Softball Splits Opening Day of the Holiday Inn Eagle Classic

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern softball (5-3) splits opening day of the Holiday Inn Eagle Classic Friday at Eagle Field. They defeated Charleston Southern (4-4) 4-2 but lost to Mercer (4-3) 8-1.

Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.) lifted Georgia Southern over Charleston Southern with a two-run home run in the seventh.

“She really showed a lot of heart and guts playing the way she did,” said head coach Maggie Johnson. “We just had her hit in the second game because she was not feeling well. She did everything she could to help the team.”

Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) went a combined three for six with a run scored in the day’s action.

Game One

Georgia Southern defeated Charleston Southern 4-2 on the back of Siliga’s two-run home run in the seventh inning.

Kristan Glover (Evans, Ga.) won her fourth game of the season after allowing only two runs and no walks. Glover turned in her third complete game performance.

“She is tough and threw fairly well today,” said Johnson.

The Buccaneers took an early one-run lead in the second. Gail Matsushima doubled to lead off the inning and scored on Brittany York’s single.

Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) gave the Eagles an early 2-1 lead in the fourth inning with a two RBI double driving in Ennis and Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.). Ennis went two for four batting in the second spot.

Brittany Giannini tied the game with a RBI single in the fourth.

Siliga came up big in the seventh and broke up a 2-2 tie with a 2 RBI home run to give the Eagles a 4-2 win.

Georgia Southern was out hit six hits to 10 but scored four runs to Charleston Southern’s two. The Eagles committed no errors to the Buccaneers two.

“We don’t have to hit well from start to finish but we do have to hit when it counts,” said Johnson.

Game Two

Softball took an early lead but was unable to hold on and lost 8-1 to Mercer.

Georgia Southern and Mercer traded runs in the second inning, but the Bears scored seven unanswered runs on eight hits.

The Eagles managed only four hits and one run against the Bears.

“We talked about picking each other up and when the pitching is not going so well, the hitters need to help them out,” said Johnson.

Amanda Glover (Evans, Ga.) hit a solo shot to center for Georgia Southern’s lone run.

Mercer scored four runs in the fifth. Emi Sherrill drove in three of the runs with a double to center.

Jenni Holtz picked up the win in complete game fashion allowing four hits and striking out eight.

The Holiday Inn Eagle Classic continues tomorrow at 11 a.m. Georgia Southern will face Belmont at 11 a.m. and Radford at 3 p.m.

Category: Softball

Published on Friday, 20 February 2009 00:03