Eagles Split with Buccaneers
3/11/2010 12:20:00 AM | Softball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Georgia Southern (11-8) split a doubleheader with Charleston Southern with an 8-0 win in the first game, but fell in the second contest, 6-3. Georgia Southern was paced offensively by Lowes Senior CLASS Award nominee Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.). She went 6-7 on the day with two runs scored.
In game one, Georgia Southern opened the game with an Iduate bunt single to third base. Kelly Burnett (Boynton Beach, Fla.) followed with a single that advanced Iduate to third base and Burnett then stole second base. Megen Smith (Rincon, Ga.) singled to left field to bring in Iduate to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Eagles broke the game open as Andrea Tarashuk (Flemington, N.J.) reached on an error by Bucs shortstop Megan Lombard. Sara Hinchman's (Douglasville, Ga.) grounder got by second baseman Trea Steele allowing Hinchman to reach third and allow pinch runner Bethany Crenshaw (Warner Robins, Ga.) to score. Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) singled up the middle to bring Hinchman across the plate giving GSU a 3-0 advantage.
With one out in the inning, Iduate's bunt single advanced Kaitlynn Szczepanski (Chesapeake, Va.) to second. Burnett sacrificed both runners into scoring position. A wild pitch by Bucs pitcher Sondra Vetter, brought Szczepanski in to score. Smith's double off the top of the wall brought Iduate in to give the Eagles a 5-0 lead after four innings.
In the fifth inning, the Eagles continued their offensive explosion. Hinchman reached on a single to the shortstop and she scored off an Ennis double. Ennis advanced to third on a passed ball and added another run with a Szczepanski single up the middle. Iduate singled through the left side and Burnett's single to right field brought Szczepanski home to give the Eagles an abbreviated 8-0 win over Charleston Southern.
Southern Conference's Preseason Pitcher of the Year Brianna Streetmon (6-3) continued her domination of opposing batters, allowing only two hits and no runs while striking out nine Buccaneer batters. Her performance lowered her ERA to 1.85 on the season and pushed her strikeouts to 58, a team high. The Winder, Ga., native also leads the team in innings pitched (63.1), shutouts (2) and complete games (7). Opposing batters have a .181 batting average against her this season.
Georgia Southern was unable to find the same offensive magic in the second game. Down 3-0 in the top of the fourth, the Eagles began to rally. Smith doubled to left center and Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.) hit a monster blast, her first home run of the season, over the center field wall to bring the Eagles within one run. Tarashuk continued the rally with a single. Ennis' sacrifice bunt to third base advanced Caitlin Hart (McDonough, Ga.) to second base. A passed ball moved Hart over to third and Tabby Douberley's (Clyo, Ga.) groundout to second brought Hart in to tie the game. However, a Buccaneer three- run home run in the bottom of the fifth would give Charleston Southern the 6-3 win.
The Eagles road trip continues this weekend as they open Southern Conference action against UNC Greensboro. The Eagles will play the Spartans in a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. before wrapping up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
