STATESBORO, Ga. ? The Georgia Southern softball team notched two wins and dropped one during the first day of the GSU Eagle Classic on Saturday at Eagle Field.
The Eagles (8-9) defeated Oakland University 10-1 in game one. GSU got things rolling in the third inning when Lindsey Hopkins (McDonough, Ga.) singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. A pick off attempt resulted in two errors as Hopkins scored from second on the play, giving the Eagles the early 1-0 advantage.
Georgia Southern manufactured eight runs off of eight hits in the seventh inning. Junior Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) went 3-for-4 from the plate in game one with a home run and two RBI. Melissa Laliberte (Ontario, Canada) picked up the win for GSU, while Jessica Granger earned the loss for Oakland.
GSU edged Jacksonville 4-1 in the second game. The Eagles took the early 2-0 lead in the third inning. Hall led off the inning with a single and advanced to second off of Aubrey Thweatt's (Georgia, Vt.) bunt single. Hall and Thweatt both scored two batters later on a throwing error.
Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) struck out five in route to earning her third victory of the season. Jackie Samuels earned the loss falling to (3-4) on the season. Sam Russo (Snellville, Ga.) led the Eagles going 2-for-3 from the plate in the second game.
The Eagles lost game three 8-0 in six innings to the University of Minnesota. The win assured Minnesota the top spot heading into the second day of the GSU Eagle Classic. Minnesota manufactured six runs off of five hits in the sixth inning to upend Georgia Southern.
Russo went 2-for-3 from the plate against the Golden Gophers leading all GSU batters. Laliberte earned the loss falling to (3-2), while Briana Hassett used an eight strike out effort to pick up the win.
GSU returns to action tomorrow as they conclude the GSU Eagle Classic. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. against Jacksonville University.
