Hall's Heroics Gives Softball a Split with Western Carolina
4/19/2008 4:29:00 AM | Softball
STATESBORO, Ga. --- Georgia Southern junior Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) drove in the tying and game-winning runs in game two to give the Eagles a softball split with Western Carolina Saturday at Eagle Field.
WCU took the opener 6-4 while GSU drew even with a 4-3, 10-inning win in the nightcap. Western moves to 14-31 overall and 4-13 in the Southern Conference while Georgia Southern is now 29-25 and 9-5.
“I'm not surprised because when you play a team below you in the standings they have nothing to lose,” said GSU head coach Natalie Poole. “They've been playing better lately and I felt like they were going to come to fight, and if we didn't, we could drop a game. We really didn't make good adjustments at the plate until late and it's a long time to wait to create a miracle, especially when you're down.”
Hall tied the game in the eighth inning with her sixth home run of the season and laid down a bunt to score sophomore Elizabeth Branan (Alpharetta, Ga.) in the 10th.
“She's been right there on the brink of really coming through and she came through last weekend for us with some key hits and did it again,” said Poole. “I think the more confident she feels, she'll continue to have good at bats.”
Freshman Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) (11-8) went the distance for GSU, allowing one earned run and nine hits in 10 innings of work. WCU's Michelle Tating (7-7) also threw a complete game, giving up two earned runs and nine hits.
Hall went 2-for-4 in game two and sophomore Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) and junior Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga.) also had two hits apiece.
Side hit her 11th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth, to set a new single-season school record. In just two seasons she has 20 for her career, tied for second-most at GSU.
The Catamounts used a five-run second inning and a strong pitching performance by Lauren Ross to take the opener. Ross (6-15) faced the minimum through 4 1/3 innings and walked none and struck out eight.
“She kept us guessing,” said Poole. “She threw the changeup quite a bit and would mix in a hard pitch every now and then, so we would be trying to figure out what she was going to throw rather than seeing pitches. I think she got to us a little mentally. Once we were able to let that go we were able to get after it.”
Western Carolina took a 6-0 lead into the sixth before allowing four runs to get Georgia Southern back in the game. Hall cut the deficit to two with a two-run bomb.
Senior Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada) took the loss (14-9), allowing six runs (two earned) and six hits in seven innings.
The series concludes Sunday with a single game starting at 1 p.m.
WCU took the opener 6-4 while GSU drew even with a 4-3, 10-inning win in the nightcap. Western moves to 14-31 overall and 4-13 in the Southern Conference while Georgia Southern is now 29-25 and 9-5.
“I'm not surprised because when you play a team below you in the standings they have nothing to lose,” said GSU head coach Natalie Poole. “They've been playing better lately and I felt like they were going to come to fight, and if we didn't, we could drop a game. We really didn't make good adjustments at the plate until late and it's a long time to wait to create a miracle, especially when you're down.”
Hall tied the game in the eighth inning with her sixth home run of the season and laid down a bunt to score sophomore Elizabeth Branan (Alpharetta, Ga.) in the 10th.
“She's been right there on the brink of really coming through and she came through last weekend for us with some key hits and did it again,” said Poole. “I think the more confident she feels, she'll continue to have good at bats.”
Freshman Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) (11-8) went the distance for GSU, allowing one earned run and nine hits in 10 innings of work. WCU's Michelle Tating (7-7) also threw a complete game, giving up two earned runs and nine hits.
Hall went 2-for-4 in game two and sophomore Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) and junior Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga.) also had two hits apiece.
Side hit her 11th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth, to set a new single-season school record. In just two seasons she has 20 for her career, tied for second-most at GSU.
The Catamounts used a five-run second inning and a strong pitching performance by Lauren Ross to take the opener. Ross (6-15) faced the minimum through 4 1/3 innings and walked none and struck out eight.
“She kept us guessing,” said Poole. “She threw the changeup quite a bit and would mix in a hard pitch every now and then, so we would be trying to figure out what she was going to throw rather than seeing pitches. I think she got to us a little mentally. Once we were able to let that go we were able to get after it.”
Western Carolina took a 6-0 lead into the sixth before allowing four runs to get Georgia Southern back in the game. Hall cut the deficit to two with a two-run bomb.
Senior Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada) took the loss (14-9), allowing six runs (two earned) and six hits in seven innings.
The series concludes Sunday with a single game starting at 1 p.m.
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