Softball Splits Doubleheader with Samford

STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern softball team split Saturday's doubleheader against Samford. The Eagles won game one 1-0 on Megen Smith's (Springfield, Ga.) RBI single. Georgia Southern rallied but fell short losing 6-4 to Samford in game two.

“You have to get creative sometimes when the team is not hitting the ball, and we finally found a way in game one,” said head coach Maggie Johnson.

Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) narrowly missed hitting for the cycle in game two. Side came up a triple short but hit her first home run of the year.

“Jenny had a great day after struggling some this year,” said Johnson.

Game One

Georgia Southern took game one 1-0 on Smith's two-out RBI single in the sixth.

The Eagles threatened in the first inning but only managed one hit in the next four innings before Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.) doubled off the wall in right. Smith followed Siliga to the plate and laced a two-out single to center scoring the game winning run.

Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) led off the first inning with a base hit. Iduate stole second and reached third on Hanna Ennis' (Snellville, Ga.) ground out but was thrown out at the plate on Siliga's fielder's choice.

Brianna Streetmon (Winder, Ga.) faced the minimum through three innings allowing one hit. Amanda Barrs led off the second inning with a base hit but was retired after Iduate turned a double play.

“We talk about every pitch you throw needs to be treated like the most important pitch,” said Johnson. “She was able to do that and keep focus.”

Streetmon worked out of a jam in the fourth inning after Kristy Lawrence reached third with two outs. The sophomore pitcher coaxed a ground ball right back to her, ending the threat in the fourth. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the sixth with two outs, but Streetmon got Amy Gonzalez to ground out, ending the inning.

Streetmon earned her ninth win of the season, pitching a complete game four-hit shutout.

Game Two

The Eagles' rally fell short and lost 6-4 in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.

Side hit her first homer of the season and nearly hit for the cycle in game two.

Samford batted around, scoring four runs on four hits in the fourth inning. The Bulldogs led off the inning with three straight hits. Robyn Harmon drove in the first run of the game with a RBI single. A fielder's choice and an error by the catcher allowed two more runs to score. Kristy Lawrence plated another run with a RBI double to center before Kristan Glover (Evans, Ga.) came on in relief and retired the side.

Glover pitched three-plus innings, allowing no runs and only one hit.

Samford scored a run in the first inning on Aaren Fisher's two-out RBI single.

Georgia Southern tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) singled, stole second and reached third on a passed ball. Smith was hit by a pitch, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Smith faked to second drawing the throw, allowing Fogle to score from third.

The two schools traded runs in the third inning. Side doubled to lead off the inning and scored on error by the third baseman.

The Eagles scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Fogle singled and stole two bases to reach third before scoring on Smith's fielder's choice. Georgia Southern had an opportunity to score a couple more runs but pinch runner Bethany Crenshaw (Warner Robins, Ga.) was thrown out at the plate, and Ennis left runners on second and third when she struck out to end the inning.

Side added another run in the sixth inning with a solo shot to left, her first home run of the year.

Siliga reached first safely to lead off the seventh inning, but three straight outs ended the game.

Softball returns to action against Samford tomorrow at noon.

Category: Softball

Published on Saturday, 04 April 2009 20:04