STATESBORO, Ga. ? The Georgia Southern softball team earned a trip the finals of the GSU Eagle Classic defeating Jacksonville 10-3, before falling to Minnesota 4-1 in the title game on Sunday at Eagle Field.
The Eagles (9-10) overpowered the Dolphins in game one amassing 13 hits and used a four run first inning to get things started. GSU struck first when Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) went from second to home on a fielding error by Jacksonville's second baseman. Georgia Southern manufactured four runs off of four hits and one error during the first inning.
GSU opened the game up during the fourth and sixth innings as they scored three runs in each inning. Sophomore Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) hit a three run homer to left centerfield giving the Eagles a 7-3 lead in the fourth and Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.) went yard in the sixth.
Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) earned the win improving her record to (4-2), while Jacksonville's Shannon Jensen falls to (2-6).
Minnesota's Briana Hassett used a two-hit, 12 strikeout performance to topple the Eagles claiming the GSU Eagle Classic. The Golden Gophers scored two runs off of two hits in the first and two runs off of two hits in the second to take the early advantage.
GSU made a late rally notching its first hit of the game when Side homered to right centerfield in the fifth inning. The Eagles loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but the rally fell short and Minnesota left with the win.
Hassett picked up the win for Minnesota, while Brianna Streetmon earned the loss for Georgia Southern. Side went 1-for-3 from the plate in the championship game with an RBI.
The Eagles return to action Tuesday, February 26, when they play host to Georgia State. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
