Eagles dropped a tough 1-0 result behind a strong pitching performance from Sarah Purvis. In the finale, the Eagles scored four runs in the third inning to take the 4-1 victory.

"I was really happy with the way we came out in the second game today," said Head Coach Annie Smith. "Our pitchers played very well, but I was most excited about our defense coming out and playing outstanding today to make some great plays."

Junior Andrea Tarashuk (Flemington, N.J.) posted the go-ahead runs with a three RBI double in the third inning of game two. That hit, combined with a three-hit outing by Brooke Red (Warner Robins, Ga.) sent the Eagles to the 4-1 victory. The win for Red was her first collegiate win in the circle.

Sophomore Sarah Purvis (Warner Robins, Ga.) went the distance in game one for the Eagles, striking out nine batters while allowing just two hits. Her outing was sullied by the one run allowed in the third inning off a fluke play.

--GAME1--

Georgia State took the lead in the third frame, working a walk around to second with a sacrifice bunt with one out. Breanna Morrissey hit a ball down the line which looked to be within the range of Georgia Southern's second baseman, Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.). As Ennis stretched for the ball, she ran into the first base umpire, allowing Carrie Williams to score on the play.

That would be the extent of the scoring as the Panthers took the first game by a 1-0 margin. Purvis took the hard-luck loss, going the distance and allowing just two hits. She struck out a season-high nine batters in the outing. The Eagles logged three hits to open the day.

--GAME 2-

The Panthers, true to form, scored a lone run in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. A leadoff walk was worked around to scoring position by Georgia State. Morrissey scored the run off a passed ball to take a 1-0 lead.

Georgia Southern stormed back in the bottom of the frame with singles by Lexi Allen (Cobbtown, Ga.) and Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) to put runners on second and third with one out. Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) walked on five pitches on the next at bat to load the bases full of Eagles. Tarashuk cleared the bases with a three RBI double to the fence in right center, plating Allen, Fogle and Williams. Later in the inning with two outs, Kourtny Thomas (Warner Robins, Ga.) snuck a liner down the right field line for a hit, bringing Tarashuk home for a 4-1 Georgia Southern advantage through three innings of play.

Red, the starting pitcher handcuffed the Panther batters, allowing just three hits in six innings of work. She allowed just the one unearned run with a pair of strikeouts to post her first career win in the circle. Freshman Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.) came in and nailed down the save with a scoreless seventh inning. Her first career save came with a pair of strikeouts.

Georgia Southern goes back on the road this weekend with a trip to the USF Invitational in Tampa, Fla. The Eagles open the weekend of play against Arkansas on Friday afternoon at 2:15 p.m.

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Category: Softball

Published on Wednesday, 15 February 2012 19:37