Eagles Rally for 4-3 Victory to Sweep Cougars

STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Softball came back from a 3-2 deficit in the sixth inning to take a 4-3 win on Sunday to sweep College of Charleston at Eagle Field. Georgia Southern goes to 14-1 in league play and 28-14 overall with the win while Charleston falls to 28-16 and 11-7 in the SoCon. The Eagles trailed 3-1 in the sixth, but three-run inning gave the Eagles the 4-3 win. Georgia Southern wore pink jerseys for the game on Breast Cancer Awareness Day at Eagle Field.

"I'm proud of our team for battling back after trailing 3-1 in the sixth inning," said Head Coach Annie Smith. "We found a way to get the win today and that's going to be our goal down the stretch in our final three series of the regular season."

In the bottom of the third the Eagles scored a leadoff hit from Lexi Allen (Cobbtown, Ga.), followed by a double by Alexa Lewis (Lawrenceville, Ga.) to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) was handed a intentional walk with one out, paving the way for Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) to drive in the Eagles' first run of the game with a walk. That, however, would be all the Eagles would score in the inning as three runners were stranded.

In the fifth Charleston got a run off three hits to tie the game at 1-1. With the bases loaded pinch hitter Lauren Pasquale hit a ball through the left side to plate Chloe Fletcher from third. The Eagles, however, got an out on the play as Kristy Giragosian was cut down over-running third base for the second out of the inning.

After the Eagles again loaded the bases in the home half of the fifth, Charleston scored its second run of the day on a single up the middle with runners on first and second. A throwing error after the run scored allowed runners to advance to second and third. The hit ended the day for Brooke Red (Warner Robins, Ga.) who left having given up two runs off seven hits.

Sarah Purvis (Warner Robins, Ga.) replaced Red and allowed an RBI single which gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead. The run, charged to Red was unearned while the Cougars stranded two runners in the frame.

A double by Allen, the first extra-base hit of her career, followed by a triple from Lewis cut one run off the Charleston advantage in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. The Eagles scored a leadoff hit, but 4-3 double play put the inning in jeopardy before Allen's double. With Lewis on third, Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) worked a walk to put runners on the corners with Fogle due up. Charleston made a pitching change, calling for Hope Flicker in relief. Fogle got the job done; hitting a ball down the right field line that found the ground after the Cougar defenders collided for an error. The play allowed Lewis and Ennis to score, giving the Eagles a 4-3 lead.

Purvis allowed runners to reach second and third with one out in the top of the seventh before the sophomore struck out the final two batters of the game for her 15th win of the season, one behind the league-leading total of 16. Red earned a no decision despite throwing great game. She had three strikeouts in her five and two-thirds with no walks.

Georgia Southern is back in action on Wednesday afternoon against North Florida. The Eagles look to avenge a 4-1loss to the ospreys in the final of the Eagle Classic on February 26th. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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Category: Softball

Published on Sunday, 15 April 2012 15:57